Decomposers are living things. They break down dead plants and other leftovers. People call them nature's clean-up crew.

Termites are tiny insects. They eat wood. In the wild, they break down old, dead wood.

A termite colony has workers, soldiers, kings and queens. Workers find the wood and eat it. Queens lay the eggs.

Millipedes live in damp places under old leaves. They eat bits of rotting leaves. They need damp air. They hide under logs and stones too.

A millipede has many legs. Most of its body parts have two pairs of legs. It curls up when it is bothered.

They are slow. They do not bite people. They do not harm things in a home.

Earthworms live in soil. They eat dead leaves and bits of soil.

Springtails are tiny. They can jump. They have a little spring under the body. It sends them up into the air.

Some beetles eat animal poop. Then they bury it in the ground.

Tiny living things and bugs eat in a compost pile. They eat old leaves and food scraps. They make dark brown compost.

A working compost pile gets warm. The heat comes from tiny living things. They are eating inside the pile.

Words to know

• decomposers: leftover breakers
• colony: big group
• beetles: hard-backed bugs
• compost: dark brown dirt