Bed bugs can also go long periods without feeding, and it takes 7 weeks from them to go from egg to adult, so it's possible that you don't notice the presence of bed bugs for several days or even a few weeks.
Each infestation is different from home to home, but generally, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month for signs of the infestation to show up.
Roughly 1.5-2 months are required for a complete cycle from egg to mated adult bed bug. Adult bed bugs live about 10 months, although without a host, bed bugs may live over a year. Bed bug infestations develop slowly. At first very few insects are present, feeding intermittently on the host and may not be noticed.
Wash everything on a high temperature or sanitary cycle for at least 30 minutes. Placing everything in the dryer on the hottest setting for 30 minutes will also kill bed bugs and larvae. Immediately after you're finished putting clothing in the washer, tie up and throw out the empty garbage bag in an outdoor trash bin.
How can bed bugs get into my home? They can come from other infested areas or from used furniture. They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces. They can travel between rooms in multi-unit buildings, such as apartment complexes and hotels.
Bed bugs are natural hitchhikers, so it's likely that if you encounter an infestation, you could bring bed bugs home with you through your luggage or other belongings. Initially, once you learn you have been exposed to bed bugs you must not panic. Not everybody who encounters bed bugs will necessarily bring them home.
Those individuals who are not sensitive to bed bug bites may not know they have an infestation. Because bed bugs are nocturnally active, it's hard to see other signs of their presence—unless you're accustomed to waking up at 3 A.M. and taking a census.
If One Room Has Bed Bugs, Do They All? Bed bugs are one of the worst pests when it comes to the spread of infestation. Bed bugs can move up to 25 feet per day, so if they really wanted to, so it's safe to say that you have a high risk of bugs in every room of your home.
“People may have bed bugs and not know it because many people have no physical reaction to bed bug bites,” Dr. Harrison says. “That's why it's important for people everywhere to inspect for bed bugs regularly.”
Do Bed Bugs Usually Stay In One Room? Since bed bugs do not have wings and do not jump, some people incorrectly assume that they tend to stay in one room and not travel much. However, this is not true. Bed bugs move around quickly and seek any place where they can find their next blood meal (i.e. humans).
DIY treatments include high heat, bleach, alcohol, and diatomaceous earth. Rubbing alcohol, salt, baking soda, and boric acid are not effective. Certain essential oils repel bed bugs but won't kill them. Diatomaceous earth is an effective passive method of bed bug treatment.
Vacuum the area, but don't expect optimal results. Considering how quickly bed bugs reproduce, this is a real concern. Vacuuming the pests that you can see can seem simple, however, with bed bugs, there are a lot that you will not see. Vacuums cannot remove all of the hidden bed bugs as well as any eggs.
These night biters can be mites, fleas, mosquitoes, lice, spiders, and ticks.
The best way to confirm whether or not you have bed bugs is to find one. If you can't do that, you have to look for signs they leave behind — extra skin, eggs and feces. So yes, in between biting you and driving you crazy, these little jerks still have time to reproduce and poop in your bed.
Other Insects or Spiders
Just because you find no signs of bed bugs doesn't mean that you don't have a pest problem. Bites also come from small insects like fleas and mites, so you should inspect the area for those, as well.
No. They don't live on people and can't be directly transmitted from one person to another. However, as quick as they are to catch a ride on clothing, bedding and furniture, they are easy to transport.
Most times, clothing, bedding and furniture from a home with a bed bug problem can be treated and do not need to be thrown away. If you decide to dispose of items, they should be carefully sealed in a plastic bag or container first so the bed bugs don't spread.
After a visit to a client's home, return home directly. Take precaution by removing clothes and shoes and placing them in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Heat kills bed bugs in all life stages. If a bed bug is found, remove the work clothes outside of the home or in the bathroom immediately.
Who is at risk? Any home is at risk of a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home or poor personal hygiene. Bed bugs are hitchhikers - they travel to new places by hiding in furniture, suitcases, or other objects that get moved around.
Since bed bugs are such tiny creatures, you may be wondering how they transfer from place to place, causing awful infestations. The primary way they are transferred by attaching onto clothing or luggage that is moved from one infested area to a non-infested area.
Heat treatments can kill bed bugs in one day by a licensed pest control company. The affected room is heated to between 135°F (57.2°C) and 145°F (62.7 °C). Some experts believe the rising temperature in the room lures the bed bugs from the daytime hiding spots.