Centipedes climbing into people’s beds. Myth, fact, or something else?

[NYAN]

I’ve long known about this beleif, and today someone mentioned it to me as a reason they hate centipedes. I went online and could find exterminator companies echoing this, but we all know how they are. I want to know if there’s any scientific fact or reason to this. If possible, I want to apply the same logic as I do with spiders in this sense. That is: keep your bed away from walls, don’t have stuff touch the floor, and all will be well. I can’t see any reasons why centipedes would want to join people in bed. It may be part of the superstition that surrounds these animals in Hawaii. They also Say that they come in pairs, or groups, that if you kill one their mate will come and many other things.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Hawaii is full of urban legends about centipedes. In addition to the ones you mentioned, there's the surprisingly commonly held notion that plings have more severe bites than adults.

 

[NYAN]

. In addition to the ones you mentioned, there's the surprisingly commonly held notion that plings have more severe bites than adults.

I hear the same about spiders and scorpions sometimes. It’s derived from that false belief about snakes probably.

 

[Bill S]

I know of verified cases in which centipedes have turned up in beds. I find two species of Scolopendra in my house (heros and polymorpha). Haven't found them in my bed yet, but have found them on the floors of several rooms in the house. Caught one S. heros as it crawled across my bare foot as I was checking e-mail on my computer one morning. If you live in an area where Scolopendra exist, and if they commonly turn up in the house, I see no reason why they would not turn up in beds once in a while. Scorpions certainly do, and they often are looking for the same microhabitats.

 

[Bob Lee]

A long time ago in China there was people called “蛊人” that are able to harness poison and different types of posionous animals for their use.... It's very hard to explain but they have a "Base" (Often bugs, reptiles but it can even be a rock, it would be way more powerful and can be controlled by 蛊人) which they do some magical things to and it's basiclly for 蛊人 to use(Often to protect, kill, but some can even controll people's mind and a certain type called 情蛊 is used to make sure people never cheat(If they do their organs just collpase) or make they love their partner more. These things can still be found for sale today). But I'm pretty sure this isn't related because 蛊人 are also called 巫医（Back in the days of course, now they are called "Myths"）which just means a medic with wizard-y powers.

 

[Galapoheros]

I've found two in my bed. Years ago, living in apartments, I caught a heros heros and it got out. It ran across my leg in the middle of the night and I practically knew what it was before I really woke up, better than a cup of coffee.

 

[Dovey]

I know of verified cases in which centipedes have turned up in beds. I find two species of Scolopendra in my house (heros and polymorpha). Haven't found them in my bed yet, but have found them on the floors of several rooms in the house. Caught one S. heros as it crawled across my bare foot as I was checking e-mail on my computer one morning. If you live in an area where Scolopendra exist, and if they commonly turn up in the house, I see no reason why they would not turn up in beds once in a while. Scorpions certainly do, and they often are looking for the same microhabitats.

I'm sure that centipedes, like scorpions, can occasionally be found curled up in folded linens, which can then be put on a bed, for instance the first night you need a real blanket and pull it out of the top or bottom of your linen closet. I have never found one of the scolopendra species this way, but I have been stung by a bark scorpion this way. Could have some bearing on these stories.

 

[Bill S]

I'm sure that centipedes, like scorpions, can occasionally be found curled up in folded linens, which can then be put on a bed, for instance the first night you need a real blanket and pull it out of the top or bottom of your linen closet. I have never found one of the scolopendra species this way, but I have been stung by a bark scorpion this way. Could have some bearing on these stories.

I know two cases in which someone was in bed and felt something crawling on them, and it turned out to be a centipede (Scolopendra heros). And both times the person was bitten. Neither case involved folded linens. Although I have found Scolopendras in my house I have not found them in the bed - but like you I have been stung by bark scorpions that way.

 

[dragonfire1577]

I mean between blankets/sheets is a tighter more secure spot than many other places in a home, although there are probably places they would prefer more. So they aren't gonna actively seek it out, they will just enter if they stumble across the bed while walking around or stow away in linens when they are put on a bed. Although I think my asian pedes would show up in my bed at night with little gloves on and a steak knife ready to swiftly murder me if I forgot to feed them.

 

[REEFSPIDER]

Where do i need to move to find heros in my house or bed? That would be so economical.

 

[Bob Lee]

Where do i need to move to find heros in my house or bed? That would be so economical.

ANNNNND painful

 

[Celestus]

I am sure that there is a certain amount of truth to this, but only in tropical regions where arboreal centipedes may occur. Centipedes crawl into homes all the time so it would not surprise me if a climbing species managed its way into a bed - with or without someone occupying it. I highly doubt that this happens commonly, though.

 

[Bill S]

I am sure that there is a certain amount of truth to this, but only in tropical regions where arboreal centipedes may occur. ...

I know of two cases in Arizona in which Scolopendra heros were found in beds, both times by the people they were crawling across. Arizona is not tropical and S. heros is not arboreal.