By Dr R Sudarshan
A few Pill Millipedes have begun to appear on the farm floor in the past week. You touch and they roll into a ball. Birds pick them but can't get past their exoskeleton and drop them everywhere, saving them a crawl. They exude an almond smell, adding to the charm of our fruit orchard.
The receding monsoon has left behind a whole load of rotting leaves and fruits for them to feast on. They help the biomass turn around into usable substances. They are often found in the woodlands, meaning that the farm matures into a wild food forest, to receive their patronage.
All that aside, Pill Millipedes are unbelievably beautiful and add to the gorgeousness quotient of the landscape.
Farmer's House, Silverfish Books, Kutz Bowl and the Farmer's Market, # 1A, 13th Cross, Kalidasa Road, VV Mohalla, Mysore.
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