Scanning electron micrograph of a black millipede, Tachypodoiulus niger. Millipedes are arthropods; they have a body comprised of segments, each with a pair of legs (brown). T. niger has about 50 segments; despite the common name, no millipede species has 1000 legs. The head ( rust brown) carries two elbowed antennae (one visible, yellow), tipped with sensory cones. 13 simple eyes, ocelli, can be see seen as a triangular group of small bulges - the ocular field - on the head above the antenna. At the base of the head are the mandibles. Millipedes feed on plant detritus, and have a globally important and beneficial role in recycling dead plant material. In contrast to centipedes, they are slow-moving non-predatory creatures that do not bite and carry no venom. They are common in damp litter of woodlands and gardens, and may enter glasshouses and domestic buildings. Mag x 68 at 10x8