The 5 Bed Bug Myths You Need to Know
They creep, they crawl, and they are spreading around the county at this very moment. What are they? Bed bugs! This is not just a problem in the United States either. It is becoming a worldwide epidemic that no one is immune to. And to make matters worse, the number of myths surrounding bed bugs is almost as big as the epidemic itself. Here are a few of the most popular.
Myth 1– Bed bugs will only bite you in the dark. The biggest problem with this myth, and many of those that surround bed bugs, is that it’s actually rooted in fact, at least partially. Bed bugs are far more active at night than they are during the day. However, it’s not unheard of for a bed bug to bite you during the day. The idea that if you leave the lights on all night will prevent bed bug problems is a completely false one.
Myth #2 – Bed bugs can only live on beds. While bed bugs do get their name for a reason, they certainly don’t have to stay there. You can find a bed bug on a sofa, a chair, or even hidden in tiny cracks in the floor. Bed bugs are willing to hang out almost anywhere people are.
Myth #3 – Bed bugs will go up to a year without a meal. This is more a debate of semantics than a myth. If the bed bugs are kept at a standard room temperature, they can only live up to three months without a solid meal. They are, however, cold blooded creatures. As a result, the metabolism of these little biters slows down when it gets cold or when they’re kept in cooler climates, and in conditions like those, they can live a full year without a feeding.
Myth #4 – Bed bugs only live in dirty homes. The reality is that bed bugs will live anywhere they can. Whether you live in the penthouse apartment or the single smallest trailer in the south, you are at risk for bed bugs. The only reason that bed bugs tend to cluster themselves in low-income places is that they often have far more dense populations, and thus a better food supply for the bed bugs. If people live in an area, bed bugs can live there too. They’re not very picky.
Myth #5 – DIY bed bug treatments are just as effective as professional treatments. Bed bugs simply can’t be sprayed away. Even those that claim to be effective against bed bugs don’t have to back up their claims with any real proof. You can’t just grab the first product you see off the shelf at the hardware store. Pest control professionals have lots of amazing ways to treat bed bug infestations these days, and they just can’t measure up with DIY treatments.
Bed bugs are a terrifying possibility, but learning a bit more about what is real and what is simply a scare tactic may help you prevent an infestation. But, if you think you have a bed bug problem on your hands, contact your local bed bug extermination professionals immediately.
