Millipedes are a group of arthropods characterised by their many pairs of legs! Essential to our ecosystem, millipedes are harmless insects that move slowly through organic matter, breaking down plant material and rejuvenating the soil. These detritivores play a huge part in recycling nutrients back into the soil. Millipedes can live for up to 10 years!
About our Sculpture
Made from over 2,000 unwanted gold clubs donated by our wonderful members and visitors, we created this sculpture to draw people’s attention to the importance of millipedes and insects and to shed light on their plight.
Why are insects important?
At this time, it is thought that there are roughly 10 quintillion insects alive. There are over 1.5 million species living in all corners of the globe, even in Antartica! Insects are vital for the survival of the world as we know it.
Without insects, dead animals, plants and waste would accumulate continuously; creating an extremely dirty environment. Insects pollinate flowers and crops, control pests, and provide food for animals such as birds, hedgehogs and moles.
The Decline of our Insects
In the past 25 years, insect biomass has reduced by 75%, threatening the collapse of nature itself.
Factors like habitat loss, chronic exposure to mixtures of pesticides and climate change all contribute to the devastating reduction in the insect population.
Falling insect numbers cause decline in numbers of all sorts of animals. Take the spotted flycatcher, for example, whose diet comprises of flying insects like moths, butterflies and damselflies. Since 1967, their population has plummeted by 93%; a truly horrifying statistic.
Humans don’t realise just how important insects are. Scientists have already warned us that Earth’s sixth mass extinction event is underway. It’s time we listened to them and started protecting the animals at the bottom of the food chain, because without them, none of us will survive.
