Bedbug myths can keep you awake at night. Most people don’t like creepy insects crawling around in their home, let alone their beds while they are sleeping! Worse yet is when you do a little searching online and you read stuff that just isn’t true. Do you remember as a kid saying lice could jump 10feet? Maybe someone told you that bedbugs fly, only eat at night, or only affect the poor. Well we have all the real answers for you including the Top 5 bedbug myths.
Myth #5 – Bedbugs Don’t Have To Eat For A Year
Bugs lying in wait for a year to bite you a feed off your blood? It’s the stuff nightmares are made of. Someone decided to post this one online. But is it true? Sort of. Under normal temperatures in a home bedbugs need to eat about every 2 months. Here is where it can get a little dicey. Bedbugs are cold blooded, and when the temps drop they sort of go into a hibernation. In the right conditions, in a lab, it’s possible for bedbugs to live a year without eating.
Myth #4 – Bedbugs Only Bite at Night
It does seem that bedbugs are generally nocturnal. Perhaps they mostly feed at night, because that is when you are in your bed. Bedbugs are really like any other insect, they eat when they are hungry and a meal is available. Leaving the light on doesn’t help as well, as bedbugs will eat regardless if the lights are on or not.
Myth #3 – BedBugs Love Urban, Unsanitary Conditions
This is simply not true, and maybe the biggest of the bedbug myths. Bedbugs love the fancy hotels and condo’s on the river as much as they like room and bed coverings that haven’t been washed in ages. In fact the only reason they are found in urban locations more often is population density and lack of preventative care. Bedbugs if not treated will continue to multiply and look for ways to find new meals.
Bedbugs are not like ticks and stick to people. They really don’t like body heat. Instead they prefer to hide in the sheets, suitcases, shoes and other places in between meals. For this reason they can hitch rides from hotels to just about anywhere in the world. And no they don’t just live in beds…
Myth #2 – Bedbugs Only Live in Beds
No. You could really call these things all kinds of bugs from couch, car, seat, train, suitcase, movie theater, hotel and linen bugs. Generally they bother most people when they are laying in bed because it gives the bugs plenty of time to feed off of you while you are sleeping. But they will live on just about any surface including rugs on the floor. Since they don’t need to eat every night they can live for months a meal here or there.
When they are hitching a ride to their new location, they don’t need to eat either. If you are ever in a place that you recognize as having bed bugs you need to be vary careful and treat any clothes, bags or items that you carry with you. You certainly don’t want to bring them home after a business trip or vacation.
#1 Of The Bedbug Myths
This is one of the crazier bedbug myths. Let’s consider physically how they are made. If you look at the picture you will notice that they do not have wings. Therefore they are unable to fly. No they can’t jump either. They can only crawl and not real fast. So you don’t need to worry about them flying into your home.
What If I Have Bedbugs?
Unfortunately the chemicals and treatments you would buy at the hardware store are not very effective. Of course if you could actually spray each bug you could get rid of them. We have the experience in knowing where to look, where to treat and how to get rid of bed bugs. Problem Solved Pest control has been protecting local families in Charlotte and Lee Counties in Florida for decades. Give us a call or complete our online form to get started with our preventative pest services today. Don’t let bedbug myths hold you hostage, hire a professional today!
