If there weren’t already enough things in the world to worry about, recent research has given us even more reason to be concerned about safety in our own homes. We’re not talking about an increase in crime, violence or any other security precautions. Instead, the world appears to be suffering a bed bug population explosion. A global spike in infestation levels has brought these pests to news stations globally. In nowhere is it more apparent than Australia, where there has been a reported 5000% increase in complaints regarding bed bugs in the last 20 years. Use these techniques to make sure that you don’t contribute to the worldwide problem and accidentally spread the troublesome pest.

Recent Bed Bug Trends

There are multiple reasons for the growing numbers of bed bugs. First of all, there has been a sharp decline in the use of harmful pesticides around the world. With less harmful chemicals present in the atmosphere, bed bugs have one less dangerous toxin to avoid.

There has also been a noticeable increase in budget global travel. With more people travelling the world than ever before, there are more potential bug carriers available. As more people move from one place to the next, often living out of a backpack and sleeping in budget accommodation, they do so with potentially infested clothing, backpacks, and possessions. Bed bugs are experts travellers and will use humans to spread to just about anywhere they can.

Finally, research would suggest that we are either getting dirtier or lazier around the world regarding our laundry. Dirty laundry is taking longer to get washed and dried around the world, and this is creating comfortable habitats for bed bugs. The longer our unkept laundry lays unwashed, the more chance bed bugs have to lay eggs and infest the habitat completely.

How to Slow the Spread of Bed Bugs

Around 97% of pest control professionals claim they’ve had to treat bed bug infestations in the past year. With all of this in mind, what can we do to prevent the global infestation from getting any worse?

One of the first things you should do is learn a little bit more about bed bugs. If you’re able to distinguish them from other pests and know what their habits are, you’ll have the knowledge you need to prevent an infestation. Simple things like knowing where they hide, lay eggs and what they eat (that’s human blood, by the way) will help you protect yourself against them.

Another simple fix is to keep your property and more importantly your clothing clean. Make sure that dirty laundry is cleaned regularly and that piles of dirty laundry aren’t left lying around for days at a time.

If you travel often or find yourself sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings, perform a quick check of the new bed and sofa in the room. If you spot an infestation you can report it rather than becoming another human carrier. Another great idea is to avoid storing your luggage on hotel beds and or even on the floor near beds. If it’s infested, bed bugs will find a way into your things before you can react.

Carry some plastic bags or carriers in your luggage. If you suspect there’s a pest problem, you can store all of your things in the plastic bag, within your baggage. This adds another layer of defence and should prevent the insects from entering.

Finally, if you do come across a bed bug infestation, call our pest control experts at Truly Nolen as quick as you can. We will effectively extinguish the colony before it spreads any further, helping to slow down the increase of these irritating pests worldwide.