What is the main cause of bed bugs?

A common misconception about bed bugs is that they are caused by unsanitary living conditions because bed bug infestations were once prevalent in lower-income housing, where people lived in cramped, over-crowded spaces. Eradicated in the mid-1900s, by the widespread use of DDT, bed bugs have made a comeback in the past few decades.

Most often, the main cause of bed bug infestations is travel. However, another common cause is bringing used mattresses or other upholstered furniture into your home. Bed bugs are commonly found in hotels, dormitories, healthcare facilities, apartments, country clubs, and homes among other places. Bed bugs are also adept at hitchhiking, riding in luggage, on clothing, and even in electronics, such as cell phones and laptops from one place to another. Checking the mattresses in your hotel room at check-in, before you unpack, is a good measure to follow, along with checking to see if your hotel is listed on various bed bug registries, before booking a room. On returning from an overnight trip, clean everything in your suitcase in hot water and vacuum items, like your suitcase that can’t be laundered. Vigilance when traveling and when your kids come home from camp or college can help prevent bed bugs from taking up residence in your home.

Bed bug infestations can occur anywhere humans’ repose or sleep. Attracted to carbon dioxide and other chemicals secreted by humans at sleep, bed bugs hide in the daytime, usually in mattress tufts or creases and in the piping around mattresses. Bed bugs come out at night when their victims are sleeping for a blood meal. Because bed bug bites do not hurt or sting, victims rarely wake up to catch them in the act. Red, swollen bites near the head or neck, that appear later, usually alert victims to the presence of bed bugs in their home.

If bed bugs have taken up residence in your Broward County home, it is time to call in experienced pest control professionals that are knowledgeable in bed bug control, such as Crush Bugs. Bed bugs are the most difficult pest to get rid of so time is of the essence – contact your South Florida bed bug control experts today.