Bed Bugs

Anyone who visits an area infected with bed bugs can get bitten or spread bed bugs.

Bed bugs live in mattresses, box springs, cracks of furniture, floors, walls, window sills, and even picture frames located close to beds.

Bed bugs feed on the blood of people or animals while they sleep.

Bed bugs will live about one year at room temperature if they have access to blood meals. Bed bugs at room temperature without access to blood meals will die within 70 days.

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease and are not considered to be dangerous. However, an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention.

Bed bug infestations occur most commonly from bringing used furniture into your home.

• Do not pick up used furniture or mattress/box springs from the roadside or by garbage containers.
• Use caution when purchasing used furniture from websites, secondhand stores, or when renting furniture. Always check the seams and any creased areas for bed bugs.

Review Bed Bug Prevention Methods for more information.

One of the most common ways of coming across bed bugs is during travel.

• When checking into your hotel/motel room, place your suitcase on the bathroom floor until you have checked the luggage stand. (The tile floor makes it harder for the bed bugs to hide.) Keep the luggage stand away from the wall.
• Do a quick inspection of the mattress and box spring.
  • Pull back the bedding at the head of the bed near the head board to look for bed bugs, their droppings (usually several black spots in a group), or blood stains on the mattress.
  • Check the seams of the mattress and the box spring.
• If you find evidence of bed bugs, report it to hotel management and ask for another room.
• Upon returning home, unpack your luggage immediately in some location other than the bedroom; wash all clothing and inspect luggage.

For more information, watch this Travel Tips video or review these Bed Bug Prevention Methods.

You may notice bites on your skin. Or, you may see the small blood stains from crushed insects or dark spots from their droppings on your mattress. Look carefully in and around the mattress seams.

For more information review How to Identify a Bed Bug Infestation.

Do you think you have bed bugs? Bed Bug Treatment: What you Should Expect has information that can help.