Myths About The Bed Bugs In Raleigh, NC

Bed bug control in Raleigh is difficult. It's even more difficult if you believe some of the many myths about bed bugs. Today, we're going to take a look at the myths some Raleigh residents still believe about bed bugs, and explain how these myths need to be dispelled, if you hope to get bed bugs out of your home or business.

Myth: Bed Bugs Only Target Dirty Homes

When bed bugs get into a home, they leave black excrement and bloodstains on mattresses, box springs, and upholstered furniture. If you've ever seen these furniture items being carried out of a home in Raleigh that has a bed bug infestation, you might believe, as some do, that bed bugs only infest dirty homes. This is not the case at all.

• Bed bugs don't choose where they live. They spread passively from one indoor location to another. Since they're indoor bugs, you can't stop them from getting into your home by treating the exterior of your home. Routine inspections and targeted treatments are the only way to proactively prevent infestations.
• The black excrement and bloodstains bed bugs create are hidden at first. Bed bugs hide in very tight spaces and in dark voids. These stains are likely to be in the space between a mattress and box spring and under the cushions of a couch, not in plain view. While bed bugs aren't attracted to a home that is clean, you could catch a bed bug infestation early if you routinely deep clean your home.

Myth: Bed Bugs Come In On Your Dog

While bed bugs are considered parasites, they don't take a host. They won't live on a dog, a cat, or even on you. 

We're often asked, "Do bed bugs bite dogs?" It is likely that this question is connected to whether or not bed bugs can get on dogs and be carried into a home. The answer to that question is no. Bed bugs aren't going to come into your home on a dog or a cat.

If you're concerned about your furry family members getting bed bugs, the answer isn't a straight yes or no. Do bed bugs bite dogs? Yes, they can, but it isn't likely. Bed bugs don't have the ability to cling to hair and move through hair the way a flea or a tick does, so they actually avoid hair. If you're a hairy human, you're in luck. Bed bugs won't like you as much either. A bed bug will only bite a dog on fleshy spots that have no hair—assuming the bed bug can get to these spots without going through hair, and assuming the bed bug can feed for ten minutes without the dog biting or scratching it off.  

Myth: Bed Bugs Only Live In Beds

We're going to bust this myth primarily for business owners. If you're not concerned about bed bugs because you don't have beds in your business, you should know that bed bugs don't just infest beds. They can hide in many furniture items, including pianos and pool tables. All a bed bug needs is a recess, tight space, or a dark void in order to hide inside a man-made object.

If you own a business, you shouldn't be asking yourself, "Do I have beds?" You should be asking, "What conditions do bed bugs need in order to feed?" Bed bugs need darkness. That's it. If you sit in a dark place in the middle of the day, a bed bug can feed on you. This is why bed bugs have been found infesting surprising locations, such as office spaces and movie theaters.

Myth: Bed Bugs Can Be Controlled With Home Remedies

Some Raleigh residents are concerned about bed bug control costs. This can lead them to buy into this myth. If you're hoping to find a home remedy that will stop your bed bugs, there are a few things you need to know.

• Many home remedies are products that are sprayed. If you spray them on bed bugs, you can kill them. Unfortunately, it is difficult to spray bed bugs because they hide in places where topical treatments can't get to them.
• Some people spread diatomaceous earth to stop bed bugs. Believe us when we say, you'll be tired of dealing with that powder long before you have any impact on the bed bugs in your home.
• There are some natural scents that bed bugs don't like, such as lavender. If you spray lavender on certain areas or objects, you can keep bed bugs out of them. But you aren't going to drive bed bugs out of your home or keep them from biting you by applying natural scents they don't like.

If you're concerned about bed bug control costs, we understand, but it is a whole lot better to pay a professional than to live with the misery of failed DIY treatments.

Bed Bug Control In Raleigh

When you catch bed bugs early, it doesn't cost as much to have a professional eliminate your infestation with targeted bed bug treatments, and that's going to help your bottom line.

Are you in Raleigh? If so, reach out to Go-Forth Home Services at the first sign of bed bugs.