So you’re wondering, “can bed bugs live outside?” A quick answer: YES. Bed bugs can live outside your home, in your garden, under flower pots, under rocks, and anywhere outdoors but not for long. These pesky pests will eventually do all they can to move back indoors where humans are and where they will have the best chance in getting to us.
>> Also read: Best Bed Bug Powders That Kills
Why Are Bed Bugs Commonly Found Indoors?
Bed bugs are known to be an indoor pest as they are mostly found inside of the house, hiding inside mattresses, pillows, and sofas for the simple reason that human blood is their primary food.
>> Related: Best Bed Bug Sprays (For Instant Kill)
What makes bed bugs so hard to kill or get rid of completely is because of their ability to hide in very small and narrow crevices and cracks around the house. They also plant their attack mostly when its dark or when their prey is sleeping or taking a nap.
How Are Bed Bugs Driven Outdoors?
There are a few common possibilities of how bed bugs can end up outside of the house. First being that this versatile and clever pests may simply be hiding outside till its time to sneak back in.
>> Also read: Best Bed Bug Killer Products
Another possibility is that during bed bug treatment, some home owners actually bring their treated mattress out to dry. This also causes any surviving bed bugs to retreat away from the mattress.
Lastly, the bed bugs could be simply thrown or brought outside by accident. Just like how they enter your home, they can hitch a ride on your clothes, luggage, shoes, or furniture and travel outdoors. Bed bugs are so small that you can hardly notice them hanging on to your coat, pants, shoe or bag. They could also accidentally be brought out by your pests when they are trying to get their blood for consumption.
>> Related: Best Vacuums to Catch Bed Bugs
How Do Bed Bugs Come Back Indoors?
Bed bugs feed primarily on human blood but also do bite other warm-blooded creatures nearby like dogs and cats (or even chickens, pigs, pigeons) if needed. That said, they will eventually try to make their way back into the house.
>> Also read: Best Bed Bug Traps
Here are ways that bed bugs can find its way back indoors again:
- Bed bugs can hitch a ride in your luggage, shoes, clothes, and hat from an infested home to your home.
- Bed bugs can hitch a ride on your pets.
- Bed bugs can just walk from the garden or the outdoors to your home. These creatures are known to travel as far as 20 feet a day.
- Bed bugs can hitch a ride on your clothes that you’re wearing when you sit on an infested bus seat, car seat, or any transportation with foam or cushioned seats.
- Bed bugs can stay in patio furniture and will enter your home when you take the furniture indoors.
- When you buy old furniture or second-hand furniture.
- When you bring home old mattresses, pillows, throw pillows, clothes, and sheets.
Can Bed Bugs Be Found In The Car?
Yes, it’s possible that bed bugs can also call your car their home. Bed bugs will remain in any area where humans live as they are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale and our body heat. These creatures are known to detect humans even from far away.
>> Also read: Do Bed Bugs Jump or Fly?
Why Do Bed Bugs Love Your Bed?
As the name Bed Bugs would suggest, they love your bed! This is simply because its the place humans spend the most of their hours at home (and not moving around much and not on alert mode). Which makes it the perfect feasting area of bed bugs to attack.
Which is why if you find your body to have spots of red/pink bite marks when you wake up in the morning, be sure to check your mattress cover for any blood stain from the dead bed bugs you may have accidentally killed when you roll about in bed. This is more common than you would think.
>> Related: Best Bed Bug Mattress Encasements
How To Prevent The Entry of Bed Bugs in Your Home?
The first way to prevent bed bugs at home is to not wear your shoe into and around the house. You should always have the habit to wash your pet’s feet after playing out, and take a shower immediately before allowing the pet to roam around the house again.
Also avoid bringing back old stuff found on the roadside or in second hand shops. if you really need to, do wash or sanitise them before entering the house.
>> Also read: Best Bed Bug Detectors
Be mindful when staying in old hotels and motels (consider investing in bed bug cover to protect yourself) and in riding vehicles with infested upholstery. Routinely screening your home for any signs of bed bugs. If you suspect bed bugs movements, conduct an inspection immediately and take action once the presence of bed bugs are confirmed.