Bed bugs have become increasingly pervasive and invasive pests. They have the ability to invade an entire home in a matter of days, with their reproduction rate far exceeding that of any other pests.
Because they can spread so quickly, many people are left wondering how they move.
Do bed bugs fly, or do they jump? The answer is – neither.
Bed bugs don’t jump, nor do they have the ability to fly. Rather, bed bugs crawl – but they do so rapidly. They use tiny hairs on their legs and antennae to help them climb your luggage, mattresses, bed frames, furniture, curtains, and other objects.
Can Bed Bugs Jump from Person to Person?
Bed bugs, once who lived in caves, have now traveled the world and fed on millions of people’s blood. Being around for over a thousand of years, they’ve caused and wreaked havoc on all continents, even in remote areas.
But did you know that one bed bug was able to successfully travel from one place to another, usually by hitchhiking? No – they cannot jump, but they can move rapidly and stealthily.
Bed bugs will climb onto objects, such as suitcases and clothing, to travel miles of distance and make their way into other homes.
Unlike fleas, which are also wingless by the way, fleas can jump long distances. They make their way from one place to another by jumping and flying, whereas bed bugs aren’t equipped to jump long distances and don’t fly.
Rather than flying or jumping, they take advantage of humans and objects to travel and make their way into other locations.
This is how they’ve taken over the world, and despite them being small in nature and inability to fly, has allowed them to spread quickly and easily.
How Fast Can Bed Bugs Crawl?
As annoying as they can be already, bed bugs have the ability to travel three to four feet in a matter of just one minute. At first, you might think this isn’t a lot – but compared to their size, when compared to a human walking that same distance, this is a considerable speed.
In fact, if you’ll scale the distance traveled by bed bugs to that of a human, this would be equivalent to an adult sprinting. Take note – not jogging or running – sprinting. That’s how fast they are in terms of movement.
With that being said, if these bed bugs can crawl as quickly as they do, then they can also hide themselves just as fast. With their almost see-through bodies and size, it is easy for them to go unnoticed even in the smallest gaps and holes.
Overall, bed bugs are incredibly difficult to detect due to their ability to move quickly and secretly. Usually, the only way you’ll know you have them is if you notice the signs of infestation, such as skin bites and dark spots, and even blood stains on your sheets or mattress.
Can You Bring Bed Bugs from the Office to Your Home?
Sometimes, bed bugs aren’t just found in homes – they can also be found in your office. As these pests travel quickly, it is not uncommon for them to make their way into workplaces and other public places too.
That being said, even if you have bed bugs in your office, it isn’t likely that they will jump or fly onto you and follow you home.
Instead, they could climb onto your clothing, bags, or other objects – and these objects can act as a vehicle to transport them to different places.
Do Bed Bugs Fly or Jump: Final Thoughts
Bed bugs are wingless insects, which means they don’t have the ability to fly. Their legs aren’t equipped with the ability to jump high and long distances either. Instead, they crawl rather rapidly and use other people to go to various places.
