One of the most common questions we get is, "Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?" At ThermoPest, we’re here to provide the answer.
Bed bugs are found all over the world and can infest anywhere, regardless of how clean your home or business is. They aren’t attracted to dirt or food but rather to warmth, carbon dioxide, and human blood—their main source of food. These elusive pests hide in electronics, box springs, and stuffed toys, making them notoriously hard to get rid of once they settle in.
In the UK, bed bug infestations are most commonly linked to travel and used household items. When you travel, bedbugs get inspired to take their own holiday, crawling into your suitcase, clothing, or personal belongings, spreading them long distances. Buying used furniture, especially mattresses, sofas, or box springs, without proper inspection can also introduce bed bugs into your home.
Once inside, bed bugs nest in clever hiding spots, like loose wallpaper, mattress seams, and upholstered surfaces, only coming out at night to feed. In apartment buildings, they can crawl through small cracks, electrical outlets, and pipes, spreading between rooms and creating a big bed bug problem.
Here’s a look at the common places bed bugs come from in the United Kingdom.
Wondering how you got your bedbug problem? Here are some of the most common ways bedbugs enter your home:
Bed bugs love hotel rooms, hostels, and holiday rentals where they can easily transfer between guests. If you want to avoid bringing bed bugs home, always keep luggage on a suitcase stand, inspect upholstered surfaces and box springs for stains or shed skins, and always give your clothes a hot wash after your trip.
Buying second-hand furniture without checking for signs of infestation is one of the most common ways to bring bed bugs into your home. These pests hide in mattress seams, box springs, and even furniture joints waiting for their next food source. If you’re purchasing used items, always inspect for dark yellow eggs, shed skins, and reddish-brown bugs, and if in doubt, it’s better to find another piece.
In a block of flats, bed bugs can spread through walls, plumbing, and electrical outlets, making them particularly difficult to contain. If you live in a flat or apartment complex, it’s essential to seal cracks, report any signs of bed bugs to your local council or pest control company, and take action quickly to prevent bed bugs from spreading further. Sings of bed bugs include bite marks, skin sheds, and faecal stains.
Although rare, bed bugs have been found on transportation, like buses, trains, and planes. They can also infest schools, offices, hospitals, and care homes, especially if people unknowingly transport them in bags or clothing. While they don’t transmit disease, bedbug bites can cause itching, painful swelling, and even health problems for some individuals. To treat bites, keep the affected area clean.
If you’ve spotted bedbug bites, eggs, or reddish-brown insects, there’s no time to lose. While these pesky critters can survive between 20 and 400 days without feeding, under the right conditions, they’re always looking for their next meal – you.
Regular cleaning and vacuuming can help catch early signs of bedbugs, though they aren’t only found in dirty places. Sealing cracks in walls and furniture prevents them from spreading, especially in residential buildings.
To stop bed bugs in their tracks, encasing your mattress and box spring in a plastic bag can trap them inside. This not only prevents them from feeding on you but will eventually eliminate them. Washing clothes and linens in a hot wash, followed by a tumble dry on a high heat setting, can kill any hitchhiking bed bugs or eggs. Keeping your home clutter-free and vacuuming regularly gives them fewer hideouts, making it harder for bed bugs to settle in.
The best way to get rid of bed bugs completely is with professionals. Heat treatment is the most effective method, using extreme heat to kill all bed bugs, eggs, and nymphs in a single session. If you suspect an infestation, speak to our experts—we’ll help you get rid of bed bugs permanently and keep your home bed bug-free. If you have unexplained bites, be sure to monitor bed bugs.
Bed bugs have been around for centuries—they originally lived in caves, feeding on bats in the Middle East before spreading worldwide through human civilisation and trade. They later made their way to the Americas with European settlers.
They can enter homes in multiple ways, usually by hitching a ride on clothing, luggage, or furniture from an infested location. Whether you’ve stayed in a hotel, taken public transport, or brought home a second-hand sofa, these pests can sneak in unnoticed.
Clean homes aren’t immune to bed bugs—they don’t feed on dirt, just blood. As long as they have access to food, they can thrive anywhere, whether in a luxury hotel or a shared flat.
Second-hand furniture is a common culprit. Without a thorough inspection, you could bring home an active bed bug population along with your new bargain.
