Why Are Bed Bugs Attracted to Certain Smells?

Those who are afflicted with bedbug infestations may be wondering why the bugs are attracted to certain smells. According to the Journal of Medical Entomology, bedbugs are attracted to the colors red and black, and tend to avoid bright white, yellow, and green.

The reason for this is that bedbugs need human blood and proteins, hemoglobin, enzymes, and antibodies to survive. In addition, they have an efficient scent gland, so even sweat on your clothing attracts them. Peppermint is another common scent that repels the bugs, and its leaves can also be crushed to form a barrier.

The scents of humans and mated females are important cues for bedbugs. While a human’s sweat on the skin may attract the bugs, the odors of a swab from another human is also important. A bedbug’s preference for human odor was consistent across four populations, and the response rate varied from forty percent to 82%, which may reflect how long the bugs had been acclimatized to the lab environment.

Some common smells that bedbugs enjoy include baking bread, bananas, and coffee. They like to live in warm environments, such as warm rooms.