How Easily Do Bed Bugs Spread?

One of the biggest fears with bed bugs is their ability to silently spread throughout your property before they are discovered. But just how quickly do bed bugs spread in the first place? A single bed bug can lay up to 12 eggs in a single day—and up to 500 in its lifetime. Even a small infestation, then, can quickly turn into something much larger. Bed bugs inside your home or business can easily move from room to room, making it important to recognize the signs of their activity in order to put a stop to it early. The experts at Batzner Pest Control are here to help.

Can People Spread Bed Bugs?

Because bed bugs bite people, it’s easy to assume people can spread bed bugs. However, this is not the case. Unlike fleas and ticks, bed bugs do not latch onto people. Instead, they will retreat after feeding. Bed bugs most commonly are spread when infested items are moved from one area to another. Typically, this happens when infested furniture or items are moved from one room to another. The spread of bed bugs can also be traced back to travelers and college kids bringing home infested suitcases.

Tips to Keep Bed Bugs From Spreading

To prevent bed bugs from spreading throughout your home, it’s important to learn how to inspect for bed bug activity. In addition, some of the best ways to prevent bed bugs are to:

1. Be wary of purchasing second-hand furniture unless you’ve inspected it thoroughly for bugs.
2. Place protective covers over the mattresses and box springs in your home.
3. When traveling, use hard shell suitcases and thoroughly inspect your hotel room for bed bugs. Always store luggage up off the ground.
4. When arriving home from traveling, steam clean your suitcase and wash all clothing before storing everything away.
5. If you utilize shared laundry facilities or a laundromat, seal your clothes in a plastic bag to and from the facility, and always fold your clothes at home.

How Can I Stop Bed Bugs From Getting Inside?

Bed bugs may be slow crawlers, but their silent nature leads to a small infestation quickly turning into a large infestation. To stop these infamous pests from getting into your Wisconsin home, or worse, spreading throughout your property, simply learn how to recognize the signs of bed bug activity. For more information on keeping bed bugs out, contact the bed bug experts here at Batzner Pest Control!