So complete is the change and so close is the association with the head, the claws now appear to be mouth parts. Each walking leg is tipped with a sharp claw capable of making tiny cuts in human skin. A poison produced from the attachment point of each leg may be dropped into the wounds resulting in an inflamed and irritated condition. Millipedes differ from centipedes in that most body segments are more round and bear two pairs of appendages on each segment instead of one. The head is rounded with short antennae and does not contain poison jaws.
Most species feed upon small creatures such as insects.
With the powerful jaws located immediately under the head they grasp and kill their prey by injecting venom. Occasionally, man may be bitten by centipedes but the poison usually produces only a moderate reaction similar to a bee sting. The only concern would be to those allergic to insect venoms and other toxins, particularly small children. In cases involving severe reactions, consult a physician at once. Centipedes may be found in a variety of habitats but prefer moist, protected places such as under stones, rotted logs, leaves or bark.