Bed Bugs | Will Bed Bugs Travel From Room to Room?
Bed bugs, those tiny nocturnal pests that feed on human blood, are notorious for causing discomfort and distress. While people will call professionals to help them get rid of these blood suckers once and for all, like Major Pest Control Calgary, many people want to know what they can do in the meantime to make their home as inhospitable as possible to these night creatures. One common concern among individuals dealing with bed bug infestations is whether these resilient creatures can easily travel from one room to another, thereby spreading the problem throughout a residence or building.
While bed bugs will mostly stay central to the places where they can find their food source at night, which generally means bedrooms. However, there are certain things that will cause bed bugs to travel from room-to-room.
Understanding Bed Bug Behavior
While bed bugs tend to stay close to their food source, they will primarily infest bedrooms, so when they are active – night – they can reach their preferred food source – biting humans for blood meal. However, bed bugs are good at hitch hiking, and an infestation is most likely to be spread through human activities. Doing the laundry, for example, can cause bed bugs to be spread throughout the house when the infested bedding is taken from the bedroom to the laundry room. Bed bugs will also be transported when furniture gets moved around, or from vacuuming, if the vacuum isn’t emptied immediately, the bed bugs can escape.
Natural Movement Patterns
In general, bed bugs prefer to stay close to their food source—human hosts. They tend to establish themselves in areas where people sleep or spend extended periods, such as bedrooms, living rooms, or hotel rooms. Bed bugs typically hide in cracks and crevices near beds, including mattress seams, headboards, baseboards, and nearby furniture. They have a limited ability to crawl or move on their own, but they can cover short distances to reach their desired locations.
Bed Bugs | Limited Mobility
While bed bugs have the ability to move between rooms, their mobility is somewhat restricted. Bed bugs are not particularly agile or fast-moving insects. They rely on their ability to crawl and cling onto objects to travel from one location to another. They tend to remain within a few meters of their hiding spots, which are usually in close proximity to where people sleep or rest, since we are their primary food source.
Hitchhiking and Infestation Spread
The primary means of bed bug spread between rooms is human activity. Bed bugs can inadvertently hitch a ride on clothing, luggage, bags, or other personal belongings. For instance, if an individual unknowingly carries bed bugs on their clothing from an infested room to another, the pests may establish a new infestation in the second location. Therefore, infestations are often introduced to new areas by human movement rather than bed bugs actively moving from one room to another on their own.
Preventing and Managing Bed Bug Infestations
To prevent the spread of bed bugs from one room to another, it is essential to adopt preventive measures and promptly address any signs of infestation: Regularly inspect your living space for signs of bed bugs, such as reddish-brown stains on bedding, dark spots of excrement, or discarded exoskeletons. Learn about the signs of bed bug infestations and how to identify them to take proactive measures promptly. If you book a room in a hotel, motel, Air BNB or other accommodations, take precautions.
First, inspect the room for signs of bed bugs, even before bringing your luggage in. If you suspect or confirm a bed bug infestation, seek professional pest control assistance immediately. They can provide effective treatment options to eliminate the infestation and prevent its spread.
Take Care When Dealing with These Notorious Pests
While bed bugs have the potential to move from one room to another, their mobility is limited, and they primarily rely on human transportation. Understanding their behavior and taking preventive measures such as regular inspections, travel precautions, and prompt action in case of infestations can help mitigate the spread of bed bugs within a living space. By adopting proactive measures and seeking professional assistance when needed, it is possible to manage bed bug infestations effectively and minimize their impact on our living environments. And if you have any other questions or need help getting rid of these pests, Major Pest Control in Calgary is waiting for your call!