Bed bugs are serious night owls, but they hide during the day
Bed bugs are typically nocturnal and can hide in nearly any small space.
You can find bed bugs in your bed, but also in places like curtains and couches.
They will hide during the day, so the infestation has likely increased if you see them in the light.
They may give you the heebie-jeebies, but bed bugs are common household bugs. So, it helps to know where bed bugs hide if you suspect they’ve made your home theirs. Sometimes the only indication they’re present may be some itchy bites, so it’s helpful to know where to spot bed bugs. We break down some of the common hiding places of bed bugs so you can inspect your home and alert a professional exterminator for help.
Bed bugs are tricky because they have a flattened shape, allowing them to hide in small cracks and spaces. Here are some of their most common hiding spots.
True to their name, one of the most common places for a bed bug to reside is in your mattress and box spring. (We know, it’s not a lovely thought.) Your bed offers many accessible hiding places for them, including all the fabric folds under which they can hide.
The cracks within bed frames are also very appealing to bed bugs. Plus, it’s usually dark underneath, which is quite alluring to the pests. Also, you’re there, and since they’re drawn to the blood of their host, they want to remain close.
Bed bugs can move between the furniture in your home, often residing between couch pillows and within chair seams. They love upholstered furniture, so it’s best to closely inspect any second hand furniture for signs of these pests. Be sure to check for bed bugs in any soft surfaces in your home if you suspect an infestation.
Because they like to hang out in fabric, bed bugs can also make a home in your curtains and drapes. They can climb up the wall and find a nice cozy place in curtain folds, where you may not even see them. However, once they wind up here, you’re likely to have seen some signs of a bed bug infestation in other places like your bed. Still, a local bug exterminator will check these types of surfaces for bed bugs to determine the right extermination plan.
Bed bugs can squeeze into tiny areas, so it makes sense that they’d slip under the wallpaper. They may also find their way under wall hangings or decor, as they are drawn toward dark, warm spots. Bed bugs also like to squeeze into the crack where the wall and ceiling meet, so this is another good spot to check.
Bed bugs often hang out in mattresses and couches, but can also live in piles of clothing and linens. These pesky bugs may hide in your dirty laundry since they’re attracted to the smell of humans. Bed bugs also tend to like darker fabrics since they can camouflage and thus be more protected from predators (aka, us). Keep your clothes off the floor as much as you can.
Bed bugs are notorious for seeking out any nook and crevice close to their human host, which can include drawers in your furniture. The darkness inside the drawer makes it a cozy hiding spot for bed bugs. Be especially wary of the drawers on your bedside table and dresser if it’s near your bed.
Again, any nook and crevice near a human host is fair game for bed bugs, including your outlets and devices. Check behind electrical outlet plates, within the crevices of your alarm clock, and any similar areas near where you sleep at night.
In addition to the cracks and crevices near your bed, bed bugs can also hide on the walls around your bed. They can also seek refuge behind the baseboards, so be sure to check there, too.
Bed bugs will usually take cover during the day due to their nocturnal nature. They are also photophobic, meaning they’re afraid of the light. They won’t go far, though, as again, they like to hide near their host, which is you. Look for bed bugs during the day hiding in your:
Bed
Couch
Crevices of furniture
Curtains
Behind baseboard
Drawers
Behind wallpaper or wall art
However, if you happen to come across one of these bugs in the light of day, it’s cause for concern. A good rule of thumb is that as the bed bugs in your home increase, they’ll be more active in the daytime.
They don’t normally—night for bed bugs is feeding hour. Since bed bugs are mainly nocturnal, they are most active throughout the night when they travel across carpets or within pieces of furniture. That’s why if you suspect a bed bug infestation because of bites, you probably woke up with them.
Even if you don’t see bed bugs during their feeding hour, if you wake up with bites, it’s time to intervene. The average cost of bed bug extermination is $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the size, location, and severity of the infestation. However, it’s typically worth the cost to eradicate these persistent bugs from your home.
Unfortunately, the bed bugs you see are probably not the only ones hiding in your home. Female bed bugs will lay and hide their eggs, which will obviously result in more pests. Usually, you can find bed bug eggs in cracks and crevices, such as mattress seams and other hard-to-reach areas.
Bed bug eggs look white and are very tiny, so it can be difficult to observe them without magnification. You should rely on a professional exterminator to locate and eradicate bed bug eggs.
Follow these guidelines for your bed bug search party.
Check inside your bedding: Remove all sheets, air them out, and then check on top of the mattress. Evaluate the folds within the mattress. Make sure you check underneath any dust cover in the box spring and within the bed frame itself.
Inspect the furniture: Make sure you specifically target the corners of any furniture, especially upholstered pieces. Use a flashlight to check carefully.
Check cracks and crevices: Look closely at all corners of a room, under and within the carpet, and near electrical outlets.
Bed bugs are attracted to heat, so increasing the temperature in the room may coax them out of their hiding spots. You can also try using heat tools such as a steamer or hairdryer on the mattress to get them to come out of hiding. Although this won’t be enough heat to kill them, it can deceive the bugs into thinking there’s a potential host nearby.
Despite being attracted to heat, as this can indicate the presence of a potential host, bed bugs have an aversion to heat exposure. As a result, they do not tend to cling to hair or skin as lice or ticks do, nor do they prefer staying close to body heat for extended periods of time. Instead, bed bugs prefer to travel on items such as luggage, clothing, shoes, backpacks, and other items further away from our bodies.
Some of the most effective ways to kill bed bugs instantly include spraying the insects with isopropyl alcohol and disinfectant sprays with isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or ethanol as active ingredients. Vinegar can disrupt a bed bug’s nervous system, potentially killing them on contact. Pesticides such as pyrethroids, pyrroles, and desiccants can kill bed bugs instantly as well, but be advised that these are toxic to humans and animals and should only be used with extreme caution.
