Millipedes	Woodlouse	Daddy Long Legs

Millipedes Top Of Page

Millipedes are fascinating arthropods, though often mistaken for centipedes, they are actually more closely related to lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp. These creatures, belonging to the class Diplopoda, play a vital role in ecosystems, particularly in decomposition. 

• Many-segmented bodies with numerous legs: Each segment has two pairs of legs, leading to their common name “thousand-leggers” – though they don’t actually have a thousand legs, the most recorded on one being 750. Their legs move in a distinctive wavelike motion.
• Defense mechanisms: When threatened, millipedes often curl into a coil to protect their soft underside. Some species also release a foul-smelling or even irritating fluid, with some even spraying it as far as 32 inches.
• Diet and habitat: The majority of millipedes are detritivores, feeding on decaying leaves, wood, and other organic matter, playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling. They prefer moist, dark environments and are commonly found in leaf litter, under rocks, and rotting logs.
• Reproduction: Millipedes lay eggs in the soil, and the young undergo several molts, shedding their exoskeletons and gaining segments and legs with each molt, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program. 

Are they dangerous?

Generally, no, millipedes are not considered dangerous to humans. They do not bite or sting. The defensive fluid released by some species can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, but is generally minor. 

Millipedes are found throughout the world, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. They are common in North America and can be found in various habitats where there’s plenty of decaying plant material. They may occasionally wander into homes, especially during migrations or seeking moisture, but they typically don’t survive long indoors due to lack of moisture. 

Woodlouse Top Of Page

Woodlice, also known as sow bugs, pill bugs, and slaters, are a suborder (Oniscidea) of terrestrial crustaceans within the order Isopoda. Unlike most crustaceans (like crabs and lobsters) that live in water, woodlice have adapted to live on land. However, they still need moisture to survive because they breathe through gills. 

• Exoskeleton: Woodlice have a hard, shell-like exoskeleton made of chitinous plates, which they shed in two stages (first the back, then the front) as they grow.
• Body Shape: They are oval, flattened, and segmented, typically ranging from 8-20 mm in length depending on the species. Some species can roll into a ball when threatened.
• Legs: They have 14 legs, with one pair per segment of their thorax.
• Other Features: They have two pairs of antennae (one prominent, one inconspicuous) and two uropods (small tube-like structures) protruding from their rear. 

• Moisture is Key: Woodlice thrive in damp, dark environments, seeking shelter under rocks, logs, leaves, and in compost heaps to avoid drying out.
• Nocturnal: They are primarily active at night to avoid the risk of dehydration.
• Diet: Woodlice are detritivores, feeding mainly on decaying plant matter like dead leaves and rotting wood. They also eat fungi, bacteria, algae, dead animals, and even their own feces (coprophagy) to recycle nutrients like copper.
• Ecological Role: They play a vital role in nutrient cycling by breaking down decaying organic material and returning nutrients to the soil, similar to earthworms.
• Defenses: Some species, like pill bugs (genus Armadillidium), can roll into a ball when threatened. Others may secrete a sticky, foul fluid to deter predators.
• Excretion: They excrete ammonia gas through their exoskeletons instead of urinating. 

• Reproduction: Woodlice typically breed during spring and summer. Females carry fertilized eggs in a fluid-filled pouch (marsupium) on their underside.
• Development: Young hatch inside the pouch and remain there for several weeks before emerging as independent individuals. They undergo multiple molts, gaining their full complement of legs and reaching sexual maturity at about one year old.
• Lifespan: Most woodlice live for 2-3 years. 

Daddy Long Legs (Harvestmen) Top Of Page

1. Harvestmen (Order Opiliones): These arachnids, although possessing eight legs and resembling spiders, are not true spiders. They have a single body segment, lack silk and venom glands, and cannot bite humans. They are also known as opilionids.

Key differences between harvestmen and cellar spiders

Feature	Harvestmen (Opiliones)
Body Segments	One fused segment
Silk Production	No silk glands, no webs
Venom	No venom glands
Eyes	Two eyes
Habitat	Primarily found outdoors (forests, caves), may cluster on buildings

• Harvestmen prefer moist environments and are often found under rocks, logs, and in leaf litter. They are also common in forests and caves. They are mostly nocturnal but can be active during the day. They sometimes form large clusters, especially in dry conditions, possibly to reduce water loss.

• Harvestmen are omnivores, feeding on a diverse diet of organic matter like fungi, dead insects, and plant material, including aphids.
• They are prey for birds, amphibians, and other spiders. 

The persistent myth that daddy longlegs are the most venomous spiders in the world, but their fangs are too small to bite humans, is false. Harvestmen lack venom entirely.