Millipede Food Preference Inquiry

Objective: To determine what types of food millipedes eat.

Materials:

- Giant African Millipedes

- Food items (Giant African Millipedes will eat a variety of fruits and vegetables) Allow the students to suggest different food items to test

- Terrarium or escape-proof container

Methods:

- Divide students into groups of 2 to 4 students per group

- Place different food items in the center of the container (select between 2 to 5 different foods to test)

- Add one millipede to each container

- Record the feeding preference of the millipedes. The results can be recorded by simply stating if the millipede consumed a food item or not. An alternative to this method would be to determine initial and final weights of the different food items. By comparing the initial and final weights of each food item, information can be inferred about the food preference of the millipedes.

- Be sure to replicate your inquiry

Conclusions:

- What did you learn about millipedes and their food preference?

- How many legs do millipedes have?

- How is a millipede different from a centipede?