Jessica Hunter, age 12, of Johnson City, Tenn., for her question:

DOES THE MILLIPEDE REALLY HAVE 1,000 FEET?

Millipede means thousand footed, but no millipede really has 1,000 feet. Some species have up to 115 pairs of legs, but most have a lot less. However, there are over 1,000 species of millipedes. They are found throughout the world except in the polar regions.

Millipedes have segmented bodies. Two pairs of legs are attached to each of their body segments, except to the first three or four segments and the last one or two segments.

The animals range in size from less than an eighth of an inch long to nine inches long. They have rounded heads which bear a pair of short antennae.

Millipedes usually feed on decaying plant life but some species also attack crops growing on damp soil. They live in dark, damp places, under stones and rotting logs.

Most of the millipedes resemble worms with many legs.