Will Bed Bugs Travel from Room to Room In Your Home?
One of the most common complaints that local exterminator and pest management company, Major Pest Control, hears from their customers is that they have a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs, those pesky little insects that infest our beds and disrupt our sleep, have long been a source of concern for homeowners and travellers alike.
One common question that often arises is whether these resilient creatures can travel from room to room within a house or hotel. In this article, we will delve into the misunderstood world of bed bugs and explore the truth behind this myth.
What Should You Know About Bed Bug Behaviour
Knowing what bed bugs do and why they do it is your number one shield against these sly bloodsuckers. They have developed a unique lifestyle of sharing a space with humans; yet, understanding their habits can spare you a great deal of agony and the cost of treatments.
Feeding and Activity Patterns
- Prime time for bed bugs: The parasites are most active between 1 and 5 AM, when humans are in deep sleep, then exhale steady carbon dioxide.
- They stay pierced into their host for 3-12 minutes, sucking the blood of 3-6 times of its body size before detaching.
- For adults, it takes 5-10 days to feed on hosts if they are available; however, in the event of starvation, they can survive for several months.
- They detect you via carbon dioxide that your body heat produces and some chemical pheromones from a few feet away.
Movement and Physical Limitations
- Crawling velocity: It is the only machine that can move at a pace of (3-4) feet per minute, which is about the same as a ladybug.
- No flight ability: Their wing pads are evolutionary remnants and completely non-functioning.
- Jumping is not possible: They do not have the leg structure like that of fleas, which aids them in hopes or leaping.
- Climbing ability: When it comes to smooth surfaces like metal or polished plastic, they find it difficult to climb; however, they do excel on fabric and wood.
Survival and Reproduction Tactics
- Starvation tolerance: They can go for 6-12 months without feeding at around 20°C, which is longer than it seems to be for most people.
- Temperature preferences: Their optimal temperature is 70-80°F; however, they can survive the freezing temperatures temporarily.
- Reproduction rate: A mated female lays between 2-5 eggs per day in secluded crevices to make between 200 and 500 in total throughout her life span.
- Moulting behaviour: they will grow through five nymphal stages before becoming an adult; soiled hiding spots may hold a clue.
Social and Hiding Behaviours
- Aggregative instinct: Like to stick in groups, preferring to follow scent trails which other bed bugs leave.
- Harborage selection: Make decisions about how they position themselves, starting 8 feet from the sleep areas, with a preference for wood and fabric over metal or plastic.
- Defensive reactions: When threatened, they can either stay still for hours or release alarm pheromones.
- Dispersal cues: It is time to move to a new area when the population becomes too large or the food is getting scarce.
Hitchhiking and Spread Patterns
- Appliance colonization: Occasionally, travel occurs within electronic devices, such as alarm clocks and phone chargers, which are placed near beds.
- Inadvertent transmission: The vast majority of bed bugs are passed on through infested items, such as luggage, clothing, and furniture.
- Laundry risk: Usually spread when someone pushes an infested bedding through their house.
- The visitor’s infection: It can be transferred from one household to another in minutes if the visitor carries the bugs.
How Do Bed Bug Infestations Spread?
Many things will help a bed bug infestation to spread:
- Room Neighbours: Rooms with shared walls will eventually share an infestation, as bed bugs can make their way through cracks in the wall and electrical outlets, being attracted to the carbon dioxide people exhale while sleeping.
- Communal Items: Furniture used by more than one person, such as couches, or items that frequently move from one room to another, like laundry, can lead to the spread of bed bugs throughout a home.
- Large Buildings: Condominiums, apartments, hotels, and motels can all be infested by bed bugs that travel through walls, ceilings, or pipes, potentially infesting neighbouring rooms and even other floors.
How To Prevent and Manage Bed Bug Infestations
Being proactive will prevent bed bugs from moving from one room to another.
1. Regular Inspections: Conduct thorough inspections of mattresses, bed frames, furniture, and other potential hiding places. Look for signs of bed bug activity, such as dark spots (fecal stains), shed skins, or bloodstains.
2. Isolate the Infestation: If an infestation is found, clean thoroughly, seal any cracks or crevices in the room, and put bed bug-proof covers on the mattress and box spring.
3. Professional Treatment: Engage the services of a professional pest control company experienced in bed bug eradication. They can employ effective treatment methods such as heat treatment, insecticide application, or steam cleaning.
4. Vigilance During Travel: When staying in hotels or other accommodations, conduct a quick inspection of the room for signs of bed bugs. Keep luggage elevated and away from the bed and carpet, even by placing it in a garbage bag or storing it in the bathroom. Launder clothing immediately upon returning home.
Be Careful When Dealing With Bed Bugs
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs themselves are not able to easily travel from one room to another. However, their hitchhiking behaviour, human movements and activities, as well as environmental factors, contribute to the spread of infestations.
By remaining vigilant, implementing preventive measures, and seeking professional assistance when necessary, it is possible to minimize the risk of bed bug infestations spreading from room to room and keep these unwanted guests at bay. If you have any more questions about these pests, or think you may have an infestation, the experts at Major Pest Control would love to help you!