Does Bed Bug Activity Increase During The Spring?

The name ‘bed bug’ says a lot about the habitat of these tiny pests. They are generally found indoors where they have easy access to human blood. The place they are most commonly found is in the bed, hence the name. They feed on people’s blood during the night and generally go undetected until their bites start showing up and causing discomfort for their hosts. Because they mostly live indoors, there is not a particular time of year when they die off, hibernate, or migrate like there is with some other types of bugs. Any increase in bed bug activity can be linked back to a change in the behavior of the people who inadvertently bring the pests home. There are some activities that increase during the spring for many people that can increase the likelihood of developing a bed bug problem.

Increased Travel

As spring comes around many people start to think about traveling. The kids generally have some sort of break from school during the spring and families often take advantage of that break to fit in a vacation. Going on a trip during the spring is one of the things that can increase your chances of discovering bed bug activity in your home. The places you frequent during a vacation are prime spots for bed bugs. Hotel rooms and airplanes are both notorious for containing these pests. Bed bugs can follow you home from a hotel room through your luggage or even on your clothes. People can bring them onto planes in the same way.

The threat of bringing bed bugs home from your spring vacation should not stop you from going on the trip. You simply need to learn a few precautions in order to reduce the likelihood of bringing them home. First, keep your luggage and clothing away from the hotel bed and off the floor. Once you unpack your luggage, store it in the bathroom or in the top of the closet. Bed bugs are less likely to get into your luggage in these areas as opposed to right next to the bed. Immediately bag up dirty clothes instead of allowing them to lay on the floor where bed bugs may gain access to them.  Once you are home, wash and/or dry your clothing on the hottest setting they can handle to kill off any bed bugs that made it back with you.

Springtime Purchases

Spring can feel like a fresh start and that is part of the reason ‘spring cleaning’ is such a well-known phrase. The warmer and longer days of spring are a great time to work on the inside and outside of your home. Once you have cleaned and removed unwanted items from your home you may want to redecorate or add something new to the space. If you decide to buy used items to bring into your home you risk bringing bed bugs in as well. They can travel into your home on more types of furniture than just beds.

You can buy used furniture and other used items if you take a few precautions. Examine the items you are thinking about buying and for bed bugs. They are small with oval bodies and can range from a brownish to a reddish color. Bed bugs like to hide in crevices and seams so make sure to check in those areas. If you buy something that can be put into the dryer, like a throw pillow, treat it the same way you would your clothing after a trip.

Bed bugs can infest your home at any time of the year but if you increase the behaviors mentioned above during the spring, you may become susceptible to an infestation. Remember to take precautions to reduce your likelihood of an infestation from travel or used furniture purchases. If you develop a bed bug infestation despite these precautions, call in a pest control professional to help you eradicate the problem.