Bed Bug Myths

Here we look at some of the most common bed bug myths:

Myth: Bed bugs can fly

False: Bed bugs do not have wings and cannot fly. However, they do move very quickly and can be hard to see.

Myth: Bed bugs don’t like the light

True: Bed bugs most often feed at night and prefer dark places, like the underside of a mattress, behind a headboard or inside of a wall and will scatter when subjected to a bright, concentrated light source like a flashlight. However, just because bed bugs prefer the dark doesn’t mean they won’t come out during the day. If you have an infestation in your home, you and your family are susceptible to the effects at all hours.

Myth: Bed bugs don’t spread disease

Mostly True: It’s long been held that bed bugs do not spread disease. While they don’t do it to the level of other parasitic insects like ticks or mosquitoes, recent research has shown that bed bugs can spread Chagas, which has led to further research into their transmission risk.

Myth: Bed bugs can live for a year without a food source

Mostly True: This point is debated in research and depends on other factors, especially temperature. In colder temperatures scientists have found the insect’s metabolism slows down and they can survive for eight months to a year without feeding.

Myth: Bed bugs only infect dirty, messy homes

False: Bed bugs are non-discriminatory when it comes to where they live and who they bite. As long as they have a place to hide and a person to eat, they’re happy. Infestations have hit the lowest income neighbourhoods to the poshest hotels and everywhere in between.

Myth: I need to throw out my furniture after my home has been treated for a bed bug infestation

False: Furniture can be kept depending on the type of treatment used to get rid of bed bugs. Choosing our heat treatment means you can keep your furniture with no risk. Some chemical treatments are furniture friendly, while others may cause permanent damage. It’s important to consider what total cost may be then looking for a solution to your bed bug problem.

>>If you become a victim of a bed bug infestation then contact our team for the fastest, safest, and most effective solution. We offer heat treatment bed bug extermination for homes in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Toronto.