The Pill Millipede rolls into this spherical shape if disturbed.
The Pill Millipede is often mistaken for the Common Pill Bug (Armadillidium vulgare ). Both of them can roll up into a spherical shape in times of danger, but the way to distinguish them is the shiny, black appearance of the Pill Millipede's body and its many legs, shown in the pictures below - the Pill Bug is a dull blue-grey and has seven pairs of legs.
They are detritovores, living on dead plant material and prefer to live in dark places, usually under debris or in crevices like their close relative the Millipede
They are similar in shape and size to Woodlice, though not related, and not as common.
As it unrolls the many legs are visible.
Removing plant debris to discourage them is all that is required in most gardens. But the valuable contribution they make to the decomposition process in vegetable matter means that unless they are a direct threat to seedlings or crops, they should be left well alone. In the commercial setting they can be controlled by soil sterilization with steam or methyl bromide.
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