With all of the talk about bedbugs these days – much of it necessary, informed talk — it’s inevitable that various myths and tall tales would creep into conversation. Here are a few bed bug myths, debunked:
Bed Bugs Are All But Impossible to See: Most people should be able to see adult bed bugs, as well as eggs and nymphs, with the naked eye.
Bed Bugs Only Live in Filthy Places: The attraction for bed bugs isn’t grime or dirt, but blood, warmth and carbon dioxide. It is true, however, that a general sense of clutter makes for many more hiding spots for bed bugs.
Bed Bugs Carry Diseases: As of this writing, there have been no documented cases of bed bugs transmitting diseases between people.
Bed Bugs Do Not Pose a Threat to Public Health: On the contrary, says the EPA, “[B]ed bugs are a public pest.” In fact, the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control partnered in 2009 to issue a joint statement on the impacts of bed bugs on the public health.
Bright Lights Keep Bed Bugs in Hiding: Bed bugs generally prefer dark environments. But that tendency won’t keep bed bugs from searching you out and biting you.
The EPA Can Pay for Your Bed Bug Mitigation: Sadly, the government does not allocate funds to help people who need to control a bed bug problem. The agency has provided some funding in the past for education and outreach, but those monies were not intended to pay for individual bed bug treatments. The EPA does maintain a commitment to evaluating pesticides to ensure that they are not harmful to people or the environment, and also works with other federal agencies to provide good information about bed bugs.
Pesticides Are All That’s Needed to Remove Bed Bugs: Eradicating and preventing bed bugs can only be done by adhering to a comprehensive strategy that uses several techniques as well as through monitoring. Also, in some areas of the U.S., bed bugs have developed a resistance to certain pesticides. The EPA says that consulting a qualified pest management professional “is a good idea” if bed bugs are found in your home.
Give us a call at Bed Bug Solutions and ask to speak to one of our qualified pest professionals!