Love these stinky Sigmoria millipedes with the bright yellow legs. About 2 inches long, I see them moving across the forest floor in dampish forests, often in the mountains of NC and Va. When handled, they give off a smell similar to almonds, a smell that deters predators. A bad taste accompanies the smell. So the bright yellow is a warning color to predators that they’re distasteful. Because they’re unpalatable, they have no need to hide and they don’t. Millipedes often coil too when handled, a posture that protects their more vulnerable underbelly. Millipedes are very different from centipedes. Both have lots of body segments and lots of legs, but centipedes are predatory and they can sometimes bite. Millipedes are not predatory and don’t bite. Millipedes are (in my opinion) much more attractive. And likeable!
