How Do Bed Bugs Travel?
Bed bugs are an unfortunately common pest, found almost anywhere and often spread by those who travel frequently. To effectively control bed bug populations, it’s important to understand how they travel.
How do bed bugs spread?
The best way to prevent them from spreading is by not sharing furniture, bedding or luggage. Additionally, spraying your suitcase and mattress with an effective bed bug killer before leaving home helps stop them from taking a ride to your new destination. This will prevent them from following along for the ride.
Where Do Bed Bugs Spread?
Bed bugs often travel by taking advantage of travelers’ luggage or clothing. They have been known to infest rental vehicles, movie theaters, cruise ships and gym lockers alike – basically anywhere that has a high volume of foot traffic. That makes them an especially prevalent problem.
Do Bed Bugs Jump?
A common misconception about bed bugs is that they can jump from person to person. This is simply not true; bed bugs lack wings and cannot fly, but they do have the capacity to crawl quickly if necessary.
Do Bedbugs Travel in Large Groups?
Bedbugs can be found in large groups and have been known to take rides on luggage and clothing, as well as taxis, rental vehicles and different forms of public transportation.
Animals that move quickly between locations can often do so by hitching a ride on luggage and clothing; however, they cannot fly.
How long can bed bugs survive without feeding?
Bed bugs have been known to live for months or longer without food. Their metabolism relies on human or animal blood for survival, and their wings are lacking so they cannot fly.
When traveling, they make ideal hitch hikers. You may spot them in hotels, motels, schools and day care centers as well as heavily trafficked areas like hospitals and offices.
How do bed bugs find their way into new homes?
Bed bugs typically make their way into homes by taking advantage of luggage that has been left at hotels or motels, or by people sharing personal items such as clothes or suitcases. This method works best when bed bugs have not yet made an appearance in the household.
Bed bugs have also been known to infest rental cars, campers and other types of recreational vehicles, as well as wheelchairs.
How do bed bugs get to hotels?
The best way to prevent bed bugs from invading a hotel is by inspecting the rooms before you stay there. Look for signs of infestation such as small rust-colored spots or cream-colored eggs on mattress tags, seams and bed skirts.
To check for hidden objects, use your smartphone flashlight to look behind the headboard (a common hiding spot), around the bed frame and inside nightstand drawers. You may also inspect seams and crevices of upholstered furniture like sofas or chairs using this method.
