What is worse, a pest that bothers you while you are awake, or one that keeps you up at night? Most people would argue that a pest that disturbs sleep is worse than any annoying pest that may bother you during the day. When it comes to sleep-disrupting pests there is none worse than bed bugs.
Why Bed Bugs Are Reaching Peak Activity
Almost every pest has a season and for most pests, this season comes and goes with the ups and downs of the temperature outside. However, bed bugs are a little different. They do not directly depend on the changing of outdoor temperatures for their season. If the temperature outside is -14 degrees, bed bugs can still thrive indoors and even still move from home to home. They do this by hitchhiking rides on items we carry to and from places we travel every day.
Because of this, we can assume one thing: if more people and items are moving, more bed bugs will be moving as well. When do people and items move most? During the summer. This is when bed bugs travel the most-- and when your home is at the greatest risk for a bed bug infestation.
How To Keep Bed Bugs Out
Before we go any further, we have to first apologize for something. Although the title of this article suggests that you can bed bug-proof your home, it is not your home that needs bed bug-proofing. There is nothing you can do to completely bed bug-proof your home while you are still occupying it. However, this does not mean you cannot keep bed bugs away. You just have to approach things differently. Here are some good places to start:
- Know bed bug hotspots such as hotels, airports, or other areas that are highly traveled.
- Know what bed bugs look like and how to spot the signs they leave behind.
- Check for bed bugs around hotel rooms or bedrooms where you will be staying when you are on vacation, and change rooms or even hotels if you find any.
- Investigate items such as furniture, clothing, or anything you suspect bed bugs could cling to or hide inside before you bring them home.
- After returning from vacation, immediately wash all of your travel clothing in the washer and dryer on a high-heat setting. This will kill off any tagalong bed bugs.
- Inform your potential home guests about bed bugs so they don’t bring unwanted sleep wreckers into your home unsuspectingly.
Why Call Heritage First Thing If Bed Bugs Are Biting
Often times despite our efforts to keep bed bugs away, they still manage to find their way inside. If this is the case for your home, we offer our assistance here at Heritage Pest Control. Our bed bug heat treatments go above and beyond to ensure your home is bed bug-free after we leave. We even have an adorable bed bug-sniffing dog to let us know with 98% accuracy if your home has bed bugs in the first place. If you would like to have your home inspected or treated for bed bugs, give us a call today and let us get you back to the sleep you need.