Bedbugs feed on blood and their bites leave you feeling itchy. The only good thing about bed bugs is that they are not known to transmit or spread disease. However, they multiply quickly and can make your life miserable. When bed bugs are not feeding on their hosts, they are hiding. So where should you look to see if you have bed bugs?
Bookbags & Purses:
A purse and book bag are both great items to carry your personal belongings. Unfortunately, they are also great for transporting unwanted pests. When you set your bag on the ground, in a locker, car floor, etc. it becomes an appealing target for bugs. Bed bugs can crawl onto your purse/bag and go back home with you, hiding in the pockets, seams, or in plain sight.
Stuffed Animals:
A stuffed animal is a great way to keep a child entertained but it is also a preferred toy of bed bugs. If bed bugs are already in your home, they might be using the fur of the animal as harborage. If your child likes to take their stuffed animals with them to places then the stuffed animal can then be the vessel that picks up the bed bugs and bring them home. To limit the risk of bed bugs taking over your stuffed animals, be sure to have them regularly washed on a warm cycle.
Luggage:
Bed bugs have been known to fly! They don’t have wings, but they are able to burrow into almost every part of an airplane. Once aboard the plane, they can get onto passengers directly, or into your luggage! With bed bugs being so tiny it can be hard to spot them so you should either quarantine or vacuum your luggage really well upon returning home.
Cars:
Your car is a beloved place for bed bugs to hide. They can enter the vehicle through clothing, bags, or bodies, camp out in the seat linings and wait for a new host to come aboard. It is important that car owners take a proactive approach to keeping their vehicles cleaned and checked for bugs.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs:
Even though bed bugs are known to come out at night, they have been found in the housings of fluorescent light bulbs. They can find the smallest hole in a fixture and take up residence along electrical wires.
Pets:
Though bed bugs are known to primarily feast on humans, if you and your dog go to a friend’s house who has a bed bug problem, the bugs might hitch a ride to your place via your dog’s fur.
The best way to make sure that there are no bed bugs in any of these or other places is to keep a clean and organized home. The more clutter you have, the easier it is for bed bugs to find a place to hide. To safeguard your home, have a trusted pest control specialist come out regularly to ensure there are no bed bugs present. They will have the knowledge and experience to safely, effectively, and permanently clear your home of bed bugs.