Can Bed Bugs Climb Walls? Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can wreak havoc in your home if you get so unlucky to be infested. These tiny bloodsuckers are difficult to see and even more difficult to do away with. They know where to hide to avoid being spotted and tend to be active at night.

Experts say that a female bedbug can lay up to 500 eggs in its lifetime. When you consider their reproduction rate, you get to understand why it’s hard to get rid of them.

If your house gets infested, bed bugs will be spotted in places hard to imagine you can find one. For instance, onto or into things, and this brings us to the question, 

Can bed bugs climb walls?

Yes. Although they don’t jump or fly, they can ccontrolled and eradicatedrawl rapidly on vertical wood, walls, some plastics but not glass. They have small hooks on their feet that they use to grip onto surfaces.

Precautions To Help Prevent Bed Bug Infestation In Your Home

The key to prevention is knowledge. You need to know how they travel and where they hide. This will help you avoid expensive pest control treatments.

Bed bugs are often picked up in shared places like public transit and hotels. Here are some tips that will help you prevent bed bug invasion in your home.

1. Identify early signs of bed bugs.

You need to be aware of the early signs of bed bug infestation and how to identify the bites. Bed bug bites are usually small red itchy marks that often appear in rows. Bites may not provide conclusive evidence of the presence of bed bugs in your home.

This is because many insects produce similar bite reactions. You will only be sure of invasion after you’ve spotted one or seen its eggs. Spots of blood on linen and beddings are also a good sign of bed bug invasion. 

2. Reduce clutter

Get rid of clutter in your home. Clean up and organize your space properly. Dispose of, recycle or donate belongings you do not use. 

Disorganized places can be a breeding paradise for bed bugs. Maintaining high levels of cleanliness is the key to combating infestation.

3. Regularly inspect your furniture.

These tinny bloodsuckers are also known to hide in furniture. It would therefore be logical for you also to inspect your furniture regularly. 

Start by searching cracked furniture, as you will often find them hiding in the cracks. Any place you can fit a credit card, bed buds can fit and breed there. 

Before purchasing any used furniture, take your time to inspect and confirm they are safe and free from bugs. If you find any signs of invasion, the last thing you want to do is make that purchase.

4. Vacuum clean your house 

Apart from mattresses, bed bugs can also be found in carpets and floors. You need to regularly vacuum clean your house, including; carpets, mattresses, and floors. One place to take note of is the region where the wall and the floor meet. 

After vacuuming, place the vacuum bag in sealed trash and dispose of it in an outdoor liter can. This practice will prevent the bugs from escaping back into the house.

5. Know how bed bugs look like

Before taking any measures, you need to be assertive that you are dealing with bed bugs. Also referred to as wall lice, bed bugs are flat and oval-shaped insects. They measure ¼ of an inch and are brown with six legs. 

Often they will bite on hands, neck, and face. The nymph of mahogany flats resembles a miniature version of an adult, except the body is translucent in the early stages of growth.

6. Embrace bed bug interceptors

Bed bug interceptors are an effective method of preventing and getting rid of an infestation. 

The climb-Up monitors are placed under the feet of the bed to prevent the bugs from reaching your bed. Clean the interceptors regularly and look for sources so you can eliminate the threat. 

7. Inspect your pets for bed bugs

Your pets’ bedding can also be a source of bed bugs.  Bugs can be attracted to the beddings, where the temperatures are warm to breed. 

Regularly inspect your pets’ beddings and, if possible, wash them at the highest temperatures.  

8. Take caution while in public places.

Many folks will unknowingly pick up bed bugs from unsuspected public places like dressing rooms and transits. Be wary of cushioned seats and carpeted floors as they tend to provide a safe haven for bugs if not properly cleaned.

While in the dressing area, use the hooks on the walls to hang your belongings. Avoid placing them on the carpeted floor or cushioned seats.

How To Get Rid Of Bed bugs

The good news is that bed bug infestation can be controlled and eradicated. You have to be patient. Both chemical and non-chemical techniques may be required. 

1. Pinpoint the infected areas

Detecting the infested areas early is the best move. It’s going to be cheaper to deal with a small infected area. You can opt to call professionals who use trained dogs to detect bed bugs smell. 

