What Causes Bedbugs?

What causes bedbugs? Knowing the answer to that question could save you a lot of time and stress. Bedbugs are one of the most invasive creatures. They make their presence known and they're extremely difficult to get rid of. When you have bedbugs, you usually have to go through a lot to clear them out of your home and your belongings. Here is a brief description of what causes bedbugs, so that you can try to avoid them.

Bedbugs are small and are often confused with ticks. They are a reddish-brown color and have oval bodies.

Bedbugs are not particular about what they'll eat, as long as it is warm-blooded. If given the chance, bedbugs will feast on dogs, horses and even humans. They generally choose to consume their meals before dawn. In the US both birds and bats are major contributors to the spreading of bedbugs.

Bedbugs are commonly found in apartments and hotels, both of which are full of bedding and which allow for easy travel to other domiciles. Mattresses are the favorite location of bedbugs. Although bedbugs are most commonly found in dirty living conditions, they can easily end up anywhere, the result of hiding in somebody's clothes or other personal belongings. Bedbugs can be transferred through used furniture.

Luggage is another way which bedbugs travel, both domestically and internationally. They make their way into luggage and clothing, inhabiting wherever they end up. Bedbugs don't need to eat regularly; in fact, they can survive up to a year without food. That's quite a long time for a bug with a lifespan of just eighteen months.

It is possible to eliminate bedbugs with pesticides, most commonly DDT. In fact, in the mid 1900s, it was thought that bedbugs were virtually extinct in the US. DDT, however, is being used less and less as growing concerns about its safety to humans arise.