Although the prevalence of bed bugs typically remains stable throughout the year, according to some studies there is an increase in infestations in mid-to-late summer. Why? More human activity.
How Bed Bugs Spread
Other than traipsing from room to room, bed bugs can’t travel on their own. Rather, they need to hitch a ride with a host. As people travel more during the summer, bed bugs get their chance to explore, traversing state lines, country borders and even oceans. A single hotel room can pass on bed bugs to several guests before anyone is alerted to the problem. As each of these unwitting hosts returns home, they will likely spread the resilient pests to family members, neighbors, colleagues and others.
Now, the same principles that drive this yearly boom for bed bugs appear poised to cause a much worse problem — and it’s all thanks to Covid-19.
COVID-19 and its Impact on Bed Bug Prevalence
When the novel coronavirus first reared its ugly head, one of the few positive outcomes was a decrease in the spread of bed bugs; infestations decreased by a full 20%. Strict travel restrictions, quarantines, and anxiety over meeting in large groups made it harder for bed bugs to find new hosts and spread.
With the world opening back up and tourism on the rise, bed bugs are the big winners. While the last two years have taught us a good deal about how to disinfect and keep public spaces cleaner, the fact remains that more travelers in more hotel rooms and Airbnbs will invariably spread more bed bugs.
But How Did Bed Bugs Survive the Pandemic?
We know what you’re thinking…if bed bugs didn’t travel and spread during the pandemic, didn’t many of them die off? Unfortunately not. Because bed bugs can live for about 400 days without feeding, the overall bed bug population has probably changed very little as a result of the pandemic. Instead, the pests have gone hungry for longer than normal and are eagerly awaiting a new host.
How to Protect Yourself Against Bed Bugs
What can you do to protect yourself against this new wave of pests? Now more than ever it’s important to:
Avoid taking home used clothing, furniture and books.
Conduct regular, thorough checks of your home.
Examine rental cars, hotel rooms and other accommodations carefully when traveling.
Stock up on an easy-to-use pest control product like Sterifab!
Why Sterifab?
Pest control professionals use Sterifab to kill all kinds of undesirable pests, including bed bugs, mites, ticks, fleas, lice, spiders, and cockroaches. Sterifab also acts as a disinfectant, viricide, bacteriacide, mildewcide, and more, and can be used on almost any surface without leaving a visible trace or smell.
So while bed bugs may be on the rise as COVID restrictions fall, with a bit of diligence and the right tools, including Sterifab, you can keep your home, business and family bed bug free!
