If you think you have bed bugs, don't panic. There is a lot you can do; learn more and
create an
action
plan.
Bed bugs are hard to control, even for professionals.
When using pesticides, always read and follow the label directions. Be
mindful of the possible dangers of using pesticides.
These days, many bed bugs are resistant to common pesticides. Bug bombs (foggers) don't work
for
bed
bugs.
Learn more, one step at a time.
Use the EPA Bed Bug Information Clearinghouse to find information for:
The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) received hundreds of calls last year from all over the country about bed bugs. If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.
If you have a pesticide product in mind, have your label handy and click
here for information about that product.
These images are graciously allowed to be used
by NPIC by
Bugwood.org. Images included in the Bugwood Network Image Archives (ForestryImages.org,
IPMImages.org, Invasive.org, and InsectImages.org) are made available under a Creative Commons
license. Individual photographers retain all rights to images included in the archive.
Where to Start with Bed Bugs?
It's hard to sleep when you have bed bugs crawling on you or your bed. If you think you may have
bed
bugs:
First, don't panic! Quick, rash decisions may lead to unneeded, costly, and dangerous
actions.
You
are
not alone in this battle; lots of people across the country have had bed bugs.
Also, bed bugs are not a sign that your house is dirty. However, bed bugs can easily hide in
cluttered
spaces.
If you find bed bugs near your bed, or bite-marks on your skin, don't sleep in another part
of
the
house. The bed bugs could follow you, spreading the infestation and making it more difficult to
treat.
Instead, try to make your bed
an
island of safety by following some
simple tips.
Do not discard furniture immediately. You could spread the bed bugs throughout your house,
making
treatment more difficult. You may also cause new infestations if others take home your discarded
items.
If you must discard items, clearly mark them with an image of a bug to warn others.
Bed bugs can be easily confused with other insects such as bat bugs, so correct identification is important. Also, you cannot determine if you
have
bed
bugs by bites alone.
Learn more about how to identify bed
bugs. If you need assistance, contact your local Cooperative
Extension Service or pest management professional for help identifying your bugs.
Next, learn about bed bug biology and behavior (in the "Life Cycle tab"). This will help you
understand where to look for bugs, how to collect samples, and whether you are dealing with an
introduction or an infestation.
If it is confirmed that you have bed bugs, the next step is to decide whether to hire a
professional.
Bed bugs can be very hard to control, even for trained professionals.
When selecting a bed bug control provider, this fact sheet
may help you decide what to do. Whether or not you decide to hire a professional, make sure you
think
through the treatment options. For more information, look in the "Control" tab
If you rent your apartment, consider talking with neighbors and landlords about making a group
effort to
treat the problem.
Bed bugs are easily capable of moving through cracks and crevices from one room to the next, and
pesticides can make them scatter.
If you don't receive an adequate response from your building manager, consider contacting
your
city's
code enforcement or buildings department.
Regulations may require that a licensed applicator apply any insecticides that are used.
The National
Pesticide
Information Center (NPIC) received hundreds of calls last
year from all over the country about bed bugs.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.
Bed bug life cycle, photo credit: Dr. Richard Naylor, CimexStore (modified)
Bed Bug Biology and Behavior
Bed bugs are stow-a-ways and cannot
jump or fly. They enter homes by hiding in the cracks and crevices of
incoming luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes and other objects. Bed bugs feed on human
blood.
Their
presence has little to do with the cleanliness of the home, although clutter can provide hiding
spaces
for
bed bugs and make them difficult to control. Once bed bugs are established, they rapidly reproduce
and
spread from room to room.
Biology
Bed bugs are found living with humans worldwide.
Bed bugs have five immature life stages before becoming adults (see image above). In order to
shed
their
"skin" (molt) and grow to the next life stage, bed bugs must have a blood meal.
In ideal conditions it takes about 37 days from when eggs are laid until the bed bugs become
adults.
Adult bed bugs are the size of an apple seed, while eggs are the size of the period at the end
of
this
sentence.
Bed bugs usually feed every 3-7 days.
An immature bed bug or a male bed bug introduced into a home will not start an infestation, but
one
pregnant female can quickly reproduce. Preventing introduction is key. For more information,
look in the "Prevention" tab
Females lay eggs anywhere they wander, either separately or in a group. Eggs can take 6-10 days
to
hatch. For this reason, repeated and persistent monitoring is key when trying to control bed
bugs.
Bed bugs can survive for months without feeding, so they may be present in vacant, clean homes
when
new
tenants unpack.
A bed bug can survive for up to three months without feeding at room temperature. At cold
temperatures
they can survive much longer without feeding.
It is usually drying out, rather than starving, that kills isolated bed bugs. If the moisture in
the
air
is low, they will dry out much faster.
Bed bugs can carry diseases within their bodies, but transmission to humans has not been found.
Populations of bed bugs across the country have been found to be resistant to many common
pesticides.
Control requires an Integrated Pest Management approach.
Behavior
Bed bugs hide during the day, and typically feed at night.
Bed bugs hide near areas where people rest for long periods of time, mostly on and around the
bed.
Couches, wheelchairs, and recliners are also common hiding places.
Bed bugs like to hide in tight areas, such as cracks, crevices, under mattress tags, in box
springs,
and
any place dark and sheltered.
In these hiding places you can find eggs, all ages of bed bugs, shed "skins" (which look like
empty
bed
bug bodies), and dark spots or stains, which are the dried droppings from the bugs.
Bed bugs feed when their food source (host) is sleeping, usually at night. It takes 3-10 minutes
for
a
bed bug to feed, but the bite is painless so people don't know it's happening.
Reactions to bed bug bites vary widely, and one third of people may show no reaction at all.
