10 Bed Bug Truths and Myths

Like many of you, I have Google Alerts set up for my industry, particularly for hot topics…like bed bugs. Let me tell you…the more news stories and blogs I read/see about bed bugs, the more I get peeved about bad bed bug information. So I’m going to set the record straight!

Myth #1 – Bed Bugs Are A Myth
Bed bugs are NOT a myth. They are real creatures whose meal of choice is human blood. Consider them the vampires of the pest world. And no, garlic will not keep them away.

Myth #2 – Bed Bugs Are Too Small To See
Adult bed bugs are the size, shape and color of an apple seed. Break out your bifocals if you need to. Trust me, you can see them.

Myth #3- Bed Bugs Are A Sanitation Issue
Take 2 houses side-by-side. One is occupied by an obsessive compulsive neat freak and the other is so full of garbage and junk it would be better to burn it down than empty it out. They are equally likely to get bet bugs. Bed bugs are not a sanitation issue. They are a human issue.

Myth #4 – If You Throw Away Your Mattress, You Will Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs will not magically go away just because you throw out your mattress. Bug bugs generally they live within 10 feet of where you sleep. In fact, if you throw out your mattress, you have likely spread the problem by dragging your mattress down the hallway and depositing bed bugs along the way.

Myth #5 – I Can’t See Them So I Must Not Have Them
Bed bugs are nocturnal…meaning they come out at night to feed. So unless you are jumping up in the middle of the night and turning on the light, odds are you won’t see them…until it is too late. Bed bugs can hide anywhere including in furniture cracks, behind picture frames, in electrical outlets, in books, clothes, stuffed animals…you name it. Go ahead; draw a 10 foot radius around your bed.

Myth #6 – I Don’t Have Any Bug Bites, So I Must Not Have Bed Bugs
More than 50% of people who are bitten by bed bugs never show any signs of being bitten. So just because your husband has welts all over his body and you don’t, doesn’t mean you aren’t the meal of choice. Trust me. Bed bugs are not that picky.

Myth #7 – Over-The-Counter Pesticides Will Solve My Problem
It is well documented that bed bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides. Even pest control companies have to change up their arsenal of what they can use to help solve bed bug infestations. You’re kidding yourself if you think some powder or spray you bought at a big box store is going to do the trick. You’ll be wasting your time and money…not be mention your blood. And one more thing; more is not always better. If you insist on trying this method, please, please, please follow the label.

Myth #8 – Any Pest Control Professional Can Solve My Bed Bug Problem
In this instance, cheaper is not always better. We have quoted lots of bed bug jobs and not gotten them because we weren’t the cheapest. Many times those people have called back to hire us later because the cheap guy didn’t get the job done. Save yourself some money, frustration and blood. Go with experience when it comes to bed bugs.

Myth #9 – Bed Bugs Cause Diseases
There is no known evidence that bed bugs cause disease. There is both good and bad in this statement. If bed bugs did transmit diseases, the government would quickly make bed bugs a priority. But because they simply feed on humans and infest homes, apartments, hotels, movie theaters, schools, hospitals, buses, etc. it’s really no big deal.

Myth #10 – Bed Bugs Are Contributing to Global Warming
Seriously? I couldn’t believe this when I read it! So when bed bugs were infesting the earth back in the 1930’s and ‘40’s, where was the global warming?