{"id":11538665,"date":"2025-07-10T06:30:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T10:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11538665"},"modified":"2025-07-07T14:39:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T18:39:45","slug":"garden-qa-what-colorful-bug-did-i-find","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/07\/10\/garden-qa-what-colorful-bug-did-i-find\/","title":{"rendered":"Garden Q&A: What colorful bug did I find?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q:\u00a0 I found this yellow, orange, and black bug with many yellow legs while removing some dead wood to prepare a new garden. Do they damage plants?<\/b><\/p>\n

A:\u00a0 No, they\u2019re harmless. This is a widespread but not often seen millipede named <\/span>Apheloria virginiensis<\/span><\/i>, and it grows to about 2 inches long. (This species doesn\u2019t have a widely-used common name; some sources call it the Kentucky flat millipede or the black-and-gold flat millipede.) Avoid handling them, as this and other species can produce defensive cyanide-containing secretions if they feel threatened by predators.<\/span><\/p>\n

Millipedes might eat live plant tissues on rare occasions, but they don\u2019t damage garden plants and generally help to decay already-dead plant matter. They also might scavenge dead invertebrates if the opportunity presents itself. As nutrient recyclers, they are valued members of the ecosystem and beneficial in gardens for breaking down leaf litter and other debris.<\/span><\/p>\n

Millipedes might become more visible as they roam around during rainy weather, or if saturated conditions temporarily force them out of the soil. Otherwise, you\u2019ll typically find them under or within moist rotting logs, stumps, and leaf litter. A few dozen species of millipedes occur in Maryland, with our largest reaching over twice this length, but it isn\u2019t as colorful as the <\/span>Apheloria<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 How can I support fireflies in my yard?<\/b><\/p>\n

A:\u00a0 Preserving habitat is key, so they have the food, shelter, and environmental conditions needed to reproduce. As larvae (juveniles), these insects feed on a variety of pests, including slugs, snails, and caterpillars, plus earthworms and other soft-bodied invertebrates. They roam the ground, including exploring mossy areas or under rotting logs or leaf litter, to search for prey, and require moist or humid conditions to thrive. Some species spend a couple of years in this life stage before maturing into adulthood, which is comparatively short-lived, so suitable conditions for the larvae are critical.<\/span><\/p>\n

As with some other beetles, firefly adults will sometimes visit flowers. Growing a diverse array of native plants can support fireflies by attracting the species they prey on as larvae and potentially feeding the adults if they seek nectar or pollen. If your landscape has the room, leave fallen logs to decay at their own pace, and welcome mats of moss at the edge of a lawn. (If moss is taking over areas of lawn, the grass was struggling to begin with, so the moss is not to blame for its decline.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Outdoor lighting interferes with adult firefly behavior and makes it harder for them to find mates, since the light distracts from or drowns out their flashing. Turn off what lights you can, or switch them to motion-activated sensors or timers so they aren\u2019t on all night. <\/span><\/p>\n

Reduce or eliminate pesticide use. This spares the fireflies themselves from direct exposure and harm (especially from broad-spectrum ingredients like those used for mosquito and lawn treatments) and preserves their food source. Water quality is another concern regarding habitat degradation, and some pesticides could contaminate surface water in settings with leaching or erosion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where possible, leave leaf litter in place in the autumn instead of blowing it away or chopping it up. Natural mulches like leaf litter insulate the ground and provide hiding and foraging spots for wildlife. Like the measures above, this will broadly support local biodiversity.<\/span><\/p>\n

University of Maryland Extension\u2019s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at\u00a0extension.umd.edu\/hgic<\/a>. Click \u201cAsk Extension\u201d to send questions and photos.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Avoid handling them, as this and other species can produce defensive cyanide-containing secretions if they feel threatened from predators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":11538972,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-07-10T10:30:18Z","apple_news_api_id":"0e4ec91e-6a15-4973-83ed-c46df034875b","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-07-10T10:30:18Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/ADk7JHmoVSXOD7cRt8DSHWw","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"subheadline":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[24257,113],"tags":[24292,24294,24457],"feature":[],"location":[223],"type-of-work":[],"coauthors":[17085],"class_list":["post-11538665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-garden","category-things-to-do","tag-nl-evening-sun","tag-nl-morning-sun","tag-social","location-maryland"],"post_status":"","edit_last":0,"edit_lock":0,"highlights":"","original_byline":"","original_canonical":"","original_category":"","original_email":"","original_id":0,"original_pubdate":"","original_source":"","primary_section":"24257","primary_tag":0,"print_workflow_body":{"deck_headline":"Garden Q&A","print_title":"What colorful bug did I find?","print_subheadline":"","print_priority":"","print_placement":"inside","print_planned_ready":"","print_pub_date":"1752379200","print_slug":"TBS-L-GARDENQA-0713","print_budget_line":"","print_excerpt":"Avoid handling them, as this and other species can produce defensive cyanide-containing secretions if they feel threatened from predators.","print_notes":"","photo_limits":"Photo limits are: 1 featured image, 5 featured gallery images, 5 embedded gallery images and 5 in-article embedded images. Articles that exceed these limits will not export. Please adjust images to reflect these limits.","print_featured_gallery_richtext":"","print_inline_galleries_richtext":"","print_inline_images_richtext":"","print_content":"

