Why Are There Bed Bugs In My Portland Home?
If you maintain a clean home, it might be a mystery to you when you discover a bed bug infestation in your Portland home. After all, don't bed bugs infest dirty homes? Actually, they don't. Bed bugs aren't attracted to dirty homes. They can live in the cleanest of homes. So, what does attract bed bugs to your home? Nothing. Hold on a second. Aren't bed bugs attracted to people? Don't they eat human blood? Yup. They sure do. But even these attractants don't lure bed bugs into your home. Bed bugs don't choose your home. They get into your home by accident. Here's how it works.
Passive Dispersal
"A bed bug's gonna do what a bed bug's gonna do."
Before a bed bug gets into your home, it will be living in another home or man-made structure. These insects are rarely found outside. So, they won't come into your home from the outside and see if your home is right for them. They will accidentally come into your home when they're picked up from an infested location. This happens passively as a bed bug is going about its business. It crawls into a bag and the bag is picked up and transported. It crawls into some clothes and those clothes are packed away and transported. It crawls into a bookbag, duffel bag, pocketbook, piece of luggage, etc., and, you guessed it, that tiny insect is transported. This is how bed bugs spread.
Where Bed Bugs Hide
Now that you know how bed bugs spread, it is important that you understand how they hide. You're not going to see bed bugs crawling around all over, or inside, your stuff.
There are a few reasons for this.
- Bed bugs are small. A newly hatched bed bug is only about 1mm long. That's pretty small. If that isn't enough to keep it hidden from view, newly hatched bed bugs also have a transparent skin.
- Bed bugs like tight spaces. These tiny bugs don't like to be out in the open. They feel more comfortable when they're squished into a seam, crack, or pocket.
- Bed bugs don't like the light. If a bed bug gets into your stuff, it will hide deep in your stuff so light can't get to them.
Bed Bug Prevention Tips
Now that you know how bed bugs spread and where they prefer to hide, how can you use this knowledge to keep bed bugs from coming home with you or your kids? It is difficult to stop bed bugs from hitching a ride into your home. It requires a diligent effort. But these tips can help if you apply them.
Here's what to do, and why.
- Always do a quick inspection of any location you'll be spending the night. Look for bed bugs, insect skins, dried brown stains, black stains, black speckles, or tiny white eggs. Look in tight spaces, creases, and dark recesses. Finding bed bugs will alert you to the threat
- Leave your luggage in your car or on the floor of the bathroom until you have inspected your accommodations. This can help to prevent bed bugs from getting into your stuff.
- Use the luggage rack if one is provided. This elevates your luggage or bags and makes it more difficult for bed bugs to get in.
- Keep your luggage sealed or inside a sealed plastic bag. This keeps bed bugs from finding tight gaps to squeeze into and accidentally enter your bags or luggage.
- Put your laundry items in a sealed plastic bag. Bed bugs are attracted to the scent of humans. These items are a strong attractant.
- When you return from spending the night anywhere, even the home of a friend or relative, make sure you run all your clothing through a 30-minute drier cycle. This kills bed bugs in all stages of development.
- Be on the lookout for bed bugs and signs of bed bugs even if you won't be staying the night somewhere. Bed bugs can get onto you and into your stuff while you're fully awake. They can also feed on you while you're fully awake.
- Refrain from putting your bags or belongings next to those of other people, especially in dark locations.
What To Do When Bed Bugs Infest
Remember that Big Blue Bug Solutions is always standing by to assist you with pest problems. Our team knows what works best to locate and eliminate bed bugs. Contact us immediately for bed bug extermination. Acting quickly can help to prevent your bugs from leaving with a friend or family member, and coming back to your home another time.
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