According to research, bed bugs nest primarily in apartments and single-family homes. They also invade college dorms, hotels, nursing homes, office buildings, hospitals, daycare centers, and public transportation. Chinches are nocturnal, making them difficult to find during the day. Homes and property owners should consider pest control services once they spot bed bugs.
Pest Control: Bed Bug Hiding Spots
Bed bugs hide in different spots, such as chairs, beds, and anywhere there is a host. These vermin are ubiquitous, and all the 50 states in the US are not spared.
Bed bugs can hitchhike a ride on people, luggage, and clothing and feed on blood from humans, pets, and rodents. These bugs are hard to find due to their small size.
Which places have a high risk of bed bugs invasion? Read on to find out more.
1. Hotels and Motels
Hotels and motels record about 68% of bed bug infestation. These pests hide in headboards, couches, and cushions. Adult bed bugs also nest in mattress seams, carpets, and in between sheets.
Bed bugs invade a lodging establishment easily due to different visitors who bring these pests from different areas. Hotels and motels can face litigation or lose customers due to bed bug invasion.
2. Nursing Homes
Nursing homes in the US have reported 59% bed bug invasion. These bugs easily find hosts to feed on due to the many people close together in nursing homes. Bed bugs get into such places through personal belongings and from visitors themselves.
Chinches can be found on wheelchairs, beds, and furniture. Limited mobility amongst the residents can make it difficult to detect bug infestation. A musty odor from the beddings indicates massive bed bug existence.
3. Schools and Daycare Centers
Schools and daycare centers have experienced 47% of bed bug infestation. These pests enter learning institutions through clothing, stuffed toys, and children.
Signs of bed bug invasion in schools and daycare centers include itching and bite marks on kids, leading to secondary skin infections. Brown spots on furniture are an indicator of bed bug infestation.
4. Office Buildings
Office buildings encounter about 46% of bed bug problems. Visitors, employees, and custodians carry bed bugs to the office without their knowledge. Once in the office space, these pests find a home on chairs and furniture where the hosts are the most.
Bed bugs thrive in office buildings, thanks to favorable humidity levels and warmer temperatures. Clutter and second-hand furniture also serve as hiding places for bugs. Shed skin and sticky eggs indicate bed bug presence in business premises.
5. Hospitals
Hospitals record approximately 36% bed bug invasion. Bed bugs nest in patients’ beds, break rooms, waiting rooms, lounges, and furniture. Although hospitals are cleaned thoroughly every day, an infestation can spread quickly from just one host.
Insects can bite patients, leading to costly damage control. Bed bugs also can turn away potential customers and clients, ushering in losses. Thorough cleaning won’t eradicate bed bugs effectively. Property owners can leverage “free inspection/estimates” to treat infestations and prevent the bugs from spreading.