Apheloria virginiensis

Description

The millipede pretty much speaks for itself, so check out the video. The video was shot under light from a ultraviolet LED flashlight. For photos of the millipedes, click the bugguide link below.

Only one specimen. I’ve had it a couple months and it seems quite healthy but the care record on flat millipedes is generally pretty poor aside Apheloria tigana (RIP Perry Adkison who used to distribute them to the hobby 8 or so years ago). Like other polydesmids they do best in a colder than room temperature environment and on a substrate containing moist, rotting wood from hardwood trees.

I offer a live arrival guarantee on this species with express mail only. Beyond that you’re on your own to take care of them. These are wild caught and I do not guarantee they will do well for you in captivity. Few have even tried them and flat millipedes generally have a poor record. But I offer these here for whoever may have a special place in their heart for them, a film crew, a die-hard hobbyist, etc. I could easily sell them as deadstock at my Deadinsects.net website but they are just too beautiful to drop in alcohol for that purpose.

From Bugguide.net: “Many millipedes with bright color patterns secrete a compound containing cyanide. Wash your hands after handling them and do not allow children to pick them up.”