Centipedes are long, slender arthropods in the class Chilopoda. Centipede means “hundred feet” because they appear to have many legs. Insects, millipedes and arachnids are close relatives. Centipedes should be considered beneficial because they are exclusively predatory. They eat a wide variety of smaller invertebrates, including insects. However, centipedes may be considered a nuisance to homeowners when they are found inside.