What causes bed bugs?

Bed Bug Behaviour Explained

These blood-sucking pests, exhibit distinctive behavior patterns that can be explained by their biology and instincts. Being nocturnal, they prefer to hide in cracks and crevices allow them to evade detection during the day. Bed bugs are attracted to the warmth and carbon dioxide emitted by sleeping humans, which is why they often infest spaces such as mattresses and furniture and will never be too far away from the host.

Bed bugs have a unique reproductive process. Females can lay around four to five eggs per day, which adds up to hundreds of eggs over their lifespan. This rapid reproduction rate contributes to the quick spread of infestations, as each newly hatched nymph has the potential to grow into a fully mature adult capable of reproducing within a matter of weeks – which leads to large scale infestations.

Bed bugs are extremely skilled in getting around and can easily latch onto clothing, luggage, and other belongings, allowing them to travel to new locations undetected. This mobility explains why infestations often occur in high high populated areas where people are often coming and going.

They can survive many months without feeding and this ability allows them to stay dormant  until they find a suitable host, making them notoriously difficult to eliminate.

What Causes a Bed Bug Infestation?

Bed bugs have several means of travel. They can crawl from one area to another, often hitching a ride on luggage, furniture, or clothing. These pests are also adept at moving through cracks and crevices, allowing them to infest multiple areas within a building. In addition, bed bugs can easily travel between rooms or units in multi-unit dwellings, such as flat and apartment buildings, through shared walls or pipes. Their ability to move quickly and inconspicuously makes it challenging to detect and control their spread.

Bed bugs do not have wings and are unable to fly. However, they have found clever ways to travel long distances and infest new areas. It is essential to take precautions, such as regularly inspecting for signs of infestation, to prevent the spread of bed bugs.Bed bugs can detect human presence through the carbon dioxide we exhale. This enables them to locate potential hosts, making them efficient travelers capable of infesting new areas rapidly.