How Likely Are Bed Bugs to Infest Your Home?
WouterBedbugs are most likely to infest homes and apartments. In fact, hotels are the third-leading place to find infestations. Approximately one in five households report an infestation each year. Although bedbugs can survive in the wild, they prefer to create their homes in secluded locations, such as cracks or inside furniture. This means that they thrive in a variety of conditions, from filthy to sanitary.
Bedbugs typically feed during the night, though they will also feed during the day if their host is a night shift worker. However, their behavior can vary, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when you’ll notice an infestation. Some people may be infested for months or even years without ever knowing it.
Fortunately, eliminating bedbugs is not an impossible task. In fact, most infested items can be treated. If you have a few bedbug-infested items, you may want to consider treating them before tossing them. Throwing away things can be costly, and it also may spread the bedbugs throughout your home.
If the temperature is cold, bedbugs will go into a dormant stage and lay eggs. They can withstand temperatures as low as 7degC, but can’t tolerate temperatures above 45degF. However, extreme heat kills the eggs and larvae. Exterminators commonly use heat treatments to treat large infestations. The process involves placing special heaters in bedbug infested homes. This kills adult bed bugs as well as their eggs in about one minute.
