Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Bed bugs are ancient insects that have lived off hosts since time began. According to many studies, these insects parasitized bats first and then moved on to humans.
These bugs thrived due to the formation of villages and then cities. Civilizations grew and the bugs multiplied and spread all throughout the world.
What Causes Bed Bug Infestations?
Travel is widely recognized as the most common cause of bed bug infestations. Bed bugs will often hitchhike on people, clothing, luggage or other personal belongings and even accidentally be transported to other properties.
While bed bugs prefer to remain hidden, they will move out of their hiding places to feed when a host is nearby. These bugs will typically avoid detection by waiting until the middle of the night before feeding on a host.
Second hand furniture is another common cause of bed bugs. Often times, bed bugs can be introduced to a property when an infested piece of furniture is brought into a home or business. Homeowners and renters will often unintentionally bring bed bugs into their homes by picking up discarded furniture and bringing it into their homes.
Where Can You Find Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are flat and small in size. This allows them to easily hide from view during the day. They can hide in mattresses, bed frames, bedding, furniture, carpets, baseboards and bedroom clutter. However, they are most commonly found in the seams of mattresses or inside box springs. While many may believe bed bugs are exclusive to one room or one piece of furniture, this is not always the case. Bed bugs can travel from one room to another in search of a host.
The most common places to find bed bugs and include the following:
- hotels and motels
- apartments
- dorms
- movie theaters
- public transit, such as buses, trains, taxis and ride share vehicles
What is the Life Cycle of Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs feed entirely on blood. Generally, their “blood meal” takes about 5-10 minutes. This is why they tend to feed on sleeping humans at night. Depending on temperatures, adult bed bugs can live without feeding for around a year. They find the host by searching for carbon dioxide and body heat.
Females will lay white, oval eggs approximately 1/16″ in length into cracks and crevices. An individual bed bug can lay up to 250 eggs in her lifetime. These eggs typically hatch in about 6 to 10 days and the newly emerged nymphs seek a blood meal. Before reaching adulthood, immature nymphs molt five times (they shed their outer exoskeleton). There may be three or more generations per year. All ages are found in reproducing population. Under normal circumstances, adult bed bugs will live for about 2 to 4 months.
These are just the basics of “Where do bed bugs come from?” City Pet Control has professional bed bug exterminators to ensure your Bryan/College Station home is free of bed bugs. For more information on how to prevent bed bugs or to schedule your bed bug extermination, contact us here at City Pest Control with the link below!
