Bed Bug Basics: Where They Hide, Feed, and Breed
Bed bugs are highly adapted, stealthy insects. If you know how they behave—where they hide, how they feed, and how they breed—you can make better decisions and avoid wasted effort. This guide explains the science and shows why a controlled whole-room heat treatment is the most reliable route to eradication.
If you are currently dealing with bed bugs, you are not alone and you have not done anything wrong. They hitchhike in luggage, furniture and clothing, and even the most careful households can be affected. ThermoPest specialises in precision heat treatments, using sensors and proven processes to remove bed bugs at every life stage.
What people believe vs reality
- Myth: Bed bugs only live in dirty homes. Reality: Cleanliness does not determine infestation; access to sleeping hosts does. They thrive anywhere people rest.
- Myth: They only live in beds. Reality: The bed is a hub, but typical harbourages include skirting boards, bedside furniture, behind headboards, inside sofa frames, curtain hems, carpets along gripper rods, and even electrical trunking.
- Myth: They jump or fly. Reality: Bed bugs crawl and hide in seams and cracks, travelling metres at night to feed.
- Myth: One spray or a fogger will sort it. Reality: Aerosols and foggers rarely penetrate deep harbourages or kill eggs; they often scatter bugs and make control slower.
Science‑backed facts: behaviour, feeding and breeding
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is nocturnal and cryptic. Adults and nymphs are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide, typically feeding for 5–10 minutes before retreating to tight cracks (as thin as a credit card) near resting areas. A well-fed female lays small batches daily, with a lifecycle that passes through five nymphal stages before adulthood.
- Feeding frequency: Many will feed every 3–7 days if hosts are available; in cooler rooms they can slow down and survive long periods without feeding.
- Egg resilience: Eggs are the most heat- and chemical‑tolerant stage, protected by a glue-like coating in secluded crevices.
- Dispersal patterns: They spread by hitchhiking on bags, beds, bedside units and soft furnishings; they also track along wall–floor junctions and shared fixtures.
Common mistakes that prolong infestations
- Using domestic foggers or over‑the‑counter sprays: These rarely reach core harbourages and can push bed bugs deeper into the structure.
- Sleeping in another room: This often spreads the infestation to new locations.
- Throwing away the mattress only: Bed frames, slats, divan bases, headboards and nearby furniture often harbour the majority of bugs and eggs.
- DIY heat without measurement: Uneven heating creates cold spots that allow eggs and nymphs to survive and rebound.
- Incomplete laundering: Low-temperature washing and drying will not reliably kill all stages.
Practical steps you can do safely
- Launder effectively: Wash and dry bedding and clothing on high settings; aim for 60°C wash where fabric care labels allow, followed by a hot tumble dry.
- Reduce clutter around beds: This limits new harbourages and improves inspection access.
- Vacuum thoroughly: Use a crevice tool along mattress seams, bed joints, skirtings and floor edges; dispose of contents immediately in a sealed bag.
- Isolate the bed: Pull it slightly from walls, check and seal frame joints, and consider interceptors under legs as a monitoring aid.
- Prepare smartly for professional work: Follow guidance on preparing your home for treatment so heat can reach every hiding place.
Why heat treatment is the superior solution
Chemical-only approaches struggle with resistant populations and egg survival. A properly delivered whole-room heat treatment raises the room and contents to lethal temperatures and holds them there, so bugs cannot escape or re-seed from hidden eggs.
Eliminating cold spots
Bed bugs survive in underheated areas such as thick furniture cores, divan cavities, deep skirting gaps and clutter piles. Professional systems manage airflow, move items, and measure temperatures inside risk points to eliminate cold spots.
Sustained lethal temperature
Field practice targets air and core temperatures typically in the mid–50s °C, then holds the environment long enough for heat to penetrate mattresses, furniture frames and wall voids. Time at temperature is as important as peak temperature.
Sensors and monitoring
Technicians place multiple sensors—on surfaces and inside items—to verify that difficult spots reach and maintain kill temperatures. This evidence‑led approach prevents misses and supports a clear sign‑off.
All life stages, in one pass
When correctly executed, heat neutralises adults, nymphs and eggs in the same treatment window, avoiding the need to wait for eggs to hatch between chemical visits. For a step‑by‑step overview, see our bed bug heat treatment process and why, in most scenarios, why heat treatment works better than chemicals.
ThermoPest heat‑treatment expertise
ThermoPest focuses on precision heat: calibrated heaters, active air movement, and multi‑point temperature logging to confirm every zone is treated. For homes and flats, our bed bug heat treatment is designed to clear bedrooms, lounges and adjacent spaces thoroughly, with guidance on monitor your property after treatment to confirm success and guard against re‑introduction.
For hospitality, housing providers and offices, we deliver discreet commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords, scheduled to minimise downtime and supported by documentation suitable for audits and insurance.
Aftercare, verification and prevention
Post‑treatment, expect a brief window where rare survivors emerging from unusual voids are still possible if any cold spot existed. This is why monitoring is essential. Use interceptors or scheduled inspections as outlined in our guidance on monitor your property after treatment, and follow any specific post‑treatment advice provided by your technician. If you bring in second‑hand items, inspect them carefully and heat-treat or quarantine where practical.