Where Do Bed Bugs Come From? What to know about these bloodsuckers.

Believe it or not, “bed bugs” is one of the most searched terms on the internet. Whether people are dealing with a bed bug infestation or they’re simply worried they might bring some home from their next vacation, there are a lot of questions about these tiny little vampires. But, where do bed bugs come from? Let’s dig in and find out.  

What are bed bugs?

According to WebMD, bed bugs are small, oval, brownish insects that live on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bed bugs somewhat resemble the size and shape of an apple seed (with a mahogany coloring), while nymphs are tiny and clear. When these bugs successfully feed, they swell to a rounder shape and turn red. 

These bugs have six legs and a long set of antennae. And despite having wing pads, bed bugs don’t fly or even jump. They simply crawl (rather quickly, mind you). Here’s a better guide on what they look like.

Bed bugs get their name because they’re often found in the bedroom. They hide among mattress seams, headboards, and box springs so they can be close to their next meal (bed bugs feed on blood). That’s when they’ll emerge, latch onto your skin and suck blood for 5 to 10 minutes, and then crawl away to repeat the process again in a few days.

They’re Thousands of Years Old

If we want to know where bed bugs come from, we have to look pretty far back. These bugs are thousands of years old, and many experts believe humans first came into contact with bed bugs in The Middle East. It’s believed that during this time, humans were still spending time in caves and would often share those spaces with bed bug-carrying bats.

Sleep Tight, Don’t Let The Bed Bugs…

Bite. If you’re like most adults these days, you’re probably wondering why someone would think this is a sweet anecdote to share with a child when you tuck them in. That’s because, for at least 30 years, bed bugs weren’t really an issue, and this little rhyme was mostly harmless.

DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was a chemical compound created as an insecticide in the 1940s. And it was one heck of an insecticide. In fact, it was so good that it nearly eradicated bed bugs entirely. However, it was outlawed in the 1970s for a number of reasons (such as its ability to almost wipe out a species.. Oh.. and cause cancer). After that, bed bugs made a huge comeback, and this rhyme isn’t nearly as cute.

Fun fact: Another old wives’ tale, about earwigs climbing into folks’ ears while they sleep also isn’t true.

Bed Bug Life Cycle

The bed bug life cycle is important to understand. Bed bugs start as eggs, and these eggs are grain or rice-like, with a milky white color. Females lay 1 to 5 eggs a day in tight cracks or crevices where they’ll be undisturbed, and they can lay up to 500 or so eggs in a lifetime. These eggs can hatch in as little as 6 days, allowing bed bugs to reproduce quickly.

Nymphs are the immature bed bugs that emerge. These bugs are very small and almost clear in color. They start feeding immediately, giving them the energy they need to go through the five molting stages required to become an adult and sexually mature. With enough blood meals and the right temperatures (literally the temperature of your bedroom), they can become sexually mature adults in as little as 5 weeks. 

Once a bed bug meets maturity, they feed about once a week. After feedings, the male bed bugs set their minds to mating, and bed bugs do so through traumatic insemination. Essentially, the male bed bug clings to the right side of the female bed bug and stabs her with his reproductive organ. It’s actually quite awful and seems exceedingly brutal to this species’ females, and this article published by two researchers at Virginia Tech can shed some more light on that topic. 

Once the female is fertilized, she begins to lay eggs. She will produce up to 500 eggs, continuing the cycle. It will eventually run out of sperm, at which point it will need to mate again to continue producing eggs. 

A bed bug with consistent access to blood meals can continue this cycle for several months before dying. 

Where do bed bugs come from?

Here’s what really sucks about these bugs (pun intended): bed bugs come from anywhere people congregate. They’re on every continent (except Antarctica), in every country, state, territory, city, and type of building or vehicle. They’re quite literally everywhere.

Common places to find bed bugs are hotel rooms, daycare centers, schools, apartment buildings, restaurants, buses, cabs, and just about anywhere else that people frequent. While most people associate them with hotel rooms, bed bugs are absolutely everywhere. ‘

Note: Bed bugs don’t live in nests like ants, termites, many types of bees, and other bugs. They find places to stash their eggs and hide during the day, but these areas are more like stashes than nests.

Where bed bugs hide

Knowing where bed bugs hide may be just as important as knowing where they come from. And, since these bugs are mostly active at night, their daytime hiding places are critical to their survival.

Bed bugs will hide almost anywhere, but there are some places where they commonly stash themselves. These spaces may include:

• Box spring
• Mattress seam
• Bed frames
• Headboard
• Inside of walls
• Behind baseboard moldings
• Picture frames
• Couches and other furniture
• Carpets
• Cracks and crevices in literally anything
• Door and window frames
• Electronic devices

Obviously, bed bugs are prolific hiders. However, it’s important to understand that these bugs don’t just hang out in beds—they can be found almost anywhere within a home.

How bed bugs spread

Bed bugs are amazing travelers. These little pests can quickly cling to an article of clothing, a suitcase, a piece of furniture, bedding, or anywhere else they might hide. They especially like the smell of dirty laundry. 