If you decide to look yourself, inspect in the following places; Baseboards, furniture joints, inside electrical outlets, under loose wallpaper, in seams between wallpaper and ceiling.

2. Contain the infestation

After determining that you have bed bugs, the next course of action would be to contain them. This is necessary to prevent them from further spreading out. 

You can trap the bed bugs by running the vacuum over all the infested areas. Make sure to properly seal the vacuum bag and dispose of it in an outside garbage can.

Wash all the affected clothes using the highest possible temperature. If the item is not washable, put it in a dryer for 30 minutes at the highest heat possible. 

If you have belongings that can’t be washed or dried, secure them in a bag and leave them for months.

3. Get ready for bed bug treatment.

These preparations will increase your chances of success. Remove any material such as books and magazines lying on the floor or under the bed. 

Anything that may act as a hiding place for bugs should be removed. Finish up your preparations by sealing up any open places.

4. Terminate the bed bug

Try to use non-chemical methods first; these include extreme cold temperatures of 320F and high temperatures of 115oF. You can also use a steamer in places where bed bugs hide. 

Some of the insecticides you can use include; Pyrroles, Desiccants, Foggers, and Pyrethrins. If these treatments don’t work, you may need to call in the professionals and they can give you a quote for bed bug exterminator cost.

5. Monitor the affected areas

After applying chemicals, you need to monitor all the infested areas at least once a week to check for any sign of activity. 

You can also use interceptors to help you monitor and determine if your treatment worked. If you still spot bed bugs, you may want to call in a professional to take it from there.

Common Myths & Truth about Bed Bugs

Here are some common surrounding bed bugs and facts.

Myth: Application of pesticides alone is enough to eradicate bed bug infestation

Truth: Application of pesticides will not by itself eliminate bed bugs. With time the bugs develop resistance against certain pesticides. This calls for a more strategic treatment plan that involves a variety of techniques and careful monitoring.

Myth: You can’t see a bed bug with a naked eye.

Truth: Both adult bed bugs, eggs, and nymphs can be seen with naked eyes.

Myth: Dirty places attract bed bugs.

Truth: Unlike flies, bed bugs are not attracted to dirt. Warmth, carbon dioxide, and blood are what attract them. Clutter only serves as hiding spots.

Myth: Bed bugs can transmit diseases.

Truth: No expert has ever come forward with proof supporting that bed bugs can transmit diseases between human beings.

Myth: Bed bugs only come out during the dark.

Truth: It’s true they prefer darkness, but keeping the light on at night won’t make them starve. They will still come out and bite you.

How To Flush Bed Bugs Out Of Their Hiding

Bed bugs are not only good at crawling fast but also good at hiding. Whether you have a low-key infestation or a full-blown, catching the bugs is the challenging part. 

They like to hide in places where you can’t easily spot them. These places include; crevices, wooden frames, cracks, and bed frames. 

Their shape and size allow them to fit in such small places. Here are some tricks you could use to lure the bugs out of their hiding spots.

At night

Bed bugs are active during the night. It’s when they come out to suck your blood. You should take advantage of the dark hours.

If you can’t wait till night time, you can still close all the windows using dark material to make it look it’s in the dark. 

Soon you will see the bugs crawling from their hideouts. After identifying the areas, take the necessary measures to ensure the infestation does not grow out of hand.

Active Co2 traps

Heat and CO2 that our bodies release when we sleep is what attracts the bed bugs. Experts have now come up with traps that produce low-level heat and CO2. The traps attract the bugs and trap them.

A good example is the BeapCo 6-hour CO2 trap. To use such a trap, you will need to clear out of the room for the night and place it on top of the bed.

Steamer

Using a steamer to flush out hiding bugs is also a great trick. The heat generated by the steamer is what will drive the bugs out to search for a more comfortable hiding spot. In the process, identify their hiding areas and take the necessary precautions.

Conclusion

 Bed bugs are stubborn and tough to kill. They have infested quite a number of homes in the United States across all social classes. While these pests strive in clutter, they are not necessarily attracted by dirt.

There are plenty of practices to help you avoid bed bug infestation. And if you were late with the prevention, there are also some treatments you can use to get rid of them. The best way to prevent an infestation is to be keen when shared public places.