If there is anything that can be said about
bed bugs, it is that they are cryptic pests. Deceptive, cryptic, and quick-witted. These are all adjectives that could be used to describe bed bugs, but, unfortunately, it won’t help you in your quest to eliminate them. Well, it might actually prepare you a bit, but it won’t do anything to get you prepped for the journey ahead. Regardless, bed bugs are hiders and smart. They’ll go out of their way to avoid detection. Combine this with their small size, and you can just imagine how difficult the critter is to eliminate. Sometimes it takes knowing exactly where they hide. That’s what you are about to learn!
Common Hiding Places
Box Springs And Mattresses
With a name like
bed bugs, you don’t need to be a pest management professional to understand that
bed bugs like hiding in the mattress and box springs. This is, after all, how the critter got its name. They’ll burrow deep into the corner of the mattresses and box spring, in, under, and around it. The reason they choose the bed as their go-to residence is because they can sense body heat, expelled CO2, and kairomones. Given that you spend a third of your life sleeping, this can be truly frightening.
Cracks And Crevices In Bed Frames
If
bed bugs are going to hide out in the mattress and box springs, why wouldn’t they take up
residence in your bed frames? They would and they do!
Bed bugs will truly hide just about anywhere and with their small body size, it just makes matters all that much worse. Headboards and footboards constructed of wood usually develop cracks and crevices over time. Some are designed like this. Sometimes wood will crack and split because of climate change. Whatever the situation, these bugs will hide in these spots.
Bedding
The one good thing about
bed bugs in your bedding is, they’ll be much easier to spot. While you can just usually spot the bugs on the linens crawling around, you’ll want to keep an eye out for stains and spots on the sheets. These are usually indications of dried blood, feces, or squashed bugs. You can accidentally roll over and squash a bug or two while they are trying to feed during the night. This is something that happens all the time and it usually results in stains and red spots on the sheets.
Rugs And Carpets
One wouldn’t think that rugs and carpets would provide comfort for the bed bug. Well, that would be entirely wrong. These materials provide just enough comfort for the bed bug to take up residence in. And, one of the reasons likely for this is because rugs and carpets are oftentimes installed in the bedrooms.
Bed bugs usually find their way on these surfaces by crawling off shoes and bags left on the floor. Either way, it’s not something you want.
Couches And Upholstered Furniture
You don’t have to be a pest management professional to have heard about bed bugs invading furniture. Bed bugs invading second-hand furniture is one of the number one causes of bed bugs infestations. You’ve likely heard of someone or know someone who’s bought a piece of second-hand furniture that was infested with bed bugs. This is an extremely common occurrence and, unfortunately, becoming all that more common. The thing about the couch and furniture is, it also provides thousands of hiding spots within one. Think about all the hiding places within the couch. You can hide under the armrests, under the legs, in the padding, and in tons of other places. It’s the perfect residence for the average bed bug.
Places You Wouldn’t Think To Look
All the places mentioned above are fairly commonly known hiding places for bed bugs. As a homeowner, you probably already likely know to check these places. Of course, that doesn’t make things all that much easier, but it does give you a leg up. That being said, there are some places that bed bugs will hide that people would never think to look. These are the places that will make the biggest differences in the world. Here’s what you need to know about these places:
Luggage/Suitcases
You’ve likely heard of more and more people getting infected with bed bugs while on vacation. This is because bed bugs attach to people’s luggage or suitcases and ride them right into the home. The last thing anyone wants to deal with after arriving home from a long vacation is a bed bug infestation, and if you do not carefully check your luggage after a trip, this could be exactly what you end up dealing with. In addition to this, this is why it is critical to learn the SLEEP theory and how to apply it. Another key tip is, storing your luggage in the garage after returning home from vacation.
Wall Decor
Got that perfect family photo hanging about your bed that ties the whole room together? Beautiful, but, unfortunately, that photo could be host to a whole family of bed bugs. Wallpaper and other wall decorations make the perfect environmental hiding spots for bed bugs. This is especially true for wall ornaments and decorations in the bedroom and sleeping rooms. These are without a doubt the ones you’ll want to scour first.
Books
You might want or need to read about bed bugs, but you do not literally want to open a book and see a bed bug. Especially not in some of your classical favorites. Unfortunately, this could become a real possibility in areas that are infected. Although bed bugs won’t likely take up residence in between the pages. They’ll more than likely burrow into the spines and the covers.
Nightstands
Nightstands are common items in bedrooms and this is likely why bed bugs inhabit them. They are dark, damp, and provide hundreds of hiding spots within on like a piece of furniture. When checking for a bed bug infestation, you’ll certainly want to scour the nightstands, the drawers, in the corners, under the legs, and all around the piece of furniture.
Electronics
With the importance and need for electronics today, you probably don’t want to hear that bed bugs can take up residence in these devices. Unfortunately, that is the case. Bed bugs can get into your iPads, iPods, laptops, computers, TVs, and DVD players. If it has a circuit board that utilizes electricity these critters will likely get in there and feed on the warmth. And, they can do a massive amount of damage. While you do not want to go taking all your electrical devices apart, you have to keep it in the back of your mind that these critters can invade them.
