It is constantly mistaken for the woodlouse, which is a crustacean: the pill millipede has two pairs of legs per segment and fewer dorsal plates, and its ball is smoother and glossier.
From Pill Millipede
It secretes from pores along its back a sticky, toxic fluid that can immobilise a spider attempting to attack it.
From Pill Millipede
Its role in breaking down leaf litter is considerable: it processes a substantial fraction of the leaves that fall in a beech wood each autumn.
From Pill Millipede
Despite the name, it never reaches a thousand legs: an individual with 52 segments has 194.
From Common Millipede
With so many legs it needs fine coordination not to trip itself up: it moves them in a wave, so that only one foot in eight is touching the ground at any moment.
From Common Millipede
Unlike centipedes, it is entirely harmless: a herbivore and decomposer, it works organic matter into the soil and is worth encouraging rather than killing.
From Common Millipede
It neither bites nor stings: its only defence is to coil into a spiral and secrete an irritant fluid that can stain the skin and sting the eyes.
From Giant African Millipede
It carries commensal mites on its body that feed on debris and secretions and travel with it without doing it any harm.
From Giant African Millipede

Ecosystems