Causes of Bed Bugs

If you’ve ever had bed bugs, you might wonder about the causes of bed bugs. These blood-sucking parasites seem to come out of nowhere, and you might not even know why.

You’re laying in your bed all comfy, and you wake up in the morning with suspicious bites on your body. It’s easy to rule out bed bug and assume it was a mosquito bite or something else.

Don’t sleep on the warning signs.

If you notice itchy skin or possible bed bug feces in your bedroom, you might have a bed bug problem.

In this article, we’re covering all the information you need to know about how bed bugs get into your home and what you can do to get them out.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Humans deal with bed bugs all the time. It’s been this way forever, and they are popularly attracted to humans because of our blood. Bed bugs feed on warm-blooded mammals, and we are their primary food source.

The main reason bed bugs are attracted to us is because of the CO2 we emit when we exhale. This scent is what attracts them and allows them to locate us.

Bed bugs are small brown-colored insects between four and five millimeters in length. An increased number of bed bugs in your home might be an initial sign of an infestation. If you find only a few bed bugs, it could mean you have a more significant problem lurking behind the scenes.

You don’t want to let this problem go without tackling it head-on. Bed bugs are relatively harmless, and while they don’t spread diseases, their bites can be dangerous.

The main hazard that bed bugs pose is a possible infection. When they bite the affected area becomes itchy. These itches quickly turn into annoying welts that can become irritated after prolonged itching.

If you itch the bitten area too much, you can break the skin which opens your body up to infection.

It’s important to understand the causes of bed bugs in homes and what you can do to keep them away for good.

What Causes Bed Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them?

If you’re asking yourself, “what are the causes of bed bugs,” you should look at your lifestyle. Do you spend a lot of time outdoors? Do you have children? bugs causes inside your house.”}” data-sheets-userformat=”{“2″:513,”3”:{“1″:0},”12″:0}”>Do you have pets? All of these factors can determine the reason for bed bugs causes inside your house.

Pets are a significant cause of bed bugs because they are low to the ground. When your dog goes outside and rolls around, they are allowing bed bugs to grab onto their fur and make their way down to the skin. They will feed on the pet until they are engorged then they fall off. If they fall off inside the house, that can lead to an infestation.

Besides pets, you also want to look at yourself. If you spend time outdoors or traveling, you may have picked up a hitchhiker along the way. Setting down a backpack or purse in the grass may allow bed bugs to jump on and make their way inside the house. It only takes two bed bugs to start an entire colony.

What Are the Causes of Bed Bugs on the Mattress?

Bed bugs are attracted to mattresses for a few different reasons. First, the material makes it easy for them to hide. They are small enough to move between the fibers, and there is plenty of fabric to hide underneath.

Another reason is that they are nocturnal. The bugs come out at night to feed, and that is when humans spend most of their time in bed. While you are sleeping, bed bugs come out of hiding to feed on your blood. They are attracted to the CO2 from our breathing, so it makes it easy for them to find us.

When we lay in bed without moving for a long time, it gives them plenty of time to latch on, engorge themselves, and fall off until tomorrow night.

The last reason is due to warmth. Bed bugs prefer warm areas because the cold makes it difficult for them to move around. When we lay in bed all night, the body heat provides a comfortable place for them to feed and reproduce.

While bed bugs are primarily attracted to mattresses, they can also live in couches and chairs. If you sleep on a couch, you want to check this area for bed bugs as well.

How to Prevent Bed Bugs?

The best way to prevent bed bugs is to stay conscious of your decisions when you’re out and about. If you’re going hiking or traveling in a wooded area, don’t set your backpack down in any grassy areas. If you do, make sure you check it thoroughly before bringing it inside.

If you wear a jacket or loose-fitting piece of clothing, bang it off outside before hanging it up. You want to check your body thoroughly before coming inside as well.

Wearing bug spray can help keep bed bugs off your skin, but it is not a complete solution.

As for your pets, make sure they receive treatments of flea and tick medication or wear specialized collars. Try to teach them to avoid certain areas of the yard where the grass is high and always check them as much as possible before bringing them indoors.

Another great way to prevent bed bugs from inside the house is to wash your furnishings regularly. Get in the routine of rotating your sheets and washing them in hot water as much as possible.

Washing your bed sheets will not eliminate a serious bed bug problem, but it can prevent a minor one from getting worse.

What if You Have a Bed Bug Bite

If you notice red bites on your skin and you think you have bed bugs, don’t panic. You should use an antibiotic ointment on the affected area and try not to scratch it. If you scratch the bite, you could rip open the skin which leaves you susceptible to infection.

Once you’ve taken care of the bite, you should look into hiring a pest control team to tackle the issue. You could start by washing your sheets and checking your bedroom for signs of bed bugs. You may notice exoskeletons or droppings on your sheets.

We don’t recommend trying to take down a bed bug infestation on your own. Doing this may lead to further spreading of the parasites throughout the house.

Final Thoughts

Few people understand the real causes of bed bugs, but we assure you, it has nothing to do with the cleanliness of your home. Bed bugs come into the house for one reason, and that is to feed on our blood.

Do whatever you can to get them out as fast as possible. We recommend hiring professionals for the job. Good luck!