Are bed bugs real?

Perhaps you've heard or even recited the popular saying cited above. Often relegated to mere myths or nursery rhymes, bed bugs were disregarded by most people. But the truth is: bed bugs are real. So why are we now seeing a resurgence of this nocturnal insect?

Many people didn't know bed bugs actually exist.

Back before we could just "Google" the answers to anything we wanted to know, we had to operate off of what we had experienced. For a while, bed bugs were thought to be extinct. In fact, many pest control companies hadn't even dealt with bed bugs until recently. Here at Arrest A Pest, we deal with bed bugs on a daily basis.

Traveling is easier now than ever before.

You can hop into a car and drive to restaurants, parks, shopping centers and beaches. You can even fly to another country in just a matter of hours! But fast, easy travel for people means that it's also easy for bed bugs to get around. Bed bugs love traveling to new places just as much as we do.

Bed bugs are becoming resistant to chemical treatments.

Recent studies have shown that some of the chemicals commonly used in many pest control products & insecticides are no longer effective on certain populations of bed bugs, due to the prolonged use of such chemicals over large spans of time. For instance, if a chemical only kills most of a bed bug population, then any remaining bed bugs will build up a slight immunity to that chemical. As the surviving bed bugs reproduce, they pass their immunity on to future generations. Eventually you are left with a bed bug population that is largely immune to that chemical, rendering it ineffective. For more information about bed bug chemical resistance, check out the provided links below.

Bed bugs develop resistance to widely used insecticides

Why bed bugs are becoming so much harder to kill

Pesticides to control bed bugs

Bed bugs are not invisible!

Contrary to popular belief, you will definitely be able to see bed bugs. Adult bed bugs are a deep red color, about 1/4 of an inch long, and roughly resemble an appleseed. Any good pest control technician will clearly be able to either show you a live bed bed bug, or the eggs & debris they leave behind.

How did I get bed bugs?

You can get bed bugs by being around others who have them, or by simply being in a space that has a current infestation. Bed bugs reproduce rapidly and lay their eggs as they move about. Bed bug eggs are very small and incredibly sticky - they can stick to your clothing if you so much as brush against them. Bed bugs and their eggs can hitch a ride virtually anywhere. Bed bugs don't care where you live or how clean you keep your house. Anyone can get bed bugs - anyone.

What should I do if I think I might have bed bugs?

Don't panic! A bed bug infestation isn't the end of the world. You don't have to throw away your bed, your furniture or your clothes; most items can be treated for bed bugs.

If you think  you have bed bugs, call a licensed pest control professional and get a home inspection as soon as possible. It's better to be safe than sorry - and if you do have bed bugs, treating it now will save you time & money later on.

Don't make things worse by trying to treat for bed bugs yourself! Call a licensed pest control professional!