Things You Probably Don't Know About Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are peculiar. It’s not surprising these creepy creatures sparked panic among their human hosts, who found themselves fed upon in the dark of the night while seemingly safe in their beds. For a time, people felt like they could escape the pests by the light of day. That’s until bed bugs started showing up in offices. And in retail centers. And theaters. And libraries. It sounds like a Hitchcock horror movie, but it’s just a typical day’s work for Orkin. We were early observers of the reemergence of bed bugs, and we’ve been on the frontlines of the battle against them ever since. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about bed bugs:
What is the Main Cause of Bed Bugs?
The main cause of bed bugs is, simply, travel. These pests are expert hitchhikers. They don't just magically appear; they are introduced into an environment by latching onto luggage, clothing, used furniture, and other personal belongings. Once they arrive, they can quickly establish a new home. Hotels, apartments, and even public transportation can be common transfer points. A bed bug doesn't care if it's a five-star hotel or a bus seat, if it can catch a ride, it will.
How Long Does It Take for Bed Bugs to Spread?
Bed bugs can spread surprisingly quickly. A single pregnant female can start a whole new infestation. Once introduced into a home, she can lay hundreds of eggs. Under optimal conditions, a population can double roughly every 16 days. They can easily move from room to room through wall voids, electrical outlets, or just by crawling under a door. In multi-unit buildings like apartments or condos, they can travel between units, making a localized problem a building-wide issue in a matter of months.
What Attracts Bed Bugs to Humans?
They find humans primarily through two things: the carbon dioxide we exhale and our body heat. When you're asleep, you provide a warm, stationary target that breathes out a steady stream of CO2, which is basically a dinner bell for any bed bugs in the area. They use these cues to navigate toward you in the dark and find an exposed area of skin.
What Causes Bed Bugs to Bite?
Hunger is the simple answer. Bed bugs need blood to survive and grow. They are most active at night when their hosts are asleep and least likely to disturb them. When a bed bug is ready to eat, it will pierce the skin with a sharp, elongated beak and inject an anesthetic to numb the area, along with an anticoagulant to keep the blood flowing. This is why you often don't feel the bite when it happens. You just wake up with itchy, red welts and the unsettling feeling that you weren't sleeping alone.
Do Bed Bugs Come from Filth?
This is a common misconception. Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt or grime; they are attracted to warmth, blood, and carbon dioxide. A pristine, five-star hotel room can have bed bugs just as easily as a cluttered room. Cleanliness is not a deterrent for them. While clutter can provide more hiding spots and make them harder to eliminate, it doesn't cause them to appear in the first place. These pests are equal-opportunity invaders.
How Do Bed Bugs Grow?
Bed bugs go through a life cycle called gradual metamorphosis. It starts with an egg, which is tiny, white, and about the size of a pinhead. After hatching, the young bed bug, called a nymph, must take a blood meal to molt and grow to the next stage. A nymph will molt five times before reaching adulthood, requiring at least one blood meal before each molt. This entire process from egg to adult can take as little as a month under ideal conditions.
How Fast Do Bed Bugs Multiply?
Bed bugs can multiply quickly under optimal conditions. A female bed bug can lay between 200 to 500 eggs in her lifetime, with eggs hatching in about 6 to 10 days. Given the right environment, bed bug populations can double roughly every 16 days. These eggs are about the size of a pinhead and are often deposited in hidden, hard-to-reach areas such as mattress seams, cracks in furniture, or crevices in walls. The eggs typically hatch within 6 to 10 days, releasing tiny nymphs that immediately begin feeding on blood to fuel their growth.
As the nymphs progress through five developmental stages, they shed their exoskeletons before becoming fully mature adult bed bugs capable of reproduction. Under ideal conditions, such as warm temperatures and consistent access to a human host for feeding, bed bug populations can grow exponentially, doubling in size approximately every 16 days. This rapid reproduction cycle highlights the importance of early detection and prompt action to prevent infestations from spiraling out of control. Left unchecked, bed bugs can quickly spread throughout a residence or building, causing discomfort, sleepless nights, and the need for extensive pest control treatments.
Do Bed Bugs Fly?
Although bed bugs have wing pads, they don't have wings. Because of this, they can’t fly. They get around by crawling or, more often, by hitching a ride on your belongings
How Long Have Bed Bugs Been Around?
Fossilized bed bug specimens found in Egyptian tombs date back 3,550 years. We weren’t around back then, but if we had been, King Tut might have been a client.
Do Bed Bugs Only Infest Dirty Homes?
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are equal-opportunity freeloaders. Their presence isn’t a reflection of cleanliness, or lack thereof. These pests are drawn to people, not grime or filth, and they’ve turned up everywhere from 5-star hotels to public transportation. As long as you’ve got warm blood and cozy hiding spots, they’re happy to move in.
Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?
The name “bed bug” is a misnomer – bed bugs aren’t only found in beds. They do prefer staying close to their host, though, and typically shelter within a 6-foot radius of the bed in the mattress, box springs, headboard, soft furniture, outlets, wallpaper and carpet.
Why Are Bed Bugs So Hard to Get Rid Of?
Bed bugs are like that one guest at a party who just won’t leave, no matter how many hints you drop. They’re masters of hide-and-seek, squeezing into the tiniest cracks and crevices where you’d never think to look. Plus, they’re resilient little insects, capable of surviving weeks without a meal and adapting to many pest control methods over time. It’s their adaptability and stealth that make them such a headache to deal with.
Do Bed Bugs Hibernate?
No, bed bugs do not hibernate. However, they can enter a state of dormancy known as diapause during cold temperatures, where their development and activity slow down significantly until conditions improve. They are incredibly resilient and can survive for months without a meal, just waiting for a host to return.
Do Bed Bugs Glow Under Black Light?
No, bed bugs do not glow under black light. However, their eggs and some of their waste, such as blood spots and fecal matter, may glow slightly under UV light. Don't rely on a black light to find them; a thorough inspection is much more effective.
What Other Bugs Look Like Bed Bugs?
Bat bugs, booklice, small cockroaches, swallow bugs or carpet beetles are commonly mistaken for bed bugs. So don’t assume you have bed bugs until an expert has inspected the area and confirmed it. Proper identification is the first step to effective treatment.
Professional Bed Bug Control Services
Contact Orkin today for a free bed bug inspection and customized bed bug solutions that help protect your guests, your reputation and your bottom line. Don't wait for bed bugs to become a bigger problem, take charge with Orkin's bed bug services now.
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