Health Network News

“Nighty, night. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” How many times in your life have you heard that little phrase? When you were a child did you wrap yourself up in a cocoon so those little terrors wouldn’t get to your precious skin? Did you ever wonder where that seemingly harmless saying came from? Well, it’s time you had your questions answered. Today is the day you find out how bed bugs get around and infest the things you own.

Thanks to their flexible, small bodies bed bugs can move almost undetected along boards and pipes. They, a lot like cockroaches, remain out of sight during daylight hours and don’t frequently stray from their feeding grounds unless food gets scarce. And even then, they only really move around to find more.

These bugs aren’t only versatile in the way, but in the places they decide to call home. They can live on cruise ships, in movie heaters, and in hospitals in addition to your home! They are so small and seemingly invisible that they could be living in your clothing and you wouldn’t even know.

It is surprisingly easy for these creatures to get into your abode. They can tag along on the clothing you buy, in big purchases such as couches or cabinetry, on children’s toys such as dolls or stuffed animals, and they can even come from your neighbor’s home given the right kind of access. They can be numbered in the tens or in rare cases, the tens of thousands. They are so tiny that even when an individual is bitten they may not notice the actual welts cased by their bites!

It is widely accepted that this particular kind of bug prefers to live within fabric and wood. Even so, that’s not the only place you will need to be wary of if you’re on the look out for them! These bugs will really live in anything stagnant. A sock hiding under your dresser, the mound of dust around that lamp on your night stand, or even the bed skirt of your bed could hold a nest of them!

The fact that these bugs are so versatile is a problem for humans. Because they have such a wide ability to live in different places nests for these critters can be hard to find. It is easiest to locate them when they are grouped together into colonies.

Ultimately, bed bugs are a tough bug to crack, so to speak. They’re small, smart, and adapt at avoiding detection. Hopefully now that you know how bed bugs get around you’ll be better able to beat them at their own game.