Where Bed Bugs Hide
Bed bugs do not reside on people, although they sometimes hitch a ride from one location to the next on a person's hair or clothing.
Bed bugs prefer to hide near where their human victim sleeps, usually within about 8 feet of a bed or sleeping area. (However, they have been known to hide up to 70 feet away, especially in heavier infestations.)
Their flattened bodies enable them to occupy tiny cracks and crevices, and they prefer rough, dry surfaces like unfinished wood and wicker over smooth or moist surfaces.
Inspecting for Bed Bugs
If you think there may be bed bugs in your home or business, consider hiring a licensed pest control professional who has been trained to find and treat bed bug infestations.
If this is not an option, you can inspect your home yourself if you are prepared to spend several hours carefully searching for the bugs. You'll need a good flashlight.
If you find bed bugs at any point during your inspection, stop the inspection. Once disturbed, bed bugs tend to move from their hiding places to a new location and sometimes new rooms. If you find them, turn your attention to getting rid of the problem.
Where to Search: Common Bed Bug Hiding Places
Bed bugs often hide in or around these items/areas:
Beds:
- Along mattress seams, piping, buttons or inside torn fabric covering
- In box springs – especially on coils, underneath gauze, in crevices, and around tacks and screws
- In bedding, especially along seams or inside quilts and comforters where fabric is ripped
- Inside cracks in bed frame and hollow bed frame posts
- Carpet (especially if located under beds and furniture):
- At edges
- Under carpet tacks and tack strips
- Nightstands and dressers
- Inside and underneath drawers
- Underneath furniture
- In cracks, corners and recesses
- Upholstered sofas and chairs
- Along seams, tufts and skirts
- In crevices on top and underneath – especially on coils, underneath gauze, and around tacks and screws
- Along ceiling/wall junctions (where they meet)
- Under loose wallpaper and dangling bits of chipped paint
- Inside cracks in walls, ceilings, floors, baseboards and molding
- Amid clothing and clutter, inside hollow clothes hangers
- In curtains folds and hems, and inside hollow curtain rods
- Under electrical outlet covers and lighting switch plates
- Behind wall-mounted headboards, picture frames and mirrors
- Inside electrical devices such as televisions, refrigerators, light fixtures, clocks, phones, and smoke detectors.
For more information contact: (803) 896-0655 Fax (803) 896-0645