Over the past two decades, bed bugs have been making a strong comeback in North America with Mississauga being no exception to this rule. Similar to any other insect pests, there are many myths that have been spread throughout history regarding bed bugs. One of the first steps in defeating bed bugs, and any other enemy for that matter, is to get a good understanding of them. To help you in separating the facts from the myths, we have put together some of the most popular myths surrounding bed bugs hoping that it will allow you to maximize your bed bug extermination efforts and reduce any time wasted.
Only Low Income Neighborhoods Get Infested By Bed Bugs
Many people believe that bed bugs only infest homes in low income neighborhoods but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Bed bugs do not discriminate based on the luxury of your home, all they care about is finding a home where they can be safe and near a food source. They can easily move from one home to another by coming in contact with a new host and hitching a ride on their clothing, or by finding their way through cracks and crevices in apartment walls.
While it is likely that bed bug infestations are more prevalent in low income neighborhoods due to the high cost associated with exterminating them, bed bugs are also often found in high end homes. Don’t let this myth fool you into lowering your guard if you live in a nice neighborhood because before you know it these bloodsuckers could spread throughout your home if you are not careful. The bed bug registry is a great tool for understanding just how widespread bed bug infestations have become in North America.
If You Get Rid Of Your Bed… Problem Solved
Don’t make this costly mistake as so many other have made. Just because their name implies that they live in your bed, it is not actually true. Bed bugs will hide anywhere that they have direct contact with surrounding surfaces and can stay out of site. It is true that they will hide near your bed during the day, but don’t think for a second that the only place they reside is actually in your bed. Some common places they hide is under furniture seams, cracks in the wall and behind baseboards. Only an experienced bed bug exterminator will have the knowledge and tools to detect all their hiding spots within your home.
Bed Bugs Can Not Survive Canada’s Harsh Climate
Wrong again! Bed bugs can actually survive in temperatures ranging from -20°C all the way up to a staggering 48°C. Considering that homes in Canada have heating and AC essentially running all year round, Canadian homes are actually an ideal place for bed bugs to live. Sure they may not survive outdoors in the coldest months of the year, but they rarely go outdoors anyways, unless of course they are hitching a ride to a new home on someones clothing.
Bed Bugs Are Too Small To See With The Naked Eye
Bed bugs are definitely on the smaller end of insect pests, but not so small that we can’t see them in plain sight. The average adult bed bug can reach a body length of 5 mm with a distinct reddish brown colour, and a body shape resembling that of an apple seed. Even in their nymph stage of life they are approximately 1 mm in length which makes them still visible to the naked eye.
This myth is believed by many people not because of their tiny size, but actually due to their incognito way of life. Bed bugs primarily feed on their hosts blood at night while they are sleeping and hide in hard to reach places during the day, making it very unlikely to actually see one, unless of course you know where to look.
You Don’t Need To Hire An Exterminator To Kill Bed Bugs
If you want to try exterminating bed bugs on your own, good luck! Bed bugs have developed a resistance to most pesticides over the years, which is actually part of the reason for their impressive comeback in North America over the past two decades. Bed bugs are also extremely difficult to find and could be hiding in places you would have never imagined such as inside some of your electronics. Many home remedies claim to be effective in treating bed bugs, however, they fail to mention a lot of the steps required in exterminating bed bugs from your home such as cleaning all your clothing and linens, finding & removing all hiding spots and the use of non-chemical treatments which are more effective than pesticides.
If you have a bed bug infestation in your home it is highly recommended to hire a bed bug control company with experience in killing bed bugs. Many pest control companies claim that they can exterminate bed bugs but this is not always true. Bed bugs are the most difficult pest to exterminate and if not done properly they can move further into your home, making the matter much worse and more expensive to solve. Read this article which will give you tips for choosing a qualified bed bug exterminator.
Bed Bug Bites Spread Disease
Thankfully this is only a myth, probably created due to the fact that many blood feeding insects are transmitters of disease. Bed bug bites, in the worst case scenario, can cause an allergic reaction in their host. In most cases a bed bug bite will create ugly red bite marks on the skin, and in some cases may not show any signs of a bite at all. Physical implications are minimal when it comes to bed bug bites. The main area of concern is the psychological impact that bed bugs can have on their hosts. To get a better understanding of the dangers that bed bugs can impose on their hosts, click here to read an article about bed bug dangers.