Things That Go Bump in the Night

Earlier over the weekend I finished stacking the last of the woodpile for the upcoming winter. As usual there were some critters at the bottom of the pile. There were two lizards that I captured and immediately set free. One Western Fence Lizard and one Northern Alligator Lizard. The remaining creature I saved until this evening to photograph. A five inch long North American Millipede. Millipedes are pretty amazing. They are detritivores meaning that the eat the detris or rotting vegetation on the forest floor. Being nocturnal they prefer to stay out of the light and in dark places under logs or leaves. For protection from predators they will roll up into a spiral shape. If that doesn't work they will release a foul and burning chemical that will convince many small creatures not to eat it. Luckily tonight I handled this millepede rather gently and I didn't end up with smelly hands before I let it go back into the forest. God's love and protection to all, chris