I Love the Smell of Almonds! :3

This is the night train (Harpaphe haydeniana), also known as the almond-scented millipede, cyanide millipede or even (adorably) the “clown millipede.” By the way, did I mention this species is actually…pretty?

Pretty millipedes! What will they come up with next!?

Anyway, the night train is a species of “polydesmidan”, meaning it’s flat-backed. I prefer the cute, unusual-looking “polyxenidan” millipedes. I mean, who wouldn’t? This is the polyxenidan bristly millipede (Polyxenus lagurus):

But, enough talking. We’re here for night trains alone.

Though beautiful and exotic-looking, night trains hail from your average woodland, from the Alaska Panhandle to California. The pretty colors warn predators that this millipede will ooze hydrogen cyanide which will probably kill its predators! Yay!

It smells like…

Almonds.

Guess why it’s called the almond-scented millipede.

Also, guess what it eats? It eats rotting plants! Double-yay!

Lastly, here’s a very similar-looking species, Orthomorpha coarctata from Southeast Asia.

Thank you for reading. Merry Christmas in 24 days!