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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing bristly millipedes. These arthropods are also known as fuzzy millipedes and pincushion millipedes. All of these common names come from their appearance. Unlike your typical millipede, bristly millipedes are soft bodied. They don't have a calcified cuticle, so they're squishy– sort of like a squishy caterpillar. Still an arthropod, just without that hard outer shell. Bristly millipedes typically have fewer than 20 body segments and each segment, including the head, has hair-like structures, or bristles, which make them look fuzzy, or like they're stuck with a bunch of pins!

Some bristly millipedes have eye spots called ocelli which can typically detect changes in light, but others are just blind. Their bristles are usually paler than the rest of their body which comes in cream, brown, soft pink, and white. Plus, these invertebrates rarely exceed 5 millimeters in length, so they're tiny! Millipedes don't have fangs and can't bite, this includes bristly millipedes. A lot of other millipede species have chemical defenses to ward off predators, such as the cherry millipede that smells like cherries because of their chemical defense. Bristly millipedes, however, don't have this. They use another method to stay safe.

Predatory insects including ants try to eat bristly millipedes but the millipedes release their bristles to entangle and distract a predator. Sort of like a porcupine defending with its spines, or a tarantula defending itself by flinging its stinging guard hairs. In the case of bristly millipedes, the ends of their bristles are covered in hooks and spines that latch into an attacking insect. This can even kill the animal attacking them because the predator becomes so wound up in sharp bristles it's unable to escape. That doesn't mean bristly millipedes are dangerous to humans, though.

There are around 110 classified species of bristly millipedes, but they're not as well known as other members of their order. These arthropods can be found worldwide, but they're rarely observed due to their size and where they live. Bristly millipedes often spend their time under tree bark, but they also live in leaf litter, among plant roots, and under logs and rocks. They're also known to reside in caves and even ant and bird nests! Most folks I know aren't picking apart any nests to find millipedes inside.

Bristly millipedes lack the specialized legs found in other millipede species that are used in the reproduction process. When it comes to bristly millipedes, males and females don't even have to interact to mate. Instead, the male produces a sperm packet and lays trails of pheromone covered threads to lead a female to that spot. She finds it and picks it up, without the two ever having to come in contact with each other. This is atypical for millipedes and not observed in other species who have those special legs. Bristly millipede eggs are laid in nests that are made up of their mother's discarded bristles and a sticky mucus. When they hatch, they only have three pairs of legs and a handful of body segments. As they grow, they add more segments and more legs!

These invertebrates are described as diurnal meaning they are most active during the day. They're plant eaters taking lichens and algae, as well as yeasts found in soil. Yeasts are a type of fungus, for anyone wondering. Supposedly, bristly millipedes can withstand drier conditions than other millipedes who typically need a moist environment to survive.

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