It’s Bed Bug Season!

Bed bug activity peaks when people do more travelling. If you’re going on vacation soon, make sure you don’t bring these parasites back as a souvenir!

What are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed exclusively on blood. A fully-grown adult bed bug is as big as an apple seed. Female bed bugs can lay hundreds of eggs (the size of a dust speck!) in their lifetime! There is some good news though: bed bugs can’t fly! They are, however, very fast.

What do Bed Bugs Eat?

Bed bugs can’t really live off just blood, right? Actually, they can. Bed bugs prefer human blood but will feed on other mammals and birds if they’re hungry. They’re mostly active at night but will look for food during the day if they must, travelling anywhere from 5 to 20 feet from their hiding spot. Bed bugs like to feed every 5 to 10 days but can survive up to a year without eating anything!

How do Bed Bugs Travel?

Bed bugs can easily move from an infested site to a new location. Their most common modes of transportation are furniture, bedding, luggage, boxes, and clothing. All it takes is one night in a bed bug infested environment to pick up a hitchhiker.

Here’s How to Find Bed Bugs

They’re so small, is it even possible to find them? Yes! They leave traces behind that you can look for.

• Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses

• Eggs or eggshells that are about 1mm in size

• Pale yellow skins left behind as they shed

They will hide in any available crack or crevice – seams of furniture, between cushions, under loose wallpaper, drawer joints, even in electrical receptacles and appliances!

You can use interception devices to try to stop infestations before they get bad. These devices catch bugs as they travel to and from a bed by trapping them as they move around the environment. They can detect 80% (or more!) of early infestations within 1 to 2 weeks of being put in place.

You can also use encasements on your furniture. These restrict bed bugs’ access to smooth exteriors. This way, their signs (spotting, skins, or the bed bugs themselves) are easily detected. Encasements also protect actual furniture from being infested.

Don’t Move Where You Sleep!

Your first thought upon discovering a bed bug infestation might be to change where you sleep – don’t do this! If you go to another room, they will too and infest the new area. It will be that much harder to get rid of them once they start expanding.

While it’s gross and unappealing, it’s best to continue sleeping in the infested area until they are eliminated.

Here’s How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

It may seem impossible to get rid of bed bugs once you get them, but it is feasible! Clean your bedding, linens, curtains, and clothing in hot water and dry on highest dryer setting. Use a stiff brush to scrub mattress seams to expose the bed bugs and their eggs, then vacuum them up. Continue to vacuum frequently to catch any stragglers. Make sure to remove the vacuum bag and place it in a sealed plastic container immediately after to stop them from getting out.

If all else fails, hire a licensed exterminator. As their initial treatment, they should use the safest and least-toxic treatment. They will tell you the steps you need to take afterwards, then they will return for a follow-up inspection 2 to 3 weeks later.

Bed bugs can happen to anybody, anywhere. These parasites are attracted to certain conditions but will go anywhere they think they’ll find food. Keep this information in mind as you travel this summer to reduce your risk of bringing home an infestation.