There are many myths regarding bed bugs. These myths can give you the wrong idea about bed bugs and make it more difficult for you to prevent or control an infestation. Let's take a look at the facts and put these bed bug myths to rest.
Myth 1: Bed Bugs Are The Result Of Poor Hygiene And HouseKeeping
Every myth has a little bit of truth in it. The best way to address this myth is to ask a few questions.
Does poor body hygiene make you more susceptible to a bed bug infestation?
No. There is nothing about you or your home that attracts bed bugs. In fact, bed bugs don't choose where they're going to infest. They are carried from one location to another by accident. When they find themselves in a new location, they make the best of it.
Is poor housekeeping connected to bed bug infestation?
There is some connection. Bed bugs will be able to move about in a cluttered home far easier than in a home that is kept neat and clean. This can allow an infestation to grow faster. But it has no impact on whether or not you'll have an infestation. There is one way poor housekeeping can lead to you having an infestation, but it doesn't have anything to do with your house or your housekeeping. When you spend the night in overnight accommodations, poor housekeeping is a warning sign that the staff is not on top of things. If housekeeping staff don't actively watch for bed bug signs, these insects can be allowed to grow a population. This increases your chances of these bugs getting into your stuff and going home with you. So, in a way, poor housekeeping can result in a bed bug infestation.
Why do people think bed bugs are attracted to dirty homes?
This myth has been around for a long time. We can only guess at how it originated. But we can make an educated guess. Bed bugs stain fabrics and materials with their black excrement and excreted blood. This can lead to black and brown stains on mattresses and box springs. When a mattress or box spring is thrown out, these stains can be misinterpreted. First, they aren't the result of poor hygiene or housekeeping. They're created by bed bugs. Second, they're created in the tight space between the mattress and box spring, where they can't easily be seen.
Myth 2: Bed Bugs Are Too Small To See
How big are bed bugs? A newly hatched bed bug is about 1 mm long. It grows to be about 4.5 mm. While certainly small, a bed bug is never so small that you can't see it. The reason many believe that bed bugs are invisible is that they are experts at hiding. Bed bugs prefer to be in tight spaces—very tight spaces. You can rip off the sheets of a mattress, inspect the entire mattress, and think that you don't have any bed bugs. But swiping a credit card along the seams can reveal shed skins, white eggs, tiny nymphs, and adult bed bugs.
Myth 3: Bed Bugs Only Hide In Beds
Bed bugs certainly prefer to be in beds, but they are not limited to only hiding in beds. They can be on furniture next to a bed. They can be underneath the carpet. They can be behind baseboards or inside wall outlets. They can even be in wall voids. Perhaps the most surprising location bed bugs can be found is inside electronic devices. If you have a computer near your bed, bed bugs could be inside, taunting you as you do everything to find them in your mattress, box spring, and bed frame.
Myth 4: You Can Rid Your Home Of Bed Bugs
When bed bugs are carried into your home, they are first found in the item they used to get into your home, such as a piece of luggage, a duffel bag, or a backpack. If you address an infestation in your bed, you may neglect this important location. Bed bugs may be near your bed, as we discussed already, or they could be on a couch or chair in your living room. There are many places bed bugs can hide inside your home. This can make it difficult to find them. If this isn't bad enough, they can build a resistance to chemicals. If you spray to kill bed bugs, they can grow new skins to protect themselves from the chemicals. It is best to contact a licensed pest control professional when these bugs get into your home.
Bed Bug Control In Worcester
At Big Blue Bug Solutions, we know what is required to eliminate all the bed bugs in your home. Reach out to us today to schedule a bed bug control service. Don't let the bed bugs bite.
