Bug FAQCanadian Flat-back Millipede
Pseudopolydesmus canadensis · Order: Polydesmida · Family: Polydesmidae
The Canadian Flat-back Millipede has a distinctive black stripe down the middle of its back, which helps tell it apart from the similar Pseudopolydesmus serratus.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
A black mid-dorsal stripe distinguishes it from Pseudopolydesmus serratus.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in North America and Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes North America and Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be told apart from Pseudopolydesmus serratus by the black stripe on its back.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 20 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina, New York, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Polydesmidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudopolydesmus_canadensis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.