Why Do Bedbugs Enter Homes?
Bedbugs don’t appear out of nowhere—they are excellent hitchhikers. Their main goal is simple: to find a safe place close to humans, their primary food source.
Common ways bedbugs enter homes include:
Travel: Hotels, hostels, airplanes, buses, and trains are major sources. Bedbugs can cling to luggage, clothing, or backpacks.
Secondhand items: Used mattresses, furniture, clothing, and even books can carry bedbugs into your home.
Visitors: Guests may unknowingly bring bedbugs with them on their belongings.
Shared living spaces: Apartments and condos are especially vulnerable, as bedbugs can move through walls, vents, and electrical outlets from neighboring units.
Once inside, bedbugs hide during the day and come out at night to feed.
What Attracts Bedbugs?
Bedbugs aren’t attracted to dirt or food crumbs like some other pests. Instead, they are drawn to people and their environment.
Here’s what attracts them most:
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Humans release carbon dioxide when they breathe, especially while sleeping. Bedbugs use this as a signal to locate a host.
Body Heat
Bedbugs are attracted to warmth. Your body heat helps guide them to you at night.
Human Scent
Natural body odors can draw bedbugs closer, helping them find where you sleep.
Cluttered Spaces
While clutter doesn’t attract bedbugs directly, it gives them more places to hide, making infestations harder to detect and control.
Soft Furnishings
Mattresses, bed frames, couches, carpets, and curtains provide perfect hiding spots close to their food source.
Signs of a Bedbug Problem
Early detection is key. Common signs include:
Small red bites, often in a line or cluster
Tiny dark spots (droppings) on sheets or mattresses
Shed skins or eggs in mattress seams or furniture
ADVERTISEMENT