Bed bugs can be found on buses, on subways, in taxis, in movie theaters, in libraries and many
other
areas.
Large infestations and disturbances such as pesticide applications can cause bed bugs to spread
to
other
areas of the home, or to neighboring apartments.
The National
Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) received hundreds of calls
last
year from all over the country about bed bugs.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.
Bed bugs can be very difficult to control, even for trained professionals. Many insecticides are not effective at killing the eggs, so
a
second treatment is often necessary to kill the juveniles after eggs hatch.
Even worse, many populations of bed bugs have developed resistance to common insecticides, making
some
sprays ineffective.
Regular, thorough inspections and a variety of treatment methods are often needed. Those methods may
include
heat and steam treatments, fumigation, and cold treatments. A trained professional must do some of
these
treatments.
Where to start:
If you believe you have bed bugs, the first step is to properly identify them.
If you share walls with neighbors, talk with your neighbors and landlord about making a
coordinated
effort to treat the problem.
Read more about getting started under the "Where to Start" tab.
Physical methods:
Find and remove as many insects as possible. A crevice tool on a vacuum
can be used for the tight areas where bed bugs like to hide. Immediately seal and dispose of the
vacuum
bag if bed bugs are suspected to be present.
Clear packing tape or extra sticky lint rollers can also be used to remove bugs and eggs from
surfaces.
For bedding, clothing, and other heat durable items, drying them on high heat for 30 minutes
will
kill
all bed bugs, including the eggs.
Use dissolvable laundry bags or plastic bags that can be disposed of outside to transport
clothing
to
shared laundromats. After drying, items should be stored in sealable plastic bins or bags to
stop
bugs
from moving back in.
If you discard infested items, clearly mark them by drawing a picture of a bug on the item(s),
which
can
be understood by people who speak a different language. Also, wrap your items before moving them
to
keep
bed bugs from spreading.
Making your bed a bug-free island:
Pull your bed away from the wall and other furniture. Inspect your bed frame, box spring, and
mattress
thoroughly and remove any bugs you find.
Place traps under your bed legs to stop bed bugs from climbing up to bite during the night. You
can
buy
traps or build your own. Do not allow
linens
to touch the floor.
Mattress and box spring encasements can be used to salvage infested beds or protect replacement
beds.
They will trap bugs inside that are already present, remove hiding areas, and make future
inspections
much easier.
If only one encasement can be afforded, the box spring should be encased first.
If you are working with a pest management professional or a landlord, talk to them before using
any
pesticides on your own.
Do not use more of a pesticide than the label directions say to use. It could make the problem
worse
by
causing bed bugs to disperse. It could also cause health effects.
Avoid daily spot treatments for bed bugs. It can cause the pesticide-resistant population to
grow,
making elimination of the bed bugs more difficult.
"Bug bombs" or total
release
foggers are not effective against bed bugs according to the
National Center for Healthy Housing. The pesticide droplets generated by
foggers
typically do not penetrate the hiding spaces used by bed bugs.
Typically, dust products should be applied in small amounts within the cracks and crevices where
bed
bugs hide. Read the label to be sure.
Infested items that cannot be treated with pesticides (bedding, clothing, electronic items) can
be
treated with heat or cold to kill hidden bed bugs. See the resources below for the specific
treatment
methods.
The
bullets
above contain a menu of options, not recommendations.
Only a professional familiar with your situation is qualified to recommend specific strategies to
eliminate
your infestation.
The National
Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) received hundreds of calls
last
year from all over the country about bed bugs.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.
The best offense is a good defense. Traveling, overnight stays, and used furniture can increase the
risk
of
bringing bed bugs home.
You may also be at higher risk if you share walls with neighbors. Bed bugs are stow-a-ways that
hitchhike
from one location to the next. They can also walk to nearby rooms through cracks or crevices in
walls.
Familiarize yourself with bed bug eggs, molted skins, and fecal marks.
Returning home from a trip is your best opportunity to prevent bed bug infestations. Inspect
luggage
thoroughly before bringing it into your home and do not store luggage near resting areas. Dry
all
clothing on a hot setting for thirty minutes before putting them away.
Do not use pesticides as a preventative treatment. Modern pesticides usually have to hit the bed
bugs in
order to be effective, rather than leaving effective residues.
Repair cracks in plaster, wallpaper, and paint on the walls and ceilings. Seal crevices around
windows
and baseboards.
Remove clutter around sleeping areas, and do not store items under the bed.
Thoroughly inspect
and
clean
any used furniture before bringing it home.
Used clothing should be dried for at least 30 minutes on high before bringing it home.
Change and wash bedding regularly, inspecting sheets, mattress seams, and under tags for signs of bed bug activity.
When arriving at a hotel or other sleeping place, avoid placing your luggage on the bed or the
floor
until you have conducted a thorough inspection.
You can use the luggage rack (after inspecting it) or put your luggage in the bathroom.
The resources below explain how to prevent bed bugs from entering your home.
The National
Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) received hundreds of calls
last
year from all over the country about bed bugs.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.
Through its county agents, the Cooperative Extension Service gives individuals access to the
resources at
land-grant universities across the nation. These universities are centers for research in many
subjects, including entomology (the study of insects) and agriculture. Each county within the United
States
has an Extension office, which is staffed with agents who work closely with
university-based Extension specialists to deliver answers to your questions about gardening,
agriculture,
and pest control. You can find the phone number for your local county extension office in the local
government section (often marked with blue pages) of your telephone directory or by clicking on the
map
below. You may also consider contacting your EPA Bed Bug
Regional
Office.
NPIC answers common questions asked by the public about pests and pesticides. This information is intended to be educational in nature and helpful to consumers for making informed decisions about pesticide use.