Bed bugs aren’t just found in homes—they can spread through schools, offices, colleges, and preschool facilities, anywhere people gather, rest, or leave belongings for long periods. Once inside, they hide in tiny cracks and crevices, emerging at night to feed, leaving behind bites and itchy skin
Though bed bugs are small, they can cause big problems—if you think you’ve spotted signs of an infestation, act fast to stop them in their tracks!
If you think a bed bug infestation is present at your home or business, it’s vital to take immediate action to address the problem, as bed bugs can multiply and spread rapidly. Professional pest control services are necessary to eradicate a bed bug infestation permanently. ThermoPest always recommends a bed bug heat treatment for effective and permanent extermination of bed bug infestations. Give us a call or pop us an email today- our friendly team is always happy to chat about your pest issues and answer any questions you may have.
Yes, bed bugs are small but visible—though they’re experts at hiding in tiny spaces like bed frames, box springs, and mattress seams. Fully grown bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed, reddish-brown in colour, and oval in shape. If you find bed bugs crawling around, it’s a strong sign of a bedbug infestation that requires immediate attention. Can you see bed bugs?
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs aren’t attracted to dirty homes—they’re expert hitchhikers who travel in luggage, clothing, second-hand furniture, and even soft toys. They thrive in places where people sleep and rest, such as homes, hotels, care homes, and apartment buildings. Unlike other insects, they don’t feed on food scraps, just blood, which is why they’re just as common in luxury hotels as in budget stays. Where do bed bugs come from?
In the early stages, bedbugs can be hard to spot. The first signs are often bed bug bites, which can appear as itchy welts, clusters, or a zigzag pattern on exposed skin.
These bites include redness and irritation, sometimes causing severe symptoms like swelling or an allergic reaction. Other signs of an infestation include blood spots on bedding, dark red centre marks on the bites, shed oval eggs, and a musty odour. Pest control professionals can help carefully inspect your home and confirm if you have an infestation before it spreads. What are the signs that I have bed bugs?
Getting rid of bedbugs completely isn’t easy. They’re nocturnal creatures that hide in tiny cracks, electrical outlets, and even electronics. DIY methods like bed bug spray and bug bombs may kill some bugs on contact, but they won’t eliminate eggs or hidden bed bugs. The most effective way to get rid of bed bugs is heat treatment, which uses high temperatures to kill bed bugs, their eggs, and nymphs in a single session. A pest control company can ensure the infestation is fully eradicated. How to Kill Bedbugs?
To avoid bed bugs, vacuum regularly—especially around mattresses, carpets, upholstered furniture, and bed frames. Wash clothing and bedding in hot water, then tumble dry on a high setting to kill any hidden bedbugs or oval eggs. When staying in a hotel room, use a suitcase stand, carefully inspect mattress seams for dark red spots, and keep luggage away from beds to avoid bringing bed bugs home. Sealing cracks in walls and floors can also help prevent bed bug infestations in multi-unit buildings. How to prevent bed bugs?
Where do bed bugs bite? They target exposed skin at night, commonly biting the arms, neck, shoulders, face, and legs. Unlike most spider bites, which tend to be isolated single bites, bed bug bites often appear in clusters or in a zigzag pattern. On light skin, bites may look red and inflamed, while on dark skin, they can appear purple or dark brown.
Bed bug bites can cause itchy welts, painful swelling, and, in some cases, an allergic reaction. More severe cases can lead to trouble breathing, a swollen tongue, or widespread irritation—if this happens, seek medical attention immediately. To ease symptoms, wash the affected area with soap and water, apply a mild steroid cream, and use a protective cover over your bedding to help prevent further irritation. What do bedbug bites look like?
Bed bugs spread through travel used mattresses, and shared spaces. They often come from hotel stays and then hitch a ride in luggage. They can also be found in used furniture, especially sofas, beds, and beds. In multi-unit buildings, bed bugs can crawl through cracks in walls, plumbing, and outlets, making infestations harder to contain. Where do bed bugs come from?
The most effective way to get rid of bed bugs is heat treatment, which raises the infested area to a temperature that kills all bedbugs, their eggs, and nymphs in one go. Unlike bed bug sprays, heat reaches deep into hiding places like loose wallpaper, soft toys, and box springs, ensuring complete eradication. How to get rid of bed bugs?
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