Just How Do Bed Bugs Get Inside West Palm Beach Homes?

There is probably no other pest as dreaded as bed bugs. The very thought of these pests making it into the home is enough to cause most to feel uncomfortable. This pest loves to hang out in room temperature environments, which is why they’re so common in West Palm Beach homes. Bed bugs are tiny. At their largest, they are about the size of an appleseed and are typically dark brown.

Unlike other pests, bed bugs don’t invade the home through the usual methods. They’re not able to fly, jump, or even move quickly. So how do they manage to invade so many homes every year? The short answer is they hitchhike. How they succeed in this task is an entirely different question. 

How Bed Bugs Hitch Hike Into West Palm Beach Homes

While they can’t move quickly, they’re still great at crawling. More importantly, they are difficult to notice unless you’re specifically looking for them. As such, they can easily attach themselves to your clothing or belongings. To help you figure out where you’re likely to pick up these hitchhikers, we’ve provided a list of common places where they congregate including: 

• Transportation hubs: This method involves literally hitchhiking. Bed bugs love to attach themselves to bus seats, plane seats, and anything else that doesn’t move. When you consider the plane that was in Dallas could easily make its way to West Palm Beach in a couple of hours, this becomes a scary thought.
• Schools: Think about the carpet likely in the library, front office, or classrooms. Consider the number of backpacks, binders, and coats just lying around. Bed bugs thrive in these environments. Eventually, they will find their way onto your children's belongings and into your home. 
• Public places: Bed bugs will take up residence anywhere where people congregate including movie theaters, hospitals, hotels, libraries, and museums. If these public facilities don't practice active bed bug control, their problem could quickly become yours. 
• Furniture: Just because it’s not a bed, that doesn’t mean bed bugs aren’t interested. Be wary of any type of furniture that is made of organic materials like cloth or other fabric. This goes double if the furniture is secondhand.
• Clothing: Bed bugs have no problem latching themselves on your shoes or your pants. Once they’ve made contact, they hang on until the journey is over.

Preventing Them From Going Home With You

With a little bit of vigilance, it’s certainly possible to keep bed bugs from going home with you. Keep these tips in mind to help keep these unwanted critters away:

• Inspect the secondhand furniture. Secondhand furniture can be a great deal. However, they have a history, which makes them a prime suspect for bedbug infestations. Carefully inspect the furniture before bringing it into your home.
• Use protective covers. When traveling, it may be a good idea to cover your belongings in a bedbug-proof cover. If the bed bugs can’t latch on, then they can’t go home with you.
• Keep things off the ground. If you don't have access to covers, do your best to keep your luggage and other items off the ground. Bed bugs can’t jump or climb well. They crawl. Don’t let them crawl up on your stuff.
• Remember public facilities mean shared resources. Places such as laundromats are havens for bed bugs because of the shared nature of the facilities. Use caution, and you should be fine.
• Stay vigilant when traveling. Vacations should be fun, but that doesn’t mean you should be careless or oblivious. When staying at a hotel, check for bed bugs thoroughly. Look underneath the mattress and box spring; check the sheets for signs of bed bug activity. When flying on a plane, check the seams of the seats. Bed bugs like to crawl in the seams, so look carefully. The more you pay attention, the less likely you are to see bed bugs when you go back home.

Native Pest Management Can Help With All Of Your Bed Bug Control Needs 

Even the most vigilant watch can fail when it comes to bed bugs in South Florida. It only takes a couple to lead to a full infestation thanks to their rapid rate of reproduction. That’s why we work quickly to provide a bed bug treatment that is designed to identify the presence of bed bugs, and then subsequently eliminate them. We only use EPA registered products specifically designed for bed bug control. Once done, we then use boric acid and other dust in wall voids and electrical outlets to kill remaining bed bugs and prevent future infestations.

Do you feel like you need bed bug prevention services? Then give us a call to speak with one of our agents about our professional pest control options or fill out our online form to schedule your free quote.