How Far Will Bed Bugs Travel to Find a Host?
WouterBedbugs need a human host in order to survive and reproduce. While these insects can live outside for years without a human host, they do not do so inside. Instead, they spread by bringing in infested items from another place. This can happen when house guests come to stay or if kids are in the house and bring their school bags home.
Because bedbugs cannot fly, they spread by crawling quickly. They can cover three to four feet per minute on most surfaces. That means they can move between floors and rooms quickly. This makes it important to identify these bugs as early as possible to stop a serious outbreak.
Bedbugs prefer human hosts, but they will also feed on birds and other mammals. Typically, bedbugs feed once a week. Despite this, they can bite multiple times in one night. Even worse, they can bite if you’re sleeping. They are most active at night.
Approximately 85% of bedbug infestations occur in bed. Inspect your bed in a thorough manner, focusing on the mattress, box spring, frame, and headboard. It may be necessary to disassemble the bed to see if there are any hidden cracks or holes. Also, use a flashlight to detect any hidden areas where bugs can hide. A small mirror will also be helpful in locating possible harborage sites.
The long-range chemical components in human breath activate the bed bug’s host-seeking response. These components act as a direct attractant, attracting bed bugs even far away from their home. This response shows how efficiently bed bugs can spread and parasitize a human host.
