Bed bugs are fascinating creatures that not many people know much about. In fact, for a while bed bugs almost didn’t exist in the US. It wasn’t until the ’70s when an extremely effective and dangerous pest control product called DDT was banned that bed bugs re-emerged as a pest problem. Fifty years later, bed bugs are running rampant, and homeowners are uninformed. To amend this, we have 5 myths about Florida bed bugs. Let’s get to myth-busting.
Myth #1: You Cannot See Bed Bugs
It is a common myth that bed bugs are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This is not true. Although difficult to spot, bed bugs are not too small to see. In fact, they are about the size of an apple seed. What makes them hard to spot is the fact that they hide when you are awake and only come out once you have gone to sleep. Trust us when we tell you, they are really good at hiding.
Myth #2: Bed Bugs Can Only Be Found In Beds
Although named after the place you sleep, bed bugs are not exclusively bed pests. The truth is, bed bugs can be found anywhere that people hang out. They can be in your kitchen, in your bathroom, at the mall, at the restaurant you are eating at. The only place they almost never go is out in the wild, which is strange since they are insects. Now you may be wondering, how do bed bugs get around so much? They do so by hitching rides on items we carry with us. Your backpack could be an airplane for bed bugs, your used sofa a bus. Any item that has been around bed bugs for any amount of time can be a mode of transport for them.
Myth #3: Only Dirty Homes Have Bed Bugs
Many pests are closely associated with dirty homes so it is only natural for people to make this association with bed bugs. The truth is, bed bugs couldn’t care less if your home is filthy or spotless. The only thing that matters to them is that you sleep so they can feed on your blood. As disturbing as this is, it is the unfortunate truth.
Myth #4: Bed Bugs Will Go Away On Their Own
Seeing that bed bugs are only around for your blood, the only logical reason for them to ever leave is if you left as well. Unless you plan on going on a 5-month vacation and leaving your home vacant for the entire time, bed bugs will not go away on their own. Why 5 months? Because that is how long a bed bug can survive without a blood meal. So even if you left your home for a few weeks, they would be waiting for you when you got back.
Myth #5: You Can Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
Modern bed bugs are much more resistant than they used to be. This combined with how good they are at avoiding and hiding from danger makes them nearly impossible to treat on your own. If even a single bed bug escapes your treatment, it can hide for up to 5 months until the danger is gone. We cannot count the number of times homeowners have told us they thought bed bugs were gone, only to find them again a few weeks after they had treated their home.
How You Can Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
The only real effective way to get bed bugs out of your home is with the help of a pest control professional. At Biotherm Green Solutions, Inc, we are experts in getting bed bugs out of homes. With several different effective treatment options to choose from and a bed bug-free guarantee, you can be certain your problem will be properly dealt with.
Give us a call today to have your questions answered or to schedule an appointment for your Florida home.