What do bedbugs infest? - briefly
Bedbugs mainly colonize places where people sleep, such as mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and adjacent furniture. They also hide in cracks, baseboards, and luggage when traveling.
What do bedbugs infest? - in detail
Bedbugs are hematophagous insects that colonize environments where human blood is readily available. Their primary domain includes any location used for sleep or prolonged rest. Typical sites are:
- Mattress surfaces, including the top fabric, seams, and underneath the mattress.
- Box springs, bed frames, headboards, and footboards, especially in joints and screw holes.
- Bedding items such as sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and duvet covers.
- Upholstered furniture, particularly sofas, armchairs, and recliners, focusing on cushions, seams, and hidden folds.
- Bedroom furnishings like nightstands, dressers, and wardrobes, concentrating on cracks, drawer liners, and behind panels.
- Wall voids, baseboards, and floorboard gaps where insects can hide during daylight.
- Luggage, backpacks, and travel bags, often in interior pockets and lining seams.
- Personal belongings placed on or near beds, including clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- Electronic devices placed on nightstands, such as alarm clocks, phones, and tablets, where heat may attract insects.
Beyond residential settings, infestations extend to hotels, motels, hostels, and short‑term rentals, where high turnover of guests facilitates spread. Public transportation seating, dormitory rooms, and shelters can also support colonies. In commercial contexts, offices with break rooms or nap areas may become infested if personal items are introduced.
Infestation dynamics depend on temperature, humidity, and access to hosts. Bedbugs prefer temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and relative humidity of 50–80 %. They lay eggs in protected micro‑habitats, such as fabric folds or wall crevices, and the nymphs progress through five molts before reaching adulthood, each stage requiring a blood meal.
Effective control requires targeting all identified reservoirs, including the hidden structural niches and personal items that serve as temporary shelters. Comprehensive treatment eliminates the insects at each life stage and removes the conditions that permit their persistence.