When you think of pests residing in your mattress, causing havoc and making everybody itch, the first thing that comes to mind is bed bugs.
Of course, these creatures have made a reputation bad enough to make anyone shudder.
We’ve all heard the horror stories of bed bugs infesting people’s homes, and it’s more likely that you’ve had an encounter with them at least once in your lifetime.
Their bad reputation as pests is well deserved, but let’s get to know more about these creatures.
Here are some interesting facts that you should know about bed bugs:
Despite Their Small Size, Bed Bugs Can Survive Up to 400 Days Without Food
It’s a fact that no one wants to hear – bed bugs are real and they’re here. But what many don’t know is just how resilient these tiny pests can be.
Despite their small size, bed bugs can survive up to 400 days without food!
While they don’t need to eat every day, they do feed on their human hosts every 3-7 days. However, if they can’t find a host, they can still survive for a long time without food.
Bed bugs have evolved over millions of years to become the master survivors they are today.
They have adapted to survive in extreme conditions such as cold temperatures, high humidity levels, and even starvation.
In order to survive long periods of time without food, bed bugs use a variety of tactics.
For example, they will enter into a state of dormancy or diapause when faced with unfavorable environmental conditions such as extreme temperatures or lack of food sources.
This allows them to conserve energy and prolong their lifespans for extended periods of time until more favorable conditions arrive.
Another strategy bed bugs utilize is their ability to enter into what is known as “cryptobiosis” which essentially means entering into an inactive state where all metabolic processes are suspended until better conditions present themselves again.
Cryptobiosis is an advanced form of dormancy that allows the organism to survive under very harsh conditions including complete dehydration or lack of food sources due to the insects’ ability to withstand desiccation (drying out) for extended periods of time.
Bed Bugs Are Excellent Hiders
Bed bugs are incredibly small—adults range from 4 to 7 mm in length—so this gives them plenty of opportunities to hide in places that seem too small or insignificant for humans to notice.
They are often found in mattresses, box springs, cracks, and crevices throughout your home, behind wallpaper, under carpets, and even behind electrical outlets.
They can also hide in furniture such as dressers and couches if they’re not treated with insecticides or steam-cleaned regularly.
Additionally, they are nocturnal creatures, so they tend to be more active at night when people are asleep and less likely to notice their presence.
This allows them plenty of time to hide in dark places where humans cannot easily see them or detect them.
Bed Bugs Don’t Fly – But They Are Excellent Hitchhikers
Did you know that bed bugs don’t fly? Despite their tiny size, these little critters can still move around quickly without the aid of wings.
They are excellent hitchhikers and can easily attach themselves to clothing, backpacks, or furniture to move from place to place.
They also love to hide in the seams of your clothes or bags as they’re warm and dark environments that are perfect for them.
That’s why it’s important to inspect any items and luggage you bring into your home, especially if you’ve been traveling or staying in a hotel, hospital, or even from your office.
In addition, these pests also have an excellent sense of smell, which helps them to locate their human hosts from long distances.
This is why it’s important to be on the lookout for any signs of bed bugs in your home, and take steps to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Bed Bugs Are Resistant To Many Insecticides
One of the most frustrating things about bed bugs is their resistance to many insecticides.
While some products are effective for short-term relief, their ability to become resistant or immune over time means that you’ll need to invest in more powerful treatments.
These pests can also develop a resistance to certain chemicals and treatments used against them, making it even more difficult to get rid of them permanently.
The best way to prevent them from becoming resistant is to use a variety of treatments and rotate them periodically.
It’s also important to be thorough in your treatment process, as bed bugs can hide in the tiniest of places, so you want to make sure that you’ve covered all of the possible hiding places.
The best way to combat a bed bug infestation is to take preventative measures such as regularly inspecting your home for any signs of bed bugs, routinely cleaning and vacuuming your home, and taking precautions when traveling or staying in hotels.
If you do find yourself dealing with a bed bug infestation, it’s important to contact a professional pest control company that can help rid your home of these pests for good.
Bed Bugs Can Reproduce Quickly
Bed bugs are one of the most dreaded pests that can enter a home. That’s because they reproduce at an alarming rate.
In the blink of an eye, a single female bed bug can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, 500 to be exact, which quickly leads to a full-scale infestation if left unchecked
These pests are able to reproduce so quickly thanks to their short reproductive cycle. A female bed bug is capable of laying up to 5 eggs per day and 500 eggs in her lifetime!
These eggs take anywhere from 6-17 days to hatch depending on environmental conditions like temperature and humidity.
Once they hatch, they go through five different stages before becoming adults able to reproduce themselves.
