Legs are short and movement is slow, with movement of legs appearing wave-like. Centipedes and millipedes spend the winter as adults in protected habitats and become active in the spring. During the warmer months, females lay eggs in soil and cover them with a sticky substance, although some species give birth to living young. Additional leg-bearing segments are produced with each molt. Some centipedes are known to have lived up to 6 years.
Mouthparts are for chewing.
Centipedes and millipedes prefer to live in moist habitats and during the day occur underneath rocks, logs and other objects in contact with the ground. They are active at night. Centipedes feed on insects and spiders. They kill by grasping prey with their powerful fangs and injecting venom. The fangs are located on the body segment just behind the head.