Where do bed bugs come from? In this post, I am going to show you how exactly bed bugs get into your house based on the scientific studies from the experts.
Here, you will find the list of places that have great probability as the source of bed bugs infestation in your house. In fact, the list of bed bugs places below are suggested by experts based on their studies.
Now it is time to show you where exactly the first places of bed bugs that get into your house.
Many people do believe that bed bugs come from a very dirty place. It is true some insects love to live there, but not for bed bugs. It is clearly a misunderstanding. They can live anywhere as long as they can get blood as a food source. So, they are not interested in rot.
As same as mosquitoes and ticks, bed bugs look for blood as meals. Unfortunately, the problem is that bed bugs cannot fly like mosquitoes in searching for food sources. Also, bed bugs are not the ticks that can live in their host. So, they do need a very safe place to hide and near the food sources. That is why you can easily find bed bugs in bedroom.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come from and How Do You Get Them?
Where do bed bugs come from? In relation with the bed bugs’ origin, Rahlenbeck et al. states that bed bugs have conquered quite diverse locations, ranging from hospitals, hotels and homes, to trains, cruise ships, and even airplanes. Most commonly, bed bugs travel in comfort as stowaways in luggage, although they can be transferred via furnishing and other belongings, as well by spreading to adjoining properties.
Therefore, it can be concluded that beg bugs can actually come from any place as long as their host is near and reachable. It means that bed bugs can live anywhere even you can find bed bugs in electronics. Here, Doggett et al. states that in addition to homes and hotels, infestations are appearing in the office and retail environment, in the health and transport sectors, and in cinemas; in fact, they can be found in almost any location where people sleep or sit.
Hotel
In relation with bed bugs infestation in hotel, Potter et al. find out that while infestations are most common in homes and apartments, three fourths (74%) of pest management professionals in the United States also report finding bed bugs in hotels and motels.
It sounds a bit strange but hotel and any other rented rooms are the perfect places to check when you are curious about how do bed bugs get into your house. Where do bed bugs come from in a hotel? Here, hotel as a rented room is a place where people from different background come and stay. Thus, any pests can possibly follow them and stay there.
So, it is the reality that the bed bugs infestation in hotel does exist. But, there is a main problem toward this. It is hard to find out the hotel that will tell the truth about bed bugs infestation. Thus, you do really need to consider and even find out some reviews before booking a hotel. If you are lucky enough, you will find a cheap hotel with high quality.
Then, to prevent bed bugs in hotel, Bernardeschi et al. suggests at least two things you need to do: 1.) When sleeping in a hotel, even an upmarket establishment, lift mattresses to look for bed bugs or black spots, and 2.) Do not leave luggage in dark places, near furniture, or close to your bed. Before going to bed, close suitcases and put them in the bathroom—in the bathtub or shower stall.
Therefore, it is important to always check your bed before sleeping and keep your stuffs far away from bed. Here, bathroom is the perfect place because bed bugs do not live there and also the bathtub is slippery for them to crawl.
Hospital
The existence of bed bugs in hospital is quite surprising because this place must be very clean. Hospital is not likely the place where bed bugs stay and live. But, if you ask pest-management companies about this situation, you will find that this problem is true.
Where do bed bugs come from in a hospital? Here, bed bugs infestations in hospital do not come from the inside of hospital but from the outside. In relation with this problem, Don McCarthy as cited by Jasmine Williams says that the bugs get into hospitals three ways: emergency situations where people are picked up from their homes, from patients’ clothing and personal articles, and from people visiting patients.
In this case, those reasons are logical and seem to be true. It is because hospital needs to be clean and hygiene. Therefore, it there is an infestation, it must be from the outside.
As it is well-known that bed bugs can travel with belongings, emergency situation will not make people realize what actually living inside the things they carry while they are picked up the patients. The patients’ health is the most urgent thing to be considered.
Here, patients’ clothing and personal stuffs that might have been infested usually included while people picked up patients from their home. So, it will be wise to check any stuff or things to avoid the infestation.
At the last, bed bugs can be carried away by visitors in hospital. They can hide in their bags, clothes, stuffs, or wherever they want to. Once they come and have enough time, bed bugs can spread in the hospital anytime.
Therefore, it is necessary to check patients and visitors stuffs when they come into the hospital. Make sure that all the things they have are clean and free from bed bugs and other pests. In this case, you can observe that some hospital would change the patients clothes once they come to the hospital.
