Scavenging animals, such as magpies, will eat rotting meat. Rotting meat is called carrion. The majority of decomposers, however, are small – like the woodlice in this picture – or too small to see. Those that are too small to see are known as microbes and are responsible for the decay of most dead matter on the soil surface.

Eating dead material is a vital role in making sure that the environment stays clean, and that the nourishment in dead material is recycled.

In the video below, the millipede is a decomposer. It is shown at the end of the video, but you will find other decomposers under the log when it is lifted.