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Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

Bed bugs are common in hotels, especially in certain regions. When an infestation occurs, it can take a while for the issue to become resolved. It takes very little for an infestation to take place. Many people living in certain regions want to know where bed bugs come from and how infestations occur.

How Do Bed Bugs Spread?

Bed bugs can enter your bags, such as luggage or purses. They can even make their way into someone’s clothing. They can make their home in furniture or even reside within the cracks of walls and holes in ceilings. They can live and even thrive in boxes. A simple visit to an infested place or home can result in the quick spread of bed bugs to a location. They can navigate the pipes of large buildings and live there. They can live comfortably in heating and cooling vents as well. When areas are treated, they’re adaptability allows them to quickly relocate to another untreated area with little difficulty. People who may have a bed bug problem at their apartment complex or home can introduce their problem to a larger group of people using community laundry facilities. They can easily be transferred to bedding, linens, and clothing unknowingly.

Why Do They Thrive?

They are able to thrive in many conditions. Their ability to live without food for months or more makes them particularly resilient. In fact, bed bugs can easily go an entire year without eating. All they need is access to a host in order to lay their eggs. Their resistance to a number of available pesticides makes them difficult to remove. Their breeding habits also allow for only two founders to create an entire population.

Why Is There a Bed Bug Problem?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention points to an increase in traveling activity as being the primary reason for an increase in bed bugs. People who travel more frequently domestically and internationally are at a greater risk of getting bed bugs and transporting them unintentionally. Purchasing used furniture also puts you at risk for bed bugs as well.

Frequent travelers, college students, and apartment complex residents are most at risk for bed bugs. These resilient bugs can reside in clean and dirty environments for up to a year with no access to food or nutrition. Unintentional transport can be done via used furniture, purses, bags, luggage, boxes, and clothing.

Last Updated: November 04, 2015