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January 20, 2021
While they may not be standing on the side of the road waving down your car, bed bugs and cockroaches are excellent hitchhikers—and the last place you want their desired destination to be is your home.
Find out how these insects manage to get a ride home with you and how to prevent it from happening.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers. They can latch on to just about anything including furniture, appliances, bedding, clothing, and can crawl into your suitcase or handbag.
Bed bugs live off blood and can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days. The typical life cycle of a bed bug from hatch to death in ideal conditions is roughly six to 12 months, but studies of adult bed bugs in laboratories have shown them to survive for as long as 550 days.
Female bed bugs lay from one to five eggs a day and up to 500 eggs during a lifetime. Once a bedbug has entered your home, it takes only two to three months for a full-blown infestation to occur. You’ll notice bites that look like red welts and itch, as well as see dark brown markings or actual bugs on your bedding.
Bed Bug Prevention
- When traveling, make sure to check the box spring, mattress and behind headboards for any signs of bed bug activity.
- Check unfamiliar mattresses and bedding for signs of bed bugs, including brown spots, fecal matter and dried blood in mattress seams, along the headboard and in bedding. Do the same when considering any used
- Keep luggage elevated and zipped shut when
- On your return home, keep bags from entering your home and use a trash bag to transport your washable belongings to be laundered immediately and dried on high heat. Inspect all bags before bringing inside.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are notorious survivors and seasoned hitchhikers. They are attracted to food and find a way into your home by sneaking into everything from luggage to used furniture or appliances, moving boxes to laundry to grocery bags.
Cockroaches are resilient pests that can live without sustenance for a month, only living off wet cellulose in a wall system, basement, attic—anywhere there is water damage. On average, they live about a year, although some females can live for up to 700 days. They are rapid reproducers, laying between 20 to 40 eggs at a time and reproduce in a week’s time. Chances are if you see one, there’s many more lurking in the shadows.
Cockroach prevention
- Practice good sanitation: vacuum often, clean countertops with disinfectant and be vigilant about making sure no food debris is left out, including dirty
- Seal all points of entry, especially anything that may be moist including utility pipes, cracks and crevices in the basement, and openings around ventilation systems or crawl
- Store your food in sealed
- Clear away trash often and make sure it is sealed when not being
- Limit the number of places roaches can use as shelter by remove any clutter such as cardboard
Bed bugs and cockroaches are not only creepy pests, but can cause serious health issues for you and your family. Making sure they don’t hitchhike a ride into your home is important; however, if you do suspect you have either pest, immediate action is imperative.
Pine State Pest Solutions provides free estimates and affordable treatment plans for pest control and prevention to eliminate infestations and bring you peace of mind. Contact us today.
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