This week on the Barrier Blog we’re gonna look a little bit more into bed bugs. These little critters have been moving in and having sleepovers at folks homes all over the Treasure Valley. We at Barrier haven’t seen bed bugs in such great numbers here in the Valley before, but we’re at the top of the game in getting rid of them.
Bed bugs are parasites that feed on human blood. They get their name from, obviously, often being found in beds. It is the perfect habitat for them. It is warm, provides a good shelter for them, and close proximity to their favorite meal readily available in ample quantities (sometimes more ample than others). Although they are called bed bugs, they are not exclusively found in a bed. Bed bugs also can live in couches, chairs, behind electrical plates, in the wallpaper, or other furniture.
Bed bugs preferred feeding time is at night. Their bites go unnoticed while we are asleep but can have some adverse effects. They can cause rashes and there are some that have an even stronger allergic reaction to their bites. Bed bugs can also have an effect on us psychologically, causing anxiety as well as sleeplessness.
These bed bugs are obviously unwelcome pests in any home, but fortunately we’ve got some tips to help you avoid getting an infestation in the first place. Often when bed bugs infest a new home it’s the actual homeowner/resident who unknowingly brings them in.
To avoid becoming that person giving a free ride to these bed bugs, please be careful when purchasing furniture. We have seen bed bugs come in on used furniture, but we have also seen them enter on new furniture as well. Sometimes, furniture rental has been found to contain bed bugs. Also be careful when buying any furniture or clothing from a thrift store and check to see if the items you are purchasing have bed bugs. With any used clothing you purchase, to be safe, be sure to wash it once, and dry it twice on the hottest cycle once you bring it home.
Hotels and motels have also been known to carry bed bugs, and its important to take care that you don’t bring them from there into your own home. Motels and lower star rating hotels have had more issues with bed bugs because they generally see higher traffic, but bed bugs don’t discriminate and have been found everywhere including top notch 5-star hotels, so just be sure to always check.
That’s it for this week, hope this has been helpful, and be sure to follow these steps to keep bed bugs out of your home. Be sure to check back next week for our next blog, it’s gonna be a doozy!
-The Barrier Team
CC image by Orin Zebest at Flickr
