Do Bed Bugs Fly? And Your Other Bed Bug Questions Answered
Ask anybody what their favourite superpower would be and they’d probably respond – to fly. Nope, not as a passenger on a Boeing 747 but with their own metaphorical wings, flying high above civilization below. What an awesome view that’d be!
It appears humans are so obsessed with flying that we’ve enviously assumed that some pests can do what we cannot. In other words, “do bed bugs fly?” receives over 500 average monthly searches on Google. In short, myths and rumours travel fast. This Terminix Canada blog is here to help you determine the fact from the fiction. For starters, the answer to “do bed bugs fly?” is an emphatic no!
Do Bed Bugs Fly?
While bed bugs can get around surprisingly quickly, they can’t actually fly. Also, contrary to other similar species of parasite, they can’t jump long distances either. In reality, bed bugs can crawl rapidly but that is it. There’s no imitating Kawhi Leonard in the Toronto Raptors’ incredible run to the 2019 NBA Championship title.
A bed bug’s primary form of transportation is hitching a ride within your luggage or bags when you aren’t looking. While bed bugs don’t travel around on a person, their ability to infiltrate fabrics and belongings makes bed bug prevention very difficult.
What Are Common Bed Bug Signs?
Common bed bug signs include red bloodstains on your apartment, house or condominium sheets and mattresses. These red stains form when sleepers roll over and crush bed bugs that have intruded into your bedroom.
Elsewhere, other bed bug warning signs include dark bed bug excrement stains on mattresses and walls. Egg shells and shed skin lying around your sleeping area also suggests you have a bed bug infestation. Lastly, bed bugs leave behind a distinctive musty odour too. If you smell an offensive odour, this is likely from bed bugs’ scent glands.
How Easily Do Bed Bugs Transfer?
The good news is that bed bugs don’t spread from residence to residence super easily. However, they can definitely get around your home quickly. They do this by travelling along pipes and wires. Unlike other parasites like fleas, you don’t have to worry too much about them hitching a ride on your pet dog. Nevertheless, if bed bugs find their way into your luggage or bag, they can set up shop in your next sleeping area relatively quickly.
When traveling abroad and staying in hotel rooms, always make sure to check your mattress and sheets for any signs of bed bugs before you unpack.
How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
The best long-term solution of how to get rid of bed bugs is through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In other words, making your home uninhabitable for them with the help of registered pest control professionals like Terminix Canada. This involves inspecting bed bug hiding places and eliminating them. In extreme situations, you might need a bed bug chemical treatment or a bed bug steam treatment to combat your bed bug infestation.
What Is Bed Bug Steam Treatment?
Bed bug steam treatment takes different forms, but it generally is what it sounds like – killing bed bugs with lethal temperatures. Common bed bug steam treatment includes placing infected items in hot boxes, steaming treatments in your bedroom, and placing infected clothes in dryers. Killing bed bugs with steam has to be accompanied with an IPM plan, otherwise the bed bug infestation could return if left unchecked.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Originally, bed bugs come from caves in the Middle East. Bed bugs actually appear in ancient Greek writings with physicians actually claiming they could help heal ear infections and snake bites. This was still an age when bleeding was considered the leading form of medicine. Since then, bed bugs have spread across the world due to our reduced use of pesticides as a society, increases in international travel, and our use of second-hand furniture.
Are Bed Bug Bites Painful?
While actual bed bug bites aren’t painful enough to wake you up, the resulting inflammation could be painful and discomforting. The itchiness could also cause you to over-scratch and harm yourself. Ultimately, reactions to bed bug bites vary from one person to the next.
Leave Bed Bug Control And Bed Bug Removal To The Professionals At Terminix Canada
As we enter hibernation season, you want the peace of mind that comes with a nice and cosy bed bug-free bed.
Luckily for you, Terminix Canada is trained to handle bed bug infestations big or small. Our team is backed by 90 years of experience terminating household pests.
Now you’ve discovered the answer to “do bed bugs fly?” do something about your own bed bug problem. Visit www.terminix.ca/branch-locator, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch and give them a call.