Quick answer
Millipedes feed on decaying leaves and plant matter, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Soil and leaf litter worldwide. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
Key takeaway
Millipedes feed on decaying leaves and plant matter, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Soil and leaf litter worldwide. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
Millipede diet overview
Millipedes (Diplopoda) are best summarised as Detritivore (decaying leaves and plant matter). Anatomy and habitat (Soil and leaf litter worldwide) decide whether they hunt, graze, filter, scavenge, or mix strategies across the year.
How millipedes find food
Energy-rich foods are prioritised when available; lean seasons force broader diets or longer travel. Young animals may eat different items or receive food from parents.
Millipede role in the food web
As consumers in their food web, millipedes move nutrients and influence prey or vegetation.
Feeding and human conflict
Never feed wild millipedes. Habituation raises injury risk and can lead to lethal management. Captive diets must match species needs, not generic pet food rules.
Body and legs
Millipedes have long, rounded, segmented bodies, and most segments carry two pairs of legs, which sets them apart from centipedes. This gives them dozens to hundreds of legs that move in graceful, rippling waves as they walk. Although the name means thousand legs, no species was known to truly exceed a thousand until a recently discovered Australian species finally surpassed it.
Diet and recycling
Millipedes are detritivores that feed mainly on decaying leaves, wood, and other rotting plant matter on the forest floor. By breaking down this material and returning nutrients to the soil, they play an important role as natural recyclers, much like earthworms. A few species also eat fungi or, rarely, living plant tissue.
Sources
Millipede FAQs
What do millipedes eat?
Millipedes feed on decaying leaves and plant matter, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Soil and leaf litter worldwide. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
What is the scientific name of the millipede?
Diplopoda — used in research and conservation listings for millipedes.
Where do millipedes live?
They are associated with Soil and leaf litter worldwide. Local presence depends on food, cover, and human land use.
What is the conservation status of millipedes?
Listed in our guides as Least Concern. Check the IUCN Red List and national assessments for the latest formal category.