Fascinating Footage Shows Giant Red Fire Millipede In Motion

May 01, 2020

A giant fire millipede was caught crawling up and down a tree branch in Marojejy National Park, Madagascar by nature photographer David Weiller.

David Weiller, a nature photographer, was in Marojejy National Park, Madagascar when he captured a giant fire millipede was caught crawling up and down a tree branch.

"Millipedes have 2 pairs of legs for each one of their body segments and this one has about 160 legs (Millipedes do not have '1000 feet')," he writes on his youtube channel. "Some Millipedes may have up to 750 legs. When threatened by predators, millipedes curl up into a spiral to protect their soft underside and some millipedes produce irritating secretions."

"Most millipedes are harmless herbivorous (detritivores) and feed on decaying leaves and decomposing vegetation or organic matter. By contrast to the carnivorous centipedes, they are not venomous (unlike centipedes)," he added.

Giant fire millipedes can grow up to 17cm in length. They are identified by the in red and black segments along the dorsal and flanks. This turns entirely black on their underside. The legs and antennae are short, stubby and of cherry red in coloration, which is how they got their name.

Have you seen a giant fire millipede in real life? Show us photos of millipedes you have seen in real life in the comments.