Bed Bugs - How They Get in Your Home & How to Prevent It

Bed bugs have been around for thousands of years, feeding on humans and other warm-blooded animals. They can turn up just about anywhere they can find a host. Although they do not usually spread any diseases to humans, their bites are annoying and some people are even allergic to them. These tiny reddish-brown pests are very difficult to get rid of once they take up residence and spread incredibly fast.

The nocturnal bugs tend to hide during the day, commonly in beds and mattresses as well as carpets, and crevices in floors and walls. Despite common belief, bed bugs don’t care about dirt, dust, and sanitary conditions—even the cleanest places can fall prey to them. And they are not interested in food left around or crumbs on the floor, unlike ants and other insects, so there is no need to worry if you live in a household with messy eaters.

Houses, apartments, hotels, office buildings, hospitals, and even cars, buses, and other transportation can be inhabited by these pesky creatures. Notoriously sneaky, they can easily latch on to personal items such as suitcases, clothes, handbags, and boxes in order to travel to new places where they can find fresh hosts to feed on. And they can survive for up to six months without feeding, so don’t think just that because an apartment or home has been empty for a while that there are no bed bugs awaiting the arrival of their next warm-blooded host.

These infamous hitch hikers can come to your home from other infested areas, but there are other ways to get them as unwelcome visitors in your home. Here are some precautions to take:

• Be wary of used furniture or antiques from unknown places.
• Carefully check both new and used furniture before you bring it into your home by looking under cushions and in seams and creases.
• When staying in hotels or motels, make sure to keep your luggage off the floor or bed. Try placing it on a luggage rack or tabletop that’s not up against a wall.

For further assistance in protecting yourself from bed bugs, call Green Pest Solutions at 855-312-7157. Not just a pest control company, we act as a support system, there to help make sure you’re able to spend more time free of infestations. Call us today for more tips and tricks on pests at bay—the safe way.