Once these creepy crawlers grab a hold of something, they’ll hold on for the ride. An impregnated female can cause a significant bed bug infestation all by herself. 

What attracts them

Bed bugs are concerned with two things: reproducing and finding fresh blood. While there may be a few other things that attract them, the most significant bed bug attractants are carbon dioxide exhaled by a person or animal and body heat. 

Bed bugs are often associated with dirty homes or low-income areas. However, it’s important to realize that these pests are attracted to humans, not wealth, poverty, cleanliness, or untidiness. The nicest, most expensive hotels in the world experience bed bug problems all the time. 

How To Find Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room

If you’re freaking out at the thought of bed bugs ruining your future hotel stays, there may be a few ways to find them before there is an issue.

• Look for reddish or rusty stains on the mattress or sheets
• Dark spots on fabrics (they look like marker dots, and this is actually bed bug poop)
• Discarded shells from molting
• Eggs and egg shells
• Check all of the furniture seams, bedding, blankets, and other fabrics
• If the room has a hand-held steamer, use it to produce heat on the bed. This may trigger bed bugs’ feeding instinct, believing the heat to be body heat from their next meal.

If there are any of the above conditions present, these are signs of bed bugs. You should call the hotel guest services number right away. Also, note that most hotels have unspoken policies that prevent staff from admitting that any bugs found may be bed bugs, so this may be an uphill battle.

How can I avoid bringing bed bugs into my home?

While we may still unknowingly bring a bed bug home, there are a few steps that we can take to prevent bed bugs from getting into our homes. 

1. Don’t put your suitcase down on the bed or floor of a hotel. Place it on a luggage rack instead, and make sure it isn’t touching any walls.
2. Leave your suitcase in the garage when you get home. Empty the contents into a garbage bag, wash the items, and bring the bag back outside. Thoroughly inspect the suitcase.
3. Wash your clothes and dry them on high heat. If your clothes are already clean, you can simply throw them in the dryer. The dryer will kill any bugs and their eggs. 
4. Don’t bring second hand furniture or other used items into the home without inspecting them for bed bugs first.

How do I know if I have a bed bug problem?

Some signs might indicate a bed bug problem.

Many signs can actually be found in bed. Red spots on the sheets are likely blood and a result of a bed bug feeding. Also, dark spots around the mattress or sheets are likely bed bug poop. Grain-like eggs in tight crevices around the bed, as old body shells shed during molting are bed bug red flags.

Finding these items in homes or hotel rooms usually means bed bug infestations. It’s important to remember that these bugs mate and spread quickly, so if you’ve noticed any potential problems, take action right away.

Bed Bug Threats

Despite the thought of these bugs feeding on our blood while we sleep, bed bugs aren’t a huge public health threat. Similar to chiggers, their bites don’t typically hurt (though bite sites can get inflamed or irritated, especially if the victim is allergic), and they don’t transmit or transfer diseases while consuming blood meal. Mosquitoes and houseflies are more dangerous than bed bugs.

Also, bed bugs don’t create a lot of damage (other than staining fabrics). They don’t chew wood like termites or white ants, and they don’t affect house plants.

But that doesn’t mean these bugs come without issues. The biggest problem with bed bugs is that they reproduce so quickly, and bed bug infestations can occur in just a matter of weeks. The other issue that some victims may have to deal with is the onset of insomnia from the fear of bed bugs crawling on them, and even anemia. 

How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Getting rid of bed bugs can be very difficult. In fact, many pest control companies believe they are the most difficult insects to handle. In our opinion, folks dealing with a bed bug infestation should call a professional pest control company right away.

However, for folks who want to try their hand at removing their bed bugs before the infestation takes over try the following:

FAQs

Even with all of that information on these bugs and where they come from, there may be some additional questions that need answering. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions on the topic. 

What attracts bed bugs to your home?

Bed bugs are attracted to animal and human blood, not homes. While a dirty, cluttered home will give them more places to hide, bed bugs are simply drawn to body heat and carbon dioxide.

Where do bed bugs originally start from?

Originally, it’s believed that bed bugs came from The Middle East. But today, most folks bring bed bugs home during their travels. 

Do bed bugs come in from outside?

Bed bugs can’t withstand extreme temperatures, so they prefer to be inside where the temperature is consistent. However, they generally come in on bags, suitcases, or clothing worn in an infested area. They don’t normally come in Christmas trees or other plants, or through cracks around windows or doors.

What instantly kills bed bugs?

Heat will instantly kill bed bugs, whereas insecticides and pesticides are not effective. However, professional pest control services are able to handle these bugs faster than a typical DIYer, so they’re certainly worth calling.

Are bed bugs caused by poor hygiene?

Bed bugs aren’t caused by poor hygiene. They’re attracted to the carbon dioxide we produce while breathing, and body heat.

Can bed bugs infest a clean house?

Bed bugs can absolutely infest a clean house, yes. These bugs may have to work harder to hide, but they reproduce so quickly (and cleanliness has so little impact) that bed bug infestations are very common. This is unlike certain pests, like flies, which thrive in filthy conditions.