Despite their popularity in recent years, most people are misinformed about bed bugs. They often don’t know where bed bugs can be found, how they spread, and how to treat an infestation. Understanding bed bugs is the first step to dealing with them. You can check our article on how bed bugs hitchhike and how to look for bed bugs when traveling.

What are bed bugs and where do they come from?

Bed bugs are believed to have evolved alongside humans, emerging from caves after the Ice Age. They followed humans into modern civilization. However, they work in much simpler ways than humans do. They emit pheromones to signal to other bed bugs when they’re in danger or to mate. Outside of those basic social needs, bed bugs generally run on a simple loop of eating, digesting and sleeping.

While they spend most of their day hiding in the dark and digesting their last meal, at some point a bed bug needs to venture out in search of a meal. Since they only feed on blood, that means they’re looking for a sleeping person to feed on. As they’re not agile and have terrible vision, they have pretty limited tools to “hunt” for their food source. So how do they manage to find us in our beds?

What attracts bed bugs to humans?

Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs don’t live exclusively in your bed. While there could be plenty of bugs in the seams of your mattress, or in the joints and corners of your bed frame, they could just as likely be hiding elsewhere in your room. They rely on chemical signals to find their host, like a chemical radar that gives them a sense of direction until they hit pay dirt: your exposed skin and the nourishing blood flowing under the surface.

So what are these chemical lures that are drawing bed bugs to you? The main two are quite simple: carbon dioxide and heat radiation. While you sleep, you’re breathing and emitting carbon dioxide at a much higher rate than what already exists in the air around you. You’re also constantly emitting heat, which makes you a giant target to a small bug that’s sensitive to heat signals.

Don’t let bed bugs take over your home! Our team of licensed pest control professionals is ready to help you get rid of these unwelcome guests. Whether you’re located in West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby & New West, Coquitlam & Tri-Cities, or Richmond, we’re here to provide prompt and effective solutions. Don’t hesitate—contact us today and let us help you reclaim your space from bed bugs and other pests! If you discover or suspect a bed bug infestation, always contact a licenced pest control professional like us. Call us today on (778) 903-7378 or contact@pestcheck.ca.

More resources:

• Landlord vs Tenant – Who Pays for Pest Control?
• Common Pests Showing Up In Summer
• Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite!
• Bed Bug Information