Q:\u00a0 I found this yellow, orange, and black bug with many yellow legs while removing some dead wood to prepare a new garden. Do they damage plants?<\/b><\/p>

A:\u00a0 No, they\u2019re harmless. This is a widespread but not often seen millipede named <\/span>Apheloria virginiensis<\/span><\/i>, and it grows to about 2 inches long. (This species doesn\u2019t have a widely-used common name; some sources call it the Kentucky flat millipede or the black-and-gold flat millipede.) Avoid handling them, as this and other species can produce defensive cyanide-containing secretions if they feel threatened by predators.<\/span><\/p>

Millipedes might eat live plant tissues on rare occasions, but they don\u2019t damage garden plants and generally help to decay already-dead plant matter. They also might scavenge dead invertebrates if the opportunity presents itself. As nutrient recyclers, they are valued members of the ecosystem and beneficial in gardens for breaking down leaf litter and other debris.<\/span><\/p>

Millipedes might become more visible as they roam around during rainy weather, or if saturated conditions temporarily force them out of the soil. Otherwise, you\u2019ll typically find them under or within moist rotting logs, stumps, and leaf litter. A few dozen species of millipedes occur in Maryland, with our largest reaching over twice this length, but it isn\u2019t as colorful as the <\/span>Apheloria<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>

Q:\u00a0 How can I support fireflies in my yard?<\/b><\/p>

A:\u00a0 Preserving habitat is key, so they have the food, shelter, and environmental conditions needed to reproduce. As larvae (juveniles), these insects feed on a variety of pests, including slugs, snails, and caterpillars, plus earthworms and other soft-bodied invertebrates. They roam the ground, including exploring mossy areas or under rotting logs or leaf litter, to search for prey, and require moist or humid conditions to thrive. Some species spend a couple of years in this life stage before maturing into adulthood, which is comparatively short-lived, so suitable conditions for the larvae are critical.<\/span><\/p>

As with some other beetles, firefly adults will sometimes visit flowers. Growing a diverse array of native plants can support fireflies by attracting the species they prey on as larvae and potentially feeding the adults if they seek nectar or pollen. If your landscape has the room, leave fallen logs to decay at their own pace, and welcome mats of moss at the edge of a lawn. (If moss is taking over areas of lawn, the grass was struggling to begin with, so the moss is not to blame for its decline.)<\/span><\/p>

Outdoor lighting interferes with adult firefly behavior and makes it harder for them to find mates, since the light distracts from or drowns out their flashing. Turn off what lights you can, or switch them to motion-activated sensors or timers so they aren\u2019t on all night. <\/span><\/p>

Reduce or eliminate pesticide use. This spares the fireflies themselves from direct exposure and harm (especially from broad-spectrum ingredients like those used for mosquito and lawn treatments) and preserves their food source. Water quality is another concern regarding habitat degradation, and some pesticides could contaminate surface water in settings with leaching or erosion.<\/span><\/p>

Where possible, leave leaf litter in place in the autumn instead of blowing it away or chopping it up. Natural mulches like leaf litter insulate the ground and provide hiding and foraging spots for wildlife. Like the measures above, this will broadly support local biodiversity.<\/span><\/p>

University of Maryland Extension\u2019s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at\u00a0extension.umd.edu\/hgic<\/a>. Click \u201cAsk Extension\u201d to send questions and photos.<\/em><\/p>"},"print_workflow_exported_ts":"1751913630","print_workflow_exported_username":"Michelle Deal Zimmerman","print_workflow_shapes":"","print_workflow_side":{"print_section":"24225","print_status":"24232","add_export_buttons":"","print_endpoint":"tribune"},"really_short_title":"","short_title":"","syndication_source":"","market_neutral_title":"","social_title":"","dfm_hub_post_id":0,"paywall_level":"metered","featured_media_content":{"content_type":"image","content":{"id":11538972,"title":"UME column photo Jul 13 2025","filename":"UME-column-photo-Jul-13-2025.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/UME-column-photo-Jul-13-2025.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/07\/10\/garden-qa-what-colorful-bug-did-i-find\/ume-column-photo-jul-13-2025\/","alt":"","author":"113","description":"","caption":"Apheloria virginiensis millipede. 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