Legs, Legs, and more legs....

In our study of insects we can't forget about the centipede and millipede... they are very interesting creatures.

A centipede is called this because of all of its legs (centi - means hundred). The centipede has two legs per each of its body segments. The centipede has two legs close to its mouth shaped like jaws but are tipped with sharp points that are like fangs. The centipede uses poison to kill the insects that it eats. The South American giant centipede is over 10 inches long and can eat small animals. Now, that's scary!

The millipede has even more legs than the centipede. It has four legs per body segment. Because it has so many legs you would think that it moves very fast... but it doesn't. The millipede is a herbivore and eats rotting and decaying plant matter. Yet the millipede does have a defense mechanism it has stink glands in rows along the sides of its body and it releases a poisonous substance capable of harming an attacker.