Train
Unlike bus or taxi, people can spend their night or day in a train while it comes to a long trip. Also, it can come across the countries. So, the existence of bed bugs in train seems logical and possible. But, where do bed bugs come from in a train? In this case, Alalawi states that people can transport bed bugs when they travel by trains.
Now, let us think about it. For those who travel at night, usually the blanket is available and can be used by passengers. But, unfortunately, we have no idea whether the blanket is completely clean or not. Also, we have no idea who had used it before us, or where the blanket does restore.
Then, for some types of trains, the passengers can keep their stuffs in the one single and long cabin together with others’ stuffs. So, it can make bed bugs move easier from stuff to the other stuff. It is because all the passengers’ stuffs are placed in one location.
So, train can be the best vehicle for bed bugs to travel from one city to the other city, or even from one country to the other country. As same as virus, bed bugs can spread while the subject who carries them travels.
Therefore, checking your stuffs before and after the travelling is necessary. It is not only to make sure your stuffs are still fine, but also to avoid the spread bed bugs. Also, it will be wise to not use blanket from the train, but you can use your own jacket.
Cruise Ship
It is quite strange for people at first to realize that bed bugs can live in cruise ship. In this case, it is true that bed bugs are not from sea, so it is impossible that cruise ship has bed bugs in it. But, considering that cruise ship is the boat that loads people from anywhere, it becomes possible.
Where do bed bugs come from in a cruise ship? Cruise ship has so many facilities including some beds or room for people to sleep. Here, we have no idea if the passengers’ bag or clothes are actually infested by bed bugs. So, when these people stay there for a while or even a few days, it is possible for bed bugs to spread in the cruise ship.
Also, it is well known that bed bugs can survive without any nourishment. Therefore, they can stay there for weeks, months, or even a year. This ability makes them can wait new passengers for months after the last bite.
Then, to avoid bed bugs in cruise ship, you need to seal your stuffs in plastic when you left them near the bed. It may sound weird or even funny, but it is good as preventive steps. Or, if you don’t want to do that, you can inspect your stuffs before you enter your house from the trip.
In addition, checking the bed is also important thing to do. You may not expect bed bugs under the bed, but it will be safe to check it first. No one will know what will come when he falls asleep. It can be bed bugs or anything else.
Airplane
So far, the existence of bed bugs in airplane is quite rare. It is because airplane seems quite pricey, so the prime cleanliness is a must. But, if you look for the news about it, you will find some cases related to this problem.
Well, here comes the question:
- Do the bed bugs come from the airplane?
- Do the bed bugs come from the last room you stay before?
- Do the bed bugs come from other people?
Well, it is important to consider these questions before you starting to complaint the airline if that situation happens.
So, where do bed bugs come from in an airplane? In this case, bed bugs can come from the last hotel you stay that hide in your stuffs. Then, you will carry them into a plane before they arrive in your house. That is how bed bugs do come in your house.
In other case, bed bugs can come from the other passengers. Here, bed bugs can move from them to anywhere, including to the seat, pillow, or even blanket. So, there are lot of possibilities about how bed bugs come in an airplane.
However, the point here is that bed bugs do exist in airplane. So, to avoid them, you need to cover yourself, bring your own blanket and pillow, and cover your stuffs. It may sound weird, but that is the effective way to avoid bed bugs joining your trip.
Luggage
You may wonder about how bed bugs get into your house from hotels or any other places. Well, it seems impossible for bed bugs to track and follow your scent to go to your house, right? It will take so much time for them to crawl into your house. In fact, the road is full of their predators.
So, what if they don’t crawl? What if they hide in your stuff and follow you wherever you are going to? Where do bed bugs come from in a luggage? Here is the fact. Your stuff like luggage and backpack can be a perfect place for them to hide while you are sleeping. It is a very safe place because there are so many empty spaces they can use to hide. That is how bed bugs get into your house from the hotel or any places you temporarily stayed.
Thus, here are the tips for you. If it is possible, keep your stuff in the bathtub or at least in the bathroom. Well, this is quite unfamiliar thing to do. But, if you think clearly, you will find that bed bugs will not stay there. So, your stuff is safe. In fact, bed bugs will only live near their host. That is why the bedroom is their most favorite place for living, not bathroom.
So, where do bed bugs come from? Please share your opinion below.