Narceus Millipede

Strangely enough, this individual was curled up on a small branch. Usually, I find this millipede on the ground or in decaying logs, but perhaps they have a penchant to climb from time to time. This is the largest millipede you're likely to find in the eastern United States, it can grow to 4 inches long. This particular individual is still young--it's much narrower than the mature millipede.

If disturbed, N. americanus can release chemical defenses to protect itself from predators. It will only cause a brown discoloration on human skin though, so you're safe to pick it up. As a side note, I'm hesitant to even link the Wikipedia page to this spotting, as its current accuracy is questionable. Found at Barbara A. Beiser Field Station.