Bed bugs come from places where people frequently live, travel, or stay, often hiding in beds, furniture, luggage, and clothing. They are excellent hitchhikers that travel by attaching themselves to personal belongings, allowing them to spread from infested places like hotels, apartments, dorms, shelters, public transport, and even outdoor campsites to homes and other locations. Bed bugs can survive long periods without feeding, making it easy for them to be carried unknowingly on items brought into a living space. They have been associated with humans for thousands of years and spread worldwide as people migrated or traveled.
Origins and Spread
- Bed bugs originally fed on bats but adapted to humans as humans began living in caves and later developed civilizations. They spread worldwide as humans moved and traveled.
- They have been found in all regions of the world except Antarctica and are found in both clean and unclean environments.
Common Sources
- They often come into homes through:
- Hitchhiking on people’s clothes, luggage, shoes, and bags
- Infested second-hand furniture or bedding
- Proximity to infested locations, including neighboring units in apartments
- Public places like theaters, buses, trains, and shelters.
Hiding Places in Homes
- Mattress seams, bed frames, and bedding
- Furniture joints and cushions
- Cracks in walls, floorboards, and behind baseboards
- Inside electrical outlets and electrical devices.
Bed bugs do not come from outside environments like yards; they prefer indoor places where humans live and sleep.
This comprehensive understanding comes from multiple expert and health sources on bed bug biology and behavior.
