Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Comparing Centipedes and Millipedes
Both millipedes and centipedes' bodies are made up of many small segments. The body shapes of both animals are similar. They have long, narrow bodies like a worm's body. The segments look like beads on a string. These unusual animals have some interesting differences.
Each centipede's body segment has one pair of legs. Most types of centipedes have between 30 and 300 legs. In contrast, each millipede's body segment has two pairs of legs. One kind of millipede has about 750 legs!
Millipedes eat plant materials like dead leaves. They like rotting logs. They are harmless to people. In contrast, centipedes are predators. They hunt and eat other small animals. Some eat earthworms or other centipedes. The larger ones eat bigger prey like baby mice or small lizards.
