The mere thought of having bed bugs in your home or place of business is enough to send property owners into a panic. Unfortunately, the odds of coming into contact with these pests is extremely high. Bed bugs spread easily and are infesting at alarming rates in the Northwest and across the United States. Their small size allows them to go undetected for long periods and once you have a bed bug problem, they can be notoriously difficult to get rid of.
To deal with them swiftly and effectively, it is important to call in our trained bed bug professionals. At Pointe Pest Control, we take the actions needed to uncover bed bugs and eliminate them from your property. The following provides important information you need to be aware of regarding how bed bugs spread.
How Bedbugs Spread
Bed bugs have spread at such high rates throughout the Northwest and in other areas of the country that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now lists them as a top public health issue. While they do not spread diseases the way some other dangerous pests do, they are a serious concern that needs addressing. In addition to the anxiety they create, their bites can result in allergic reactions, causing swelling, itching, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock. Bites can also cause secondary infections and can lead to insomnia or other sleep disturbances.
Part of what has allowed bed bugs to spread at such increasing rates is the fact that they are hitchhikers by nature and can easily travel from place to place. All it takes is one chance encounter and they can easily spread throughout your entire home. Common places bed bugs can be found include:
- In hotels, motels, cabins, or other travel lodgings;
- In furniture, on chairs, and around baseboards in other people’s homes;
- In booths and under tables at restaurants and fast food eateries;
- In boxes, shipping containers, old furniture, or other items carried into your home.
Bed bugs do not need to attach to your skin to travel. They can lodge into your handbag, a suitcase, clothing items, or even the soles of your shoes. Their small size and flat shape make them hard to detect.
Why Bedbugs Spread So Fast
In addition to the fact that they spread easily from place to place, their methods of reproduction are among the factors that are making bed bug control such a problem in the Northwest. Bed bugs feed on the blood of hosts, coming out at night to attack you and your family while you sleep. Once they feed, they will typically look for a mating partner. Reproductive factors that influence their ability to spread include:
- The number of eggs they produce: A full meal increases the number of eggs female bed bugs are capable of producing. A single female bed bug can produce anywhere from five to 20 eggs per day.
- Traumatic inception: When bed bugs mate, the male punctures the female in the abdomen, a process known as traumatic inception. The female is only capable of taking so many of these wounds and as a means of self-preservation, she will flee to another location. There she gives birth and begins repopulating, increasing the spread of an infestation.
- The time it takes to reach maturity: Bed bug eggs can take under a week to hatch and may reach full maturity in as little as a month. Once they become adults, they will begin reproducing themselves.
Undetected and left untreated, there is no limit to how many additional bed bugs this cycle will continue to produce. There is also no limit on the places they can spread during it throughout your home or business.
Call in the Pest Professionals to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Once bed bugs find a host and shelter, there have little motivation to leave. Other than traumatic inception, they will remain hidden in mattresses, headboards, floor boards, or other furnishings, coming out to feed at night. Extreme heat or cold can prompt them to change locations but bed bugs are quick movers, and may travel to new areas in your home or business within minutes. Attempting to eliminate this problem on your own is futile. You need to call in our pest professionals.
At Pointe Pest Control, we can put a plan in place to eliminate your bed bug problem completely and to keep it from returning in the future. Call or contact our pest control specialists online today and request a free consultation to discuss how we can help you.
