We all have a picture in mind when we think about bed bugs that could be lurking in our sleeping areas. The mattress covered in black bugs and our bodies covered in bites. But did you know that these are extremes and rarely happen? With the internet being so popular, we are quick to self-diagnose. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some real answers from a professional that you can trust?
We did the work for you! We interviewed Chippewa Pest Control and got the basic facts about bed bugs, as well as prevention tips that are easy to implement now to help save you time and money later.
Facts: What You Should Know
- Bed bugs feed off of humans’ blood while we're sleeping.
- These bugs are smaller than a penny and are different shades of brown.
- The bed bugs use an anesthetic to hide the bite while the bug is feeding on your blood. The bite will begin itching hours later.
- A common life-cycle for a bed bug ranges from 10 months to a year.
- A bed bug lays 500 eggs in its lifetime. That is roughly 5 eggs a day!
- Bed bugs don’t discriminate. Guess what high end and low end hotels both have? Beds that people sleep on. Bed Bugs are more common on the east coast but they can show up anywhere, even in your Chico or Redding rental property. It doesn’t matter how much money you make, what ethnicity you are, as long as you have blood for the bug to keep feeding on it will find a way to make it to your bed.
- 1 in 5 people are going to encounter bed bugs at some point in their lives.
- Bed bugs can hibernate for up to a year after feeding. These bugs are all about survival. So finding the source is important.
- If you think you have bed bugs, call a professional.
- The average cost of treating bed bugs ranges from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars. So the sooner you call a professional pest control service when you notice the bed bugs, the more control you'll have over your treatment.
- Bed bugs can transfer into your home through fabric, plastic, and wood.
Tips to Prevent Bed Bugs
- Do you use a public laundry room? If you do, then it's time to reevaluate your system. Make sure that you separate and sort your laundry before you leave your unit. Also fold your laundry in your unit. Doing this will help keep those bed bugs from getting onto your clothes and transported into your home.
- When you purchase items from yard sales and second hand stores, clean them before you use them in your home. Vacuum furniture and check every crevice and fold, put clothes in large garbage bags to suffocate the bed bugs or put them in the dryer for 30 minutes at a temperature of 120 degrees. Bed bugs like to hide and will do anything they can to get closer to your bed.
- When riding the bus or other modes of public transportation, try to avoid leaning back in your seat. Bed bugs like to hide in the crevice of the seat. Wouldn’t this include any public seating? Why yes it does. But it could be a little difficult not to get comfy while watching a 2-hour movie. So when you get home, throw your clothes in the dryer to make sure that any bed bugs aren't taking refuge in your home.
- Check your hamper periodically for any bed bugs that you could have brought in.
- Try to avoid any unnecessary clutter in your home.
- When traveling, check hotel rooms . Check the bed, behind the headboard, electrical plugs/outlets and conduits. Don’t use the dressers when possible and keep your clothes in your luggage. When you get home, wash your clothes and clean your luggage. You can do this by using a vacuum or if possible, throw it in the dryer.
Take these steps to prevent getting bed bugs. Nobody is immune to bringing in bed bugs to their rental property, but you can take these steps to help prevent bed bug infestations.