Centipedes are reddish-brown, flattened, elongated arthropods with one pair of legs attached on most of their body segments. The first pair of legs is modified into poisonous jaws located below the mouth to kill insects. If crushed, they may bite, causing some pain and swelling. Their antennae are longer than those of millipedes. They feed on small insects such as cockroaches, clothes moths and houseflies. They do not damage food supplies or household furnishings. They do not damage plants but are a nuisance in households and basements where they are commonly encountered in the fall. They overwinter as adults and lay eggs during the warm months. Usually eggs are laid in the soil and are protected by adults. A few species give birth to living young.