At Poulin’s Pest Control, we pride ourselves in being a leader in Pest Control and after attending the Global Bed Bug Summit in Denver, CO, we would like address new, important information about bed bug biology that is important to be aware of and know.
- Where bed bugs live (housing, apartments, homes, hotels, hostels, etc), adult bed bug’s can only survive a maximum of 3 months without a blood meal. Each of the 5 nymphal stages survive even a shorter period of time. This fact contradicts the common, accepted knowledge that bed bugs can live for more than one year without a blood meal, which may be true if testing in the lab.
- Bed bugs take multiple small meals each day and usually not one big feed if a host is present; they are fussy eaters.
- When a bed bug dog is doing an inspection with a handler and the dog stops, you may hear the term a “light hit.” If a dog identifies a spot and no bed bugs are found it is not a light hit, but a false positive. Treatments are not required if bed bugs found are not found.
- Metal bed frames do not prevent or harbor bed bugs as they can easily live, eat and reproduce on a metal bed frame. A metal bed frame to replace a wooden or other material bed frame will make no difference to a bed bug infestation.
- Adult female bed bugs can lay up to 5 eggs per day – eggs normally hatch in 6-10 days based on normal temperatures/relative humidity (18-20 degrees Celsius and 75% relative humidity) – if temperatures are cooler than that, eggs can hatch as long as 30 days later, temperature/relative humidity dependent;
- Bed bugs prefer rough surfaces versus smooth surfaces to walk, climb and lay eggs on. Eggs are exclusively laid on rough surfaces.
- Bed bugs primarily feed on humans but will feed on chickens, bats, mice, pigeons, pigs, swallows, starlings, sparrows, cats, dogs, rats, lizards, frogs, skinks, geckos. So if you happen to have these animals you will need to also inspect in those areas too in which they live.
Contact Poulin’s for more on bed bug information and for treatment.