Venipede is an insectoid Pokémon with a pronounced hump on the upper portion of its body. Its thorax and head are mainly magenta with black markings that consist of rings on its shoulders, a band around each antenna, and an upside-down 'Y' on its neck. A prominent ridge leading down to a pointed tip splits the top half of its head, and its lower jaw is black. It has round, heavy-lidded eyes that bulge away from the head slightly. Venipede's dark green abdomen is segmented, and it has four pairs of stubby black legs. Two short feelers banded with black extend from its hindquarters, which it uses in addition to its antennae to explore its surroundings and detect prey by sensing air vibrations.
Venipede is brutally aggressive, and its bite injects a poison strong enough to paralyze large bird Pokémon. Its fangs are known to be highly venomous. It often gets into fights with Sizzlipede, a related species. Venipede tends to prey on any Pokémon it thinks it can eat without considering its actions thoroughly.