Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

It's a question that we ask, perhaps without truly wanting to know the answer. Bed bugs seem to be everywhere these days, from stores to public buildings to your television set. It seems as if no place is safe from these parasites. Well, we get that same question all the time at Action Pest Control, and unfortunately, the answer is not a very pleasant one. These days bed bugs can come from nearly anywhere, whether you're in Owensboro or Old Harbor, Alaska. They like to live where humans are, and some of those places may surprise you.

Most people associate bed bugs with clutter and poorly maintained living quarters, but these creatures aren't nearly so picky. Bed bugs can live basically anywhere but are drawn to where people are found. They have been known to inhabit public buildings and transportation, retail stores, and the cleanest of living spaces. While it makes them much easier to detect, keeping a tidy house will in no way deter bed bugs from taking up residence if they can make it inside. They will find a cozy cranny in your furniture or under your baseboard, even inside electrical sockets, and lay eggs at an alarming rate.

The main thing to consider in preventing bed bugs is that they normally let others do their work for them. This means that if you find yourself with bed bugs, they almost surely arrived via someone's clothing, luggage, or furniture. Ensuring that clothing goes through the dryer after returning from suspect locations will close off these common avenues. Furniture should be thoroughly inspected for bugs, nymphs, and signs of bed bug habitation, such as shed skin or droppings. The main focus for residents should be bed bug prevention because the only thing that matches the bed bug's versatility is its durability.

Bed bugs are one of the household pests that we do not recommend trying to eliminate yourself. Bed bugs are masters of survival, able to go months without feeding, and sensitive to a declining population. If their numbers start dropping rapidly they may simply go dormant, waiting until the danger has passed before coming out of hiding to lay eggs once more. This makes traps a false hope. Even pesticide application can be risky, as bed bugs can develop a resistance to some pesticides. If you find yourself with a bed bug problem, your best bet is to call in professionals. Action Pest Control's heat treatment service for killing bed bugs is both safe and highly effective, and our fumigation service is perfect for larger spaces. Not only that, but our K-9 bed bug detection services will provide a level of thorough detection like none other, even to the point of detecting a single egg! We may not be able to remove the worry of where bed bugs come from, but let Action Pest Control take the worry of what to do about them off your shoulders.