Let’s face it! If you have bed bugs, you will probably want to know everything about them to eliminate them! They are extremely stubborn and notorious insects, and often it can be back-breaking to defeat them.
Have you ever wondered how bed bugs have spread around the globe in just a couple of years? Or how do they reach up to your bed at night?
We are here to discuss whether or not these little insects fly, their mode of transport, and finally, some prevention. So let’s get started!
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Do Bed Bugs Fly?
Bed bugs are little, brown, oval, wingless creatures. Yes, that’s right! They are wingless! This means that they are incapable of flying.
So, thankfully these little vampires cannot fly across the room and land themselves on you or your bed. If you notice any small, flying, similar-looking bugs, they are most likely to stink bugs.
Do Bed Bugs Jump?
Well, you’re in luck again! Bed bugs DO NOT jump.
The hind legs of these bugs are not strong enough to support them in jumping long distances. If you see a jumping insect in your home, they are most likely to be a flea, so do not confuse them with bed bugs.
Since bed bugs do not fly or jump, you now know that if you set up bug traps on the floor or at the foot of your bed, the bugs cannot pass them and will fall victim to the trap.
So, the real question now is, how do bed bugs move?
Do Bed Bugs Crawl?
Unfortunately, YES. Bed bugs crawl their way from room to room, infesting your entire house.
They can crawl the sides of your bed at night for their meal. They can even climb up and down the walls and ceiling of your home. They can move around by crawling house pipes, electrical wires, or almost every other material in your house but they CANNOT climb on slippery surfaces which provide less friction, such as glass or metal.
But contrary to the popular myth, bed bugs are NOT fast crawlers. They crawl around your house very slowly to not wake you up which makes it easier for them to feed on you. So, if they crawl slowly, how do they spread around the house so fast?
How do Bed Bugs Travel and Move Around?
Bed bugs have excellent hitch-hiking skills, which means that they attach themselves to any possible material like luggage, clothing, or even their host and move along with their ride!
The main reason why the bed bug population has been growing is that people are traveling from place to place. Along with their luggage and clothes, people carry bed bugs along with them from place to place. They hold on to your belongings until they find a new suitable environment for them.
This is also probably how bed bugs are getting from room to room in your house and making their nests in every place.
How to Distinguish Between Bed Bugs and Other Similar Insects
Many insects look similar in appearance to a bed bug and you might end up getting confused. These can be fleas, lice, cockroach nymphs, swallow bugs, mites, or termites.
There are a variety of ways in which you can distinguish other bugs from bed bugs. For starters, Bed bugs only crawl, they CAN NOT fly or jump long distances at any stage of their life.
They are small, oval dark brown, and mostly bite at night when you are sleeping. They will not be seen easily during the day. They hide in the cracks and crevices of your wall and mostly in your mattress and other bedding.
In case of confusion, the best idea is to consult pest control.
How to Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs into Your Home?
Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to avoid a bed bug infestation!
1. Whenever you buy any second-hand or even a new item, especially furniture, there is a big possibility that you are inviting bed bugs into your house with it. So, before bringing the item into your home, clean and disinfect it properly. If possible, then use a steamer on the item before bringing it inside your home.
2. There are higher chances of bed bug infestation in multi-unit buildings such as apartments or hotels. So, keep your house clean and disinfect it regularly. You can also set your bedding in the sun from time to time.
3. If you’re staying at a hotel, place your suitcase on a stand instead of the bed or floor and keep it away from the walls or furniture. After returning, wash and dry all your clothes from the trip and preferably set them in the sun.
Final Words
To sum up this article, bed bugs DO NOT fly or jump. They can crawl and climb on walls and ceilings. They can even stick to you and your belongings and move along with them.
In case of an infestation, the worst thing you can do is to sit around and wait for the problem to get worse. So as soon as you spot a bug or bug bite, you can call the exterminator, or try some home remedies like freezing and steaming.
Finally, goodnight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite!Â
