How Bed Bugs Get On You And Travel With You
Bed bugs have made the news on more than one occasion. They are pesky insects that are most well-known for inhabiting mattresses and bed sheets as well as for their stubborn nature. While their name may imply that they only inhabit beds, they will inhabit quite a few items of furniture and places around the home. When someone discovers bed bugs, they wonder how they got there. How bed bugs get on and travel with people is an interesting topic; let’s take a look.
Myths about clean and dirty homes
The biggest misconception that surrounds bed bugs is that they only affect people who do not keep clean homes. Bed bugs can affect anyone, including people with the cleanest houses. Bed bugs do not just appear in a home because it is messy. Instead, these insects appear because they travel with people.
The spread of bed bugs
The perfect time for bed bugs to strike is when you are perfectly still. That means they like to strike any time you are in their presence and not moving. You could be sitting, you could be standing and resting, you could be laying down. The key is that you are present in the area for a good amount of time and not moving. Think about the time that you spend still every day. A bed bug can strike anytime you are still. Here are some common times that we are still that bed bugs like to strike:
- At the Office
- Testing Furniture
- Hotel Beds
- Airports and Plane Seats
- Travel on Public Transportation
- On Used Clothing
Just like the bed bugs will move to you when you are still, they will move from a person to a surface when still. Bed bugs will jump from a person to any inanimate object. That’s why hiring professional pest control is an absolute must, both for moving and traveling.
One of the most common objects for bed bugs to transfer to is furniture. They also like to spread to clothes and carpets. Bed bugs are nocturnal insects so will be more active at night.
Treating Bed Bugs
Online you will find a lot of DIY treatments for bed bugs. Very few, if any, of them work. Professionals are the best route to go when you discover that you have bed bugs. That is because the bugs must be killed off at each stage of the lifecycle. If even one bed bug survives, they will start to spread and cause problems again.
Bed bugs are a unique problem. Every treatment needs to be thoroughly planned. It starts with identifying the extent of the problem (for example, how many rooms are affected). Then your professional will develop a plan and cover said plan with you. Bed bugs involve more than spraying a home or heating a home. You have to care for the furniture, clothing, and anything else in the home. Most recently, to ensure the bed bugs are thoroughly dealt with, heat treatment is used.