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Why Do Bed Bug Infestations Increase In The Summer?
7/22/13
Bed bugs are a problem in the summer; actually, bed bugs are a problem all year long, but it has been noted that in the summer, instances of bed bug infestations rise significantly. The 2013 Bugs Without Borders Survey from PestWorld.org notes that “more than half of [pest professionals] who notice a seasonal difference receive more calls during the summer”. This means that pest control professionals are starting to see patterns with bed bug infestations and concerns in the summer are on the rise.
Why could bed bug infestations be rising in the summer? The reason may be linked to travel. During the summer months, more and more people spend time traveling. Kids are out of school and families take more trips, which leads to more people on the road and spending time in commercial lodgings. Because bed bugs can travel so easily in people’s luggage and even in seams of clothing, when travel increases, so do instances of bed bugs. These pests can be unknowingly taken from home to home, hotel to hotel, spreading from place to place, just by tagging along on one family’s vacation.
It is well known that bed bugs aren’t contained to residential environments, although the Bugs Without Borders Survey for 2013 comments that the majority of bed bug cases that are treated by professionals are inside residential dwellings. Pest control professionals treat these places as well:
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Hotels/motels
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College dorms
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Nursing homes
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Office buildings
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Schools and day care centers
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Hospitals
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Modes of transportation (buses/taxis/trains)
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Movie theaters
Although bed bugs can be found anywhere during any time of the year, there is growing concern that these pests travel from residences and other dwellings into public places more readily during the summer. To keep this trend from increasing, it is important for people to be aware of how bed bugs are spread and to stay vigilant against a bed bug infestation in their own property. If you are to recognize a bed bug problem inside your own home, do not ignore the problem, as it will not go away on its own. Letting a bed bug infestation get out of control inside your own property is irresponsible and can mean you will be more likely to spread these pests from your property to someone else’s, causing headaches and stress for everyone. For effective bed bug control, contact a professional to inspect your home or business; they can then develop a treatment plan that may include heat, chemicals or even steam. But the very best form of control for bed bugs is awareness; if you stay aware of signs of bed bugs as well as places they may be hiding inside your home or inside your hotel room, especially in the summer, you have a better chance of avoiding them altogether.
For more information on bed bug control services in St. Louis and Mid-Missouri including Dardenne and St. Charles, contact the professionals at Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions. Rottler has been offering effective pest control solutions since 1956 and they are ready to help you with all your pest problems, including bed bugs.