Top Facts About Bed Bugs
- All stages of bed bugs, from nymph to adult, need to feed on blood. Also, both males and females are blood feeders, unlike mosquitoes that just the adult female bites.
- Bed bugs feed exclusively on human blood. That means they won’t go after our warm-blooded pets (with the exception of poultry) and cannot survive outdoors in the environment.
- Despite the name, bed bugs can be found in many places beyond the bed.
- Only some people react to bed bug bites. In fact, about 30% of the population doesn’t have any reaction to their bites at all.
- Bed bugs are attracted to heat, carbon dioxide and the smell of humans.
Good to Know
Bed bugs have not been found to transmit any human diseases.
Where Do Bed Bugs Live and Eat?
Bed bugs live and feed wherever people spend time. Years ago, people only were at home at night — mainly in bed resting. Remember the old rhyme, “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite”? This phrase referred to tightening the ropes that held up the mattress, and hopefully preventing bed bug bites.
Today, however, people spend lots of time in chairs, couches and other comfortable areas. More people have home offices and areas for gaming or entertainment — which offer sedentary environments that can be attractive to bed bugs. Even the bed bugs found on beds are often near the bed, not necessarily on or in it. They like to hide in cracks and crevices once they are done feeding. That can mean behind the headboard, on nearby nightstands and tucked into baseboards.
Once a bed bug has fed, it can take days to weeks to digest just that meal. Bed bugs can live a long time without eating, though it is still disputed how long that can be. But, because they need so much time to digest their blood meals, they spend most of their lives hiding. Looking closely at a bed bug, you can see that it is flattened, so it easily fits into the tiniest of cracks and crevices anywhere in your home — typically close to where that warm-blooded person spends time.
In severe cases, bed bugs may be behind outlets in the walls, under picture frames, in curtains — even inside electronics, which offer warmth as well as a safe hiding place. They emit a pheromone (that is, a chemical smell) that alerts nearby bed bugs that they have found a good spot to rest. As a result, they are often found clumped together. They even will wait in abandoned homes and furniture until their next meal gets close.
It’s a fact: Bed bugs are very good at hitchhiking. Without realizing it, people can transport them from one area to another. This often happens during travel, but it doesn’t have to be long trips. A visit to an infested apartment down the hall, to an assisted living facility to visit a relative, or even to local hotel can be an opportunity to pick up bed bugs — and it’s just as likely that you will bring them home from a nearby location as it is from a cross-country plane trip.
Though bed bugs prefer living spaces, they have been found on planes and buses, as well as at movie theaters, schools, libraries, hospitals and other public places.
Use Caution
Even if you do find what looks like a bed bug in your home, there are other insects that can look similar. It’s a good idea to consult a professional pest control expert to confirm whether or not you have bed bugs.
Signs of Bed Bugs/What to Look for
Bed bugs are often compared to an apple seed. They are small, reddish brown, and about that size. Immature bed bugs are smaller, but can are usually still visible. Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal; you aren’t very likely to encounter them while you are awake. However, this timing can shift when conditions change. In the case of people who work night shifts, bed bugs will be most active during the day when the people are sleeping.
Along with finding and seeing the actual bugs, there are a few other things to look for to identify bed bugs and confirm an infestation.
Bed bugs are often compared to an apple seed. They are small, reddish brown, and about that size. Immature bed bugs are smaller, but can are usually still visible. Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal; you aren’t very likely to encounter them while you are awake. However, this timing can shift when conditions change. In the case of people who work night shifts, bed bugs will be most active during the day when the people are sleeping.
Along with finding and seeing the actual bugs, there are a few other things to look for to identify bed bugs and confirm an infestation.
Cost of Bed Bug Removal
Depending on the treatment needed and the area affected, a full bed bug removal treatment can cost from a few hundred dollars to thousands. The price can vary according to the size of the infected area and the size of the infestation. Treatment is often far more expensive than people anticipate, as it takes considerable effort and skill to completely eradicate a bed bug infestation. In fact, if you hire the wrong people and the infestation is not completely taken care of, you may have to hire another company to start the process all over again.
There are also additional costs to consider. All soft goods like sheets, clothes, pillows and stuffed animals should be laundered and dried under hot heat to kill bed bugs and eggs that may be on them. They then need to be bagged/sealed until the treatment is over. Clutter should be cleaned up to help get the treatment to the areas needed. If infestations are large, they can even get into vehicles, which must then be treated. Treatment may require that you, your family and your pets be out of the space overnight, so you may need to rent a hotel room for a night. Most times, mattresses and soft furniture will not need to be disposed of. However, a heavy bed bug infestation, will require that they be thrown out and replaced.
What you can do about bed bugs
Bed bugs are a serious problem for homeowners and are notoriously difficult to get rid of on your own. Most infestations require a professional to perform an inspection, locate all the bed bugs and use proper equipment and chemicals to remove the problem completely. If bed bugs are on your mind, reach out to At Home Pross. We’ll connect you to the best pest control services for bed bugs in your area today, so you can get a better night’s sleep right away.
Find a Specialist for Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a serious problem and are notoriously difficult to get rid of on your own. Most infestations require a professional to perform inspections, find all the bed bugs and use proper equipment and chemicals to remove the problem completely. If bed bugs are on your mind, don’t hesitate to reach out to At Home Pros today, and get connected to the best pest control services for bed bugs in your area.
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