Signs of bed bugs: where do bed bugs come from?

The sheer mention of bed bugs gives me the creeps and the very thought of them crawling on my skin and feeding on my blood whilst I’m asleep sends shivers down my spine!

Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of bed bug outbreaks has risen. But where do bed bugs come from and how do you get bed bugs? 

Explore more about how you get bed bugs in the first place from the explanation below!

What causes bed bugs to come?

It is believed that the two main culprits behind the spread of bed bugs are:

• Global travel
• Secondhand furniture sales

Like bed bugs, both these instances have seen a rise in recent years and provide these biting insects with amazing opportunities to claim a free holiday, traveling to new locations by latching on to passenger luggage, often unbeknownst to them!  

Global travel

Places such as hotels and other overnight facilities are like giant magnets for bed bugs due to the high amount of human traffic. This provides bed bugs with countless opportunities to hitch a ride to an array of locations by easily hitching a ride in your suitcase.  

On the other hand, hotels and other lodging accommodations are at just as much risk of obtaining a bed bug problem as they are of spreading one.

Secondhand furniture

Just like luggage, furniture also provides bed bugs with cheap flights to your home!

If a piece of furniture is infested with bed bugs, especially pregnant female ones or their eggs, then there is a high possibility that the new owner will have a bed bug problem on their hands.

One thing to keep in mind, although their name might suggest it, bed bugs do not just live in beds, they can also be found on other furniture such as cabinets, wardrobes, and even chairs and sofas, providing multiple ways for bed bugs to invade your home.

How to tell if you have bed bugs?

Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy to spot bed bugs in your home, as they often dwell in areas out of plain sight, only vacating their homes, which they have made in your furniture, to grab a bite to eat from human hosts.

Find out more about the reasons why bed bugs don’t care how clean and tidy your house here

The first sign you might have a bed bug problem can be waking up to find bites on your body. However, it is important to understand that identifying bed bug bites can be a bit difficult as everyone reacts differently to them.

Bed bug symptoms

Aside from discovering suspicious bites, there are also some signs that you might have a bed bug problem. They are:

• Dark/black stains around your mattress and bed frame, particularly around the joints and slats
• An unpleasant, sweet, sickly scent
• Small dark blood spots on your bedding
• Live bed bugs on furniture joints and skirting boards.

Also read: The complete guide to bed bugs

Where do bed bug bites occur?

Bed bug bites can occur anywhere on the body but are often close to blood vessels near the surface of the skin. Check for signs of bites on your:

• Neck
• Hands
• Arms
• Legs

If you are looking for assistance to control bed bugs in your home or business, contact the experts at Rentokil today.