The appendages of the first body segment have been modified to form large, poisonous fangs that are used to capture prey. The bite of a large centipede, however, can be painful to an adult and dangerous to a small child. Centipedes are predatory, feeding on soil invertebrates such as earthworms and terrestrial insects.
All centipedes are terrestrial, but they require moist microhabitats.
Fertilization is internal, with spermatophore transferred in ways similar to many arachnids. Centipedes lay eggs, which in some species are carefully brooded by the female. When they hatch, the young resemble miniature adults. Centipedes are a diverse group, including some 20 families and over 2500 species. Most are small, but a few attain up to 10 inches in length.