3 Common Myths about Bed Bugs

Myth Number 1- Bed Bugs are too small to see

Bed Bugs are large enough to see and identify, but they tend to hide throughout the day. An adult bed bug is about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny. They hide in places like under mattresses, in cracks between boards on beds, inside couches, behind electrical outlets, and even inside electronics.

Myth Number 2- You get bed bugs by sleeping in infested beds

You most often hear people concerned about getting bed bugs from hotel rooms that have them living in the mattress. This is true and is a common cause of bed bug infestations. However, there are so many more places that you could get them. Bed bugs can infest vehicles, businesses, schools, and even libraries. After bed bugs mate, the pregnant female ventures off on her own away from the colony. Every bed bug infestation starts with this one pregnant female. One bug is all it takes.

Myth Number 3- Pesticides do not work on bed bugs

While bed bugs are resistant to certain types of pesticides, there are many types of pesticides that are very effective for the treatment of bed bugs. Pesticides are divided into categories called modes of action. That just means that they use different means to kill the bug. Most over the counter products that you buy are in a category called pyrethroids. Pyrethroids are synthetic versions of pyrithrins, a natural pesticide that comes from the chrysanthemum flower. They have been around a long time and are inexpensive. However, due to them being so prevalent, bed bugs have developed a resistance to the mode of action of these products.

There are many modes of actions to kill bed bugs that are not pyrethroids, such as neonicotinoids, desiccants, and natural oils. Products such as EcoRaider or CrossFire are designed specifically to be lethal to bed bugs. You do not even need to use harmful pesticides to solve your bed bug issue, as many of the new groundbreaking products that show exceptional results in scientific studies are natural or lower risk products.

One of these products is Aprehend, a biopesticide. The active ingredient in the product is actually a fungus that infects bed bugs causing them to die. The fungus has no effect on humans so it is considered a lower risk product compared to traditional insecticides. New natural products like these are changing the game in the fight against bed bugs.