This process can be completed in as little as two weeks given ideal conditions. Because of this accelerated timeline, just one or two female bed bugs can lead to an entire colony within a month.
Bed Bugs Can Ingest 7 Times Their Body Weight
Have you ever heard the phrase, “hungry enough to eat a horse”? Well, it turns out that bed bugs might be able to do just that.
Recent research has revealed that bed bugs can consume up to seven times their body weight in one meal!
This is an incredible feat for such tiny creatures, and it’s not something to take lightly if you have an infestation problem.
Bed bugs are voracious eaters who require a warm blood meal every 3 to 10 days to survive. That’s why they often target humans—we provide them with the perfect environment and a seemingly endless supply of food.
But while they may seem small and harmless, bed bugs can cause quite a bit of damage when left unchecked.
For example, bed bug bites can be very painful and lead to skin irritation or even infections if not treated properly. They can also leave behind feces and eggs which can spread disease if ingested by humans or animals.
And if you have an infestation problem, the number of bed bugs in your home can quickly multiply as their reproduction rate is quite high.
But how is it possible for such small creatures to consume so much? It all comes down to their powerful digestive system which allows them to extract more nutrients from their meals than larger animals can.
This means that they don’t need as many meals as other species, making them particularly well-suited for living off human blood.
Bed Bugs Can Thrive in Just Any Kind of Environment
These annoying little nuances are not picky. You can find them in the cleanest of places and the dirtiest of places. They are everywhere, and they are hungry.
We may think we have all the answers to prevent a bed bug infestation, but there is still so much we don’t know—and that’s what makes them so scary. Let’s explore why bed bugs can survive in just about any environment.
Bed bugs live in more places than you think because they travel with us wherever we go.
All it takes is for one person to unknowingly bring bed bugs into an environment and suddenly, everyone is at risk for a bed bug infestation. This includes homes, hotels, hospitals, offices, schools, and more.
Bed bugs live off the blood as their main source of food, so anywhere humans spend time is the perfect breeding ground for bed bugs.
Homes provide plenty of places for them to hide; however, some particularly hospitable environments might be public transportation like buses or trains or even movie theaters where people spend hours sitting in plush chairs or couches – giving bed bugs plenty of time to feed on their unsuspecting victims.
Not only do these public spaces provide a steady flow of prey but they have also been known to already have infestations due to travelers bringing them along unknowingly when they move from place to place.
The temperature range that bed bugs prefer is 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit making it possible for them to survive both indoors and outdoors depending on the season or climate region they find themselves in.
Bed bugs make it their mission to stay close to their food source meaning if you can find humans, you can bet that there will likely be some kind of insect problem nearby too!
Although temperatures near 0 degrees Fahrenheit could potentially kill off a majority of an infestation, if temperatures remain above this level then these pests will continue living without issue until someone steps up and does something about it.
Bed bugs are resilient creatures that can thrive in just about any kind of environment where there is a food source available – namely humans!
Whether indoors or outdoors, in hot or cold climates; if there’s a human around then chances are good that there’s also a potential bed bug problem nearby too!
You Won’t Know You’ve Been Bitten by Bed Bugs for the Next 2 Weeks
It can be hard to know when you’ve been bitten by bed bugs. That’s because the signs of bed bug bites don’t usually appear until two weeks after you’ve been bitten. Bed bugs are nocturnal, so they typically feed while their human hosts are sleeping.
The first thing to understand is that the reaction you have when bitten by bed bugs varies from person to person.
For some people, the reaction will be mild or even nonexistent. However, for most people, the reaction will be an itching and/or burning sensation at the bite site that can last anywhere from several hours to several days or even weeks.
This itching and burning may also be accompanied by redness and swelling at the bite site as well as hives or blisters. If you scratch too much at your bite sites, it can lead to infection which requires medical attention.
The best way to tell if it’s a bed bug bite is with careful inspection of your skin and environment.
Look for small red bumps in clusters on exposed areas of your body like your arms and legs – these are typical signs of bed bug bites. Also inspect your mattress, sheets, upholstered furniture, and any other potential hiding places.
If you find small reddish-brown spots (bed bug excrement) or actual bed bugs themselves then you likely have a problem that needs addressing.
Final Thoughts
Bed bugs are an unfortunate reality that many of us need to deal with. They can be found in just about any environment imaginable and they are capable of surviving extreme temperatures.
It’s important to remember that if you think you may have a bed bug problem, it’s best to seek help as soon as possible to prevent the infestation from getting worse.
Take the time to inspect your home thoroughly and if you find any evidence of bed bugs, contact a professional for help.
