We all know that bed bugs are a pest problem that plagues hotels and motels, but can you list off a few other places where bed bugs have been found? Take a moment and think of a couple, then see if any of your guesses appear below.
Bed Bugs: Not Just Found In Beds
In considering what places would be uncommon, we've set one criterion above all. Since bed bugs have the word "bed" in their name, it stands to reason that it would be strange to find them in any place that doesn't have beds. So, while you may find it strange to learn that bed bugs have been found in nursing homes, college dormitories, police lockups, daycares, and hospitals, it is important to take note that all of these locations have beds—or bed mats. And, it doesn't matter how clean an environment is kept. Bed bugs do not feed on bacteria, they feed on blood. They are just as happy in a hospital as they are in a seedy motel.
While bed bugs certainly prefer to infest locations that have beds, they are in no way limited to these places. Bed bugs don't have to wait for you to go to sleep to feed on you either. Sure, they prefer it, but a hungry bed bug will feed any time of the day. And their saliva contains anticoagulants and anesthetic that makes the feeding process almost undetectable. For this reason, infestations have appeared in many locations where people sit (usually in the dark) for a short length of time, places such as taxi cabs, movie theaters, buses, trains, planes, and more.
Perhaps the most unusual places bed bugs can be found are places that don't have beds or couches or darkness. One great example of this is the library. Who would ever expect to find bed bugs in a library? Well, if you think about it, it shouldn't be all that surprising. Most people like to read in bed. When they're done, where do they put that book they borrowed from the library? Yup. Right next to their bed. And since bed bugs like to lay their eggs in seams, cracks, and crevices, the binder on a hardback book is the perfect place for egg laying.
More and more bed bug infestations are being found in unusual locations. This is because when bed bugs hitchhike, they never know where they're going to end up and, once they get there, they make the best of it. They've been found in police call centers, public schools, preschools, retail stores and more. You may have noticed that we have said, "and more" quite a bit in this article. That's because the list of locations where bed bugs have been found, or can be found, are too many to list.
I Found Bed Bugs... What Now?
Protect yourself, your family, or your business from bed bug infestations with routine bed bug inspections and targeted bed bug control treatments from an experienced pest control company. There is no other way to prevent these hitchhiking pests.
If you're located in our New York service area, reach out to Parkway Pest Services for immediate assistance with bed bugs.