You might be surprised to learn that tiny insects can be very smart and bed bugs top the list as one of the most intelligent. They are tough and adaptable and have evolved to withstand harsh pesticides.
Outsmarting Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have been around since the days of the cavemen. It is believed that the pests first fed on bats before moving on to the human occupants in the cave and have flourished ever since. In the late 1940s, a potent pesticide known as DDT was released and by the 1950s, it was a common component in homes everywhere used to kill roaches, bed bugs, and numerous other pests. The pesticide was so effective that bed bugs disappeared for decades. However, they have slowly began to reappear since DDT was outlawed due to the danger it posed to both humans and the environment. Now, bed bugs are a global threat once again. These smart bugs know how to hide and survive.
5 Tips on How to Outsmart Bed Bugs
Here are seven ways bed bugs are smart and tips on how to outsmart them.
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Where You’d Least Expect Them: Dreaming of a five-star vacation? Well, don’t think you are safe from bed bugs just because the digs are upscale. In fact, the carpet, curtains, bedding, and artwork can all hide bed bugs (they like living the good life too). It only takes one female to start an entire thriving colony. Their small size makes them hard to detect and easy to hide during the day when housekeeping cleans the room. The best route to outsmarting the bugs is to place your luggage in the bathroom, either on a metal stand, or in the bathtub or shower. Bed bugs are rarely in the tiled confines of the bathroom, giving you time to inspect the room for the bugs before settling in.
- Good Hiders: Whether you are at home or staying at a hotel, you need to know where to look for bed bugs. The bugs could be living right beside you, coexisting, and you are unaware of their presence until you notice the bites. Outsmart these hide and seek masters by checking these popular spots:
- The creases and folds of the mattress and box springs
- Along the cracks of the headboard and bedframe
- Behind baseboards
- In the joints of the furniture
- Inside electrical outlets, alarm clocks, laptops, and speakers
- Behind pictures or paintings
- Within the seams of wallpaper
- At the crevice where the wall meets the ceiling
- In dressers
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Nocturnal Night-crawlers: Sure, bed bugs are smart, but they still want to eat. Under the cover of darkness, they leave their hiding spot to crawl up the legs of your bed, across the mattress, and feast on your blood. However, you can outsmart these pesky bugs by placing interceptor traps under the legs of your bed to trap the bed bugs. This is a great way to confirm that you have an infestation and keep the bugs off your bed until you can seek treatment.
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Resistant to Pesticides: Bed bugs are so smart they have developed resistance to many common pesticides. Luckily, new products are constantly emerging on the market including natural treatments like PROOF, providing a new way to cope with the pests that utilize natural ingredients that the bugs can’t build immunity to. Bed bugs might be smart but there are still many treatment options available to outsmart them.
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Travel Savvy: Bed bugs love to travel. They sneak onto your clothing and luggage. Nowadays, public transportation, air travel, hotels, and even businesses all pose a danger. You can accidentally carry the bed bug home and within a short time have a thriving colony. You can outsmart these travel savvy pests by laundering your clothing immediately upon returning home. Also, encase your luggage in bed bug protective bag when you travel to keep any bed bugs out.
Prevention is Key
Bed bugs are small and sneaky. Prevention is imperative. Here are a few additional ways to prevent an infestation:
- Always check a hotel room for signs of bed bugs. If you find any bugs, demand a different room or refund.
- Research the hotel or resort prior to staying there to see if there have been any reports of bed bugs.
- Cover your mattress and box spring with preventative bed bug covers.
- Clear away clutter in your home where bed bugs could potential hide
- Avoid purchasing secondhand furniture or pre-treat before bringing home
- Seal all cracks around electrical outlets, HVAC systems, light sockets, baseboards, and under the door, especially if you live in a multi-housing complexes like an apartment building.
Bed bugs might be smart, but you can outsmart them. The tips above will let you get an upper hand on the pests and conquer the problem.
Get more information on Bed Bugs:
The Importance of Locating the Nest in a Bed Bug Infestation