Are you facing a bed bug infestation? How do you get bed bugs? Worry less, as all these will be handled or treated in this article. Bed bugs are easily identified by their small, red-brownish bodies.
They exclusively feed on animal blood. Though Cimex lectularius (a common type of bug) prefers to feed on human blood, other warm-blooded animals are not exempt.
This includes dogs, cats, birds, and rodents. It has been done since ancient times; this is made evident in medieval European texts and classical Greek writings dating back to the times of Aristotle.
What are Bed Bugs?
The name bed bugs came as a result of this insect’s habit of taking shelter in beds and nourishing itself with human blood while sleeping. Bed bugs solely feed on blood, normally for their growth, development, and sustainability.
Humans are the only targets of these blood-sucking insects. Bed bugs have cohabitated with humans for about 3,500 years and are found in basically every environment that feels a human presence, including residences, hotels, schools, offices, retail stores, and even public transportation, etc.
Read also: Bed Bugs in Car? Best Proven Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Car
How Do You Get Bed Bugs?
There are various ways in which one can get bed bugs; they are:
- Travelling:
One of the most common causes of bed bug infestations is travelling. Often undisclosed to the traveller, bed bugs will hitch on people, clothing, luggage, and other personal belongings and be unconsciously transferred to other properties.
Aside from food poisoning and the displacement of luggage, bed bugs are another reason for concern for travellers.
Negligence, lack of attention, and carelessness have adversely contributed to the spread of bed bugs. This has been a serious problem in the US for the last decade.
Both businesses and personal homes have experienced problems with bed bugs. It is a huge problem for public facilities like; colleges, hospitals, retail stores, movie theaters, and libraries. And a bigger problem for hotels.
- Second-hand furniture:
Another prominent cause of bed bugs is the vogue of second-hand furniture. Bed bugs can find their way into a property when an infested piece of furniture is brought into a home or business.
Furthermore, borrowed furniture can also play a significant role in introducing bed bugs to a property.
When furniture or other household items are rented out to the infested property and returned without thorough inspection, this property is at risk of being infested too.
NOTE: Bed bugs can survive for long periods without a blood meal, up to a year. Simply isolating infested furniture or property will not eliminate bed bugs.
Random picking up of furniture and other household items is strongly discouraged because there is a tendency to pick up bed bug-infested object(s).
How Do You Get Bed Bugs in Your House?
Bed bugs are small, wingless insects with flattened bodies that have a greater tendency to grow unnoticed by humans.
They can hide in tight and desolate areas that are often out of reach or sight, for example, behind headboards or deep in upholstered furniture.
Their flat bodies protect them, as they can avoid getting squashed when their host unknowingly rolls over them while sleeping.
They usually hide in concealed places but will come out to feed when a host is nearby. It’s important to note that they are cautious and deliberate in their actions to avoid detection.
To avoid being detected, blood-sucking insects typically wait until the middle of the night before approaching their host for a blood feast.
Once they bite, they inject a mild anaesthetic to prevent their victim from noticing the bite and to assist them in their feeding.
Read also: Are Bed Bugs Dangerous? Facts To Note About Bed Bug Bites
How Do You Get Bed Bug Bites?
Bed bugs have a habit of hitchhiking, which enables them to travel long distances. They can cling to suitcases, clothes, and linens, which makes their movement convenient. This is why they spread effortlessly.
Bed bug bites are difficult to identify, which often leads to confusion with bites from other pests. As a result, detecting infestations becomes challenging, and populations can grow invisibly.
How Do You Get Bed Bugs Out Of Your Home?
Bed inspection is very important. Endeavour to make thorough and careful inspections of the hotel beds; pull out the sheets to check and closely examine the mattress and box spring seams for any signs of bed bugs.
These may include living or dead bed bugs, which are the size of an apple seed, or black faecal smears, check out for bloodstains too.
Be sure to keep your luggage away from the bed to reduce the possibility of bed bugs grasping onto your luggage by placing it far away from the hotel bed. If possible, keep your luggage in the bathroom.
Below are ways to get bed bugs out of your home:
- Inspection: A close inspection of luggage before packing and unpacking could help a whole lot.
Before you leave the hotel for your house, be sure you are not taking any bed bugs home with you by closely examining your belongings. Check your clothes for bed bugs as well as any zipped compartments.
This inspection should be redone when you get home, should any bedbugs escape your watchful eyes while at the hotel. - Adequate Washing: Washing clothes is another very important preventive measure you can take to avoid the importation of bed bugs into your home.
It is of the essence to put all your clothes in your luggage into the dryer in case there are some bed bugs attached to them.
NOTE: Bed bugs can survive washing, so clothes should be placed in the dryer for not less than 20 minutes first to kill the bugs at any life stage.
After drying, you can wash clothes in hot, soapy water and then dry them again. Heat is the key here, because it may be a proven method for killing all bed bug life cycles.
Read also: How Often Do Bed Bugs Feed? Feeding Habit of Bed Bugs
Conclusion
The role of travel in the spread of bed bugs cannot be overemphasized. These insects can spread rapidly, making it crucial to remain vigilant and watchful for signs of bed bug infestations.
It is essential to take measures to prevent the spread of these blood-feeding insects.
How do you get bed bugs out of your home after identifying them? Well, now you know!
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