A notorious and resilient pest, bed bugs can be extremely disruptive to your daily comfort and sleeping patterns. At their worst, their presence could require an extended fumigation of your home and possibly the disposal of your bed or furniture. These insects are difficult to get rid of and don’t go away on their own.
With a recent spike in their numbers over the last several years in both homes and businesses, California is no stranger to bed bugs. If you live in or intend to move to the state, it’s crucial to be aware of what can lead to infestations and what you can do if you find bed bugs.
Peak Season for Bed Bugs
Although they can be found any time of the year, bed bugs show increased activity during warm months, which has led to summer being deemed “bed bug season.”
Bed bugs themselves display more mobility during warmer months, but human activity is also a factor. Because infestations occur not only in homes but also in hotels and public transportation, the increased travel due to vacations accelerates their spread as bed bugs hitch a ride in the clothes, hair, and belongings of people and their pets.
It’s important to recognize the significance that warm weather has in the bed bug hatching cycle. One famous bed bug study by C.G. Johnson recorded that at a Fahrenheit temperature of 64 degrees, bed bugs required approximately 60 days to hatch, but at an increased temperature of 82 degrees, they only needed 14 days—about four times faster than in colder weather. Quicker hatching means quicker maturation and a shorter window between reproduction cycles.
Do Bed Bugs Ever Go Away?
It is possible to eliminate bed bugs with special treatments such as heat remediation, but preventing them is usually easier than removing them, especially without professional assistance.
If you are concerned about a potential bed bug infestation (particularly when traveling), we advise you to do the following:
- Complete regular inspections. In the daylight hours, bed bugs most often hide in small dark places like electrical sockets, beneath floorboards, in the seams of the bed, or even inside the mattress tag.
- Play it safe. If you suspect your clothes, linens, or curtains might have picked up any unwanted hitchhikers, run dryer-friendly items through the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest temperature.
- Travel wisely. When traveling, always store luggage off the ground. When you return home, take extra precautions while unpacking to ensure your luggage is away from your bed so bed bugs don’t have a chance to jump off before you catch them.
The Effective Power of Pest Control
Unfortunately, bed bugs are a formidable pest; if you find yourself in a fight against them, professional help should be sought out. Your best option is to seek the efficiency of practiced extermination professionals—something Advanced IPM has been serving to residents of California for four decades.
If you are tired of finding bed bugs in your home, call an Advanced IPM service provider in your area to request a bed bug control quote at no charge, and let us handle the rest.
