Bed bugs are one of the hardest pests to eradicate from your home. A bed bug can lay up to 250 eggs during its lifespan of 6-12 months. Eggs hatch in about one week, compounding the problem exponentially. Bed bugs survive on human blood and can live for a long time without a host. They love to hide in cracks and crevices near your bed because you make a smorgasbord at night when they’re most active. Even though bed bugs thrive in warmer temperatures, they don’t hibernate during the winter.

Our Truly Nolen team in Waterloo can help get rid of these pests for good with professional bed bug removal if you’re dealing with these pests.

Where Did Bed Bugs Come From?

Bed bugs have been around since ancient times. It’s estimated that they originated in caves in the Middle East. They first were parasites that fed on bats. When man lived in caves, bed bugs started feasting on humans. Ancient civilizations thought the bed bugs had medicinal properties. Egyptians used bed bugs to treat snake bites. The Romans thought bed bugs could treat ear infections.

As civilization spread, so did the bed bugs. The heat of sleeping fires and cooking attracted bed bugs to families who could afford these luxuries. Wealthy families had the assistance of housekeepers to keep the infestations to a minimum, but the poor had no such luxury. Bed bugs spread throughout Europe and eventually into the Americas. 

Ships were not the cleanliest places. Until the early 20th century, most Americans dealt with these pests. Bed bugs were one of the top enemies of humans, even though they don’t carry disease. The itching can be quite irritating.

In the 1950s, bed bugs began to decline to the point where they were practically eradicated. It’s thought that DDT, a pesticide developed to control cockroaches, killed the bed bugs so effectively that it almost wiped them out. When DDT was banned in 1972, a resurgence occurred. Today, you can find bed bugs in almost every country around the world. They no longer limit themselves to homes. Bed bugs have invaded hotels, theatres, hospitals and nursing homes. Travellers can carry bed bugs in their luggage, transporting them to other people’s luggage in buses and planes.

Preventing Bed Bugs  

You may not be able to prevent hitchhikers from getting on your clothing, but you can take steps to prevent an infestation in your home. Regular inspections and vigilance are the best prevention techniques.

• Before bringing secondhand furniture into your home, check for bed bugs. Look in the deep crevices for small bugs or dark red stains, which are the feces.

• Reduce the clutter in your home because bed bugs will hide to avoid detection.

• Use a protective cover on your mattress and box springs. If you do experience any bites or itching, check for bed bugs. Know the difference between bed bug bites and mosquitos.

• Vacuum regularly to pick up hitchhikers that might have come in.

• When you travel, check your luggage and clothes before putting them away.

What To Do if You Get Bed Bugs

Although bed bugs aren’t a disease threat, they do keep you from sleeping peacefully. Bed bugs have become resilient to many of the current pesticides. An infestation is very difficult to deal with unless you have professional help from a bed bug pest control business. These pests can live quite a long time without feeding. You can find them behind artwork or in your dressers, just waiting for an ideal time to come out and feed. All of your soft furniture and fabrics in the home need to be treated to kick them out of your home.

Contact Truly Nolen for bed bug control in Waterloo. We know how to spot these pests to get them out of your home. Our technicians can help you prevent a re-infestation.