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| New bed bug infestations are usually centered around the bed |
| Photo © Pinto & Associates |
"How Did These Bed Bugs Get Into My Home?"
Bed bugs are secretive insects. They live in the dark in tight cracks, crevices, and holes near sleeping areas.
New bed bug infestations are usually centered around the mattress and bed frame. In heavier infestations, bugs move out to occupy hiding places further from the bed as well.
Bed bugs can hide in beds, furniture, piles of clothing, back packs, and similar everyday items. They can live for 6 or 7 months between feedings.
Common Ways for Bed Bugs to Infest Apartments
The most common way for bed bugs to invade your home is for you, your family, or your friends to bring them in without realizing it. Bed bugs are excellent “hitch-hikers.” Here are some ways you could bring bed bugs into your home:
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| Discarded mattresses, box springs, and furniture are often infested with bed bugs |
| Photo © Pinto & Associates |
- Picking up bed bug-infested beds, mattresses, or furniture that has been discarded and placed on the street or by a dumpster.
- Visiting someone who has bed bugs and carrying them back with you on your clothing or possessions. (Children playing together in one home after another can be transferring bed bugs in their toys and backpacks.)
- Staying overnight in a bed bug-infested room in a hotel or home and bringing them home in your luggage.
- Renting furniture infested with bed bugs from furniture rental companies.
- Buying bed bug-infested second-hand furniture, carpets, blankets, luggage, pictures, and fixtures from stores, yard sales, auctions, and flea markets.
- Bed bugs can also migrate from one apartment to the next through pipe and wiring runs, and through wall and ceiling voids, in the same way that cockroaches move between apartments.
Be sure to check out the following pages that also provide bed bug information for apartment residents: