Millipedes and centipedes both have a lot of legs, but they have some key differences. Millipedes are slow-moving, have two pairs of legs on most segments, and are harmless decomposers. Centipedes are fast, venomous predators that have one pair of legs per segment.
The Eurasian Millipede is an introduced species native to, and widespread across Europe. These millipedes are probably throughout the Pacific Northwest, especially in urban and residential areas, but their distribution has been poorly documented. If you were to take a close look at this species, you would notice a sharp, thorn-like tail at the rear tip of the body and many fine, parallel grooves running from front to rear on the segments.
Size: 19 mm – 22 mm
Photos by: Glenn Marangelo on 4/20/22 in Missoula, MT
