Now that you know what the bed bug looks like, you need to determine where it is that bed bugs can live.
Like all animals, bed bugs prefer certain things about the locations that they live in. While they may be able to live just about anywhere, these creatures do have preferences.
Bed Bug Species
There are two types of main bed bug species.
- Cimex Lectularius: This is the common bed bug that you are most likely to find.
- Cimex Hemipterus: This is known as the tropical bed bug because of the areas that it prefers to live in.
Where They Are
You can commonly find bed bugs living throughout the world. Yet, as we mentioned they do enjoy specific climate regions.
- Cimex Lectularius, the common bed bug is commonly found in areas that are cooler in temperatures. They are found in areas of North America, in areas of Europe and in Asia as well. In these areas, the bed bug tends to be in the cooler regions as apposed to the warmer or tropical regions.
- Cimex Hemipterus, this is the tropical bed bug. It is commonly located in warmer temperatures. It is a sub form of the other in which the bed bugs have adapted to the warmer temperatures. This tropical form of bed bug is found throughout areas such as in the tropical climates. They are found in Africa, Asia and throughout North and South America, in the tropical regions in these areas. This particular bed bug is only found in the Florida region of the United States
Are You Safe Then?
Just because you live in one of these areas does not mean that you have to have bed bugs in your homes. As you will see later on in our ebook, there are things that you can do to prevent them from getting into and infesting your home and property.
Likewise, this does not mean that if you do not live in one of these areas mentioned that you can not have bed bugs in your home. It is very common that bed bugs will spread from one location that is infested to another that is not by several means.
They can easily move from one location to the next just as you would. They move from one place to the next through transportation means that you use.
For example, if you visit Florida this summer for a wonderful vacation, you could potentially bring the bed bugs home with you in your luggage, on your person or in your clothing and bedding products. They can survive a good amount of time without feeding so you may not even notice them on your clothing when you get home.
What is important to know is that the bed bug truly can move from one location to the next without being noticed. As we talked about before, the bed bug is a very small insect and one that is likely to go unnoticed. It can do this easily because it is so small and flat. It can hide in the small cracks and crevices throughout your clothing or luggage.
A tropical bed bug from Florida probably can breed in other areas of the country, depending on the climate and the warmth of that location. So, even if you do not live in one of these areas in which bed bugs are commonly found, that is not to say that you can not bring them back to your home from them.
Other Specie Infestations
There are several other types of bed bugs that should be mentioned. These are from the same family as the bed bugs that we have talked about, but they are a bit different in their reactions and where they will live.
- Leptocimex Boueti: In this form of bed bugs, the bed bug is found in the tropical areas of West Africa as well as being found in South America. This bed bug will also infest bats as well as its human preferences.
- Cimex Pilosellus and Cimex Pipistrella are two forms of bed bugs that generally infest bats throughout the bat population in virtually all areas in which the bat is found.
- Haematosiphon Inodora: This is the type of bed bug that is found in North America. Yet, this bed bug prefers to invest poultry instead of infected humans.
- Oeciacus: This is not completely that of a bed bug, but shares many of the same characteristics and is commonly thought of as a bed bug. In this species, the pest will infest more birds than it will the human population. It can be commonly found throughout locations in which there is a large bird population.
While these other forms are located around the world, they limit their connection with humans to that which is just necessary. Some species will use a human host or any other warm blooded creature that they can get into contact with and the location of them does not matter, then.
More to Know About Infestation
There are many places that the bed bug is lurking. You may be thinking that perhaps they are only found in your bedding, but this is very much not true. In fact, the bed bug is a very defying creature and is more than capable of being where you do not know it to be.
Size wise the bed bug is very small and so flat that it can fit into a location that is just wide enough for a credit card. A space that thin is large enough for them to crawl through.
During The Day
The hardest time to find bed bugs is during the day time. You will find them hiding in small, hidden locations. Here are some places to look for them:
- Mattress seams and interiors, usually they are completely out of sight here.
- In furniture, especially furniture that is near the bed or in the bedroom.
- The bed frame can house them during the day time hours too.
- Carpeting that is plush may provide enough space for them to hide.
- Baseboards or in other products found in the bedroom.
- Picture frames, inside of books, inside telephones, inside curtains…these are all good places that they would hide.
- Sofas and other areas in which you spend a decent amount of time can harbor them.
- They can hide under wall paper that has been loosened, in the cracks in the plaster on your walls, under wall coverings of all sorts, and even in your ceiling molding in your home.
- Check the electrical boxes, your door frames, your windows and your window frames.
- If you have wall to wall carpeting, do not forget to get under the carpeting to look for them. Do not stop there; they are under the tack board under your carpet too.
As a general rule of thumb, the bed bug is likely to venture upward, outward and virtually anywhere that it can easily move and hide behind. They like to be out of sight and out of light, so look for them to hide.
The heaviest infestations can allow them to be seen more often. Of course the last thing you want is to have more bed bugs to deal with! In this case, they can be seen in larger groups and are often more visible because of this.
Generally speaking a bed bug will stay within 100 feet or so of its host. Usually it feeds when the host is lying still such as at night. They only need to feed once every five to ten days, so this allows them to travel from place to place between feedings. They can be found virtually any place in the home, office or other dwelling.
How Many Are There?
Learning that you have bed bugs is something that is very troubling. Most people will think that they just have too many mosquitoes around, but the fact is that there may be bed bugs lurking about.
If you know that you have bed bugs in your home, you now need to determine how many you have so that you can properly handle them.
Unfortunately, there is not one sure fire way to know that. The biggest factor in determining how large your infestation is will be to determine, or try to determine, when the time of the initial infestation happened.
If you remember from earlier, we talked about how the bed bugs have gotten into your home. They probably have come in through you or someone else bringing them in while they were traveling. But, you should also remember that no matter where you may have gone, as long as you go to a location that is infested, you can bring them home.
This means that you can just head to a neighbor’s home that is infested and they may come home with you. This is especially true if the bed bug infestation is very large. It is much more common that they will be lurking in clothing that is packed in luggage, though.
So, How Do You Know?
It is very common for bed bugs to reproduce quickly, which you will learn more about in a few chapters. But, what is important to note is the possibility of more than one infestation in the home.
For example, you may have your initial infestation in your bedroom, in your bed. Perhaps you brought them home from a trip you took in the luggage. You have no idea that they are there. But, they are. This would be your main and first infestation area.
Now, what if your child is sleeping in your bed? They can possibly carry the bed bugs back to their bed as well. Now, you have a secondary location of an infestation of bed bugs in your home.
It is essential that you seek out help for finding all of these hidden infestations and get treatments for them right away. This is the best method of preventing a very large infestation that is harder to control.
One Note
While bed bugs can be located in virtually any area of your home, they are most commonly found close to their host. The host, of course, is you or your family. While they can be in any area of the home, it is most common to find them in the bedroom area and likely on or in the bed itself.
But, if you have an infestation in your bed, you will want to check out the rest of the home as well to prevent further problems from occurring. Look in areas such as your living room, your carpeted areas, your other beds and bedroom furniture. Make sure to look in areas that are dark, cracks that are evident and in small crevices that exist. You are not likely to find them outdoors, but they can be hiding in your pet’s bedding as well.
A thorough search should include all of these areas of your home.
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