Why Do I Have Bed Bugs In My Yakima County Home?

If you have bed bugs, you might think that it is because of something you did. Let us assure you that it was not. There is nothing that you do that will make it more likely for you to have a bed bug infestation. It is, however, possible that you have bed bugs because of something you didn't do. This is what we're going to take a look at today. Here are a few important insights regarding bed bugs that every Yakima County resident should know.

Bed Bugs Don't Choose Your Home

There are many bugs that live in your yard. They find tiny entry points in your exterior and get inside. Once inside, available food or moisture may cause them to stay indoors. Some bugs decide to stay in your home due to unsanitary conditions. These bugs feed on rotting organic matter, dead skin, and even feces. There is a myth that bed bugs choose homes that are dirty. This is not the case at all. They don't feed on things that decay. They feed on blood. A bed bug doesn't care how dirty or clean your home is. But even if this were not true, there is another reason bed bugs don't choose your home.

The insect we call the bed bug is Cimex lectularius. It is a bug that has worldwide distribution and is found almost exclusively indoors. You won't find them outside in your yard and you won't find them getting into your home through entry points in your exterior. These insects don't choose to live with you, they're accidentally carried into your home or they accidentally find their way into your home. It works like this: 

Passive Dispersal — Bed bugs hide in tight spaces, compressed areas, and dark voids. When they do so in an object that is portable, they can be carried from one location to another. Once in the new location, they'll do what they did in the last. They'll hide, they'll feed, and they'll reproduce. What they won't do is leave your home and find another place to live. They want to be near warm-blooded animals so they can get blood meals for their survival. No matter what the conditions are inside your home, bed bugs are going to make the best of it.

Accidentally Distribution —  Bed bugs get into wall voids, and as a result, they may travel from one apartment to another. If you live in an apartment building, multi-family home, condominium, townhouse, or some other living arrangement where there are adjacent dwellings attached to yours, you can get bed bugs from your neighbors. But before you get too down on the idea of being connected to your neighbors, you can get bed bugs if you live in a single-family home when your neighbor visits from across the street. Bed bugs can be carried in clothing, pocketbooks, duffel bags, and many other objects. You can even get bed bugs from your neighbor by borrowing a hardcover book. Books are often read in bed at night. When a book is placed on a bed stand, a bed bug can lay its tiny eggs in the binding. These eggs don't need the mother bed bug, they can hatch in your home without any attendance.

Bed Bugs Can Come From Many Places

You've probably heard that you can pick bed bugs up at motels and hotels, but these are far from the only places. Bed bugs have been found infesting a variety of public places, including libraries. This is likely because of eggs in the bindings of hardback books, but it could also be due to these insects hitching a ride in clothing, bags, and other items. Here are just a few of the many ways you can get bed bugs:

• You could bring them home from work.
• You could pick them up in a taxi, bus, train, plane, or some other form of public transportation.
• Your child could pick them up at daycare, school, a friend's house, or any number of places they visit.
• Your college-age kid could bring them home from their dormitory.
• You could get them from visiting a relative in assisted living.
• You could buy a piece of used furniture with bed bugs or bed bug eggs in it.

Do you see the problem? It is very difficult to prevent bed bugs from getting into your home. These bugs can be picked up in many places throughout Yakima County. There are prevention steps you can take, but even these won't guarantee that bed bugs will never infest your home.

If bed bugs have gotten into your Yakima County home or business, remember that the service team here at Prosite provides industry-leading solutions to address bed bug infestations. We know what is required to get rid of those bugs.

Reach out to us today to request service.