Bed bug numbers seem to increase incredibly quickly. They’re masters of deception, and it’s likely that you’ll see the marks on your skin long before you ever see the bugs themselves. They hide away during the day, safe in the knowledge that their colony is in a hidden, inaccessible corner of your furniture. When the sun goes down, bed bugs know exactly where to look for a host, and exactly when to leave. They’re able to multiply, spread themselves around a property and leave next-to-no-trace as they do so. Their behaviour is masterfully planned. It’s so well planned that they must be communicating with one another, right?

In this article, we’re going to look at whether bed bugs communicate with one another. We’ll explore the dangers of that communication, and why you’re going to need professional pest control assistance from Truly Nolen.

So…Do Bed Bugs Talk?

We’ve already told you about how stealthy bed bugs like to be. They spend the majority of their lives hidden from sight and only appear to feed on their human host. For that reason, they don’t make a sound. They don’t have wings to make a buzzing sound, and they’re so small that the sound of their scuttling and crawling along surfaces isn’t audible either. They don’t click, chirp or make any sound as a form of communication. Sounds are likely to draw attention to bed bugs, and that’s the last thing they want. They’re only too aware that the host they’re feeding on is also their biggest threat.

Instead, like many other insects such as wasps and ants, bed bugs use a popular form of communication which is chemical-based. These chemicals are called pheromones. Bed bugs will secrete the chemicals on to the surfaces they inhabit. The soft fabrics of bed mattresses, in particular, are particularly absorbent. Other bed bugs will then be able to smell the scent and identify the signal that was left behind.

The Dangers of Bed Bug Communication

Now that we know how bed bugs communicate, let’s look at how they communicate for their benefit. These pheromones are used to communicate any number of things. First of all, they can be used by a female to let nearby males know that she’s ready for mating. After mating, a female bed bug will lay eggs within 3-5 days.

Pheromones can also be used to mark a safe trail to a human host. This will mark the safest route and the one which carries the least chance of getting caught. Bed bugs will make it easier for other members of their colony to feed on a human host and grow stronger.

Bed bugs will even use pheromones to raise an alarm when there’s a threat nearby. Upon detection of that alarm, the rest of the colony will know to return to a safe hiding place, or disperse and find shelter elsewhere. All of these methods of communication help bed bugs spread throughout your home and increase their strength.

Let Truly Nolen Help

If you find any signs of a bed bug infestation in your home, call our friendly Truly Nolen team as soon as possible. We’ve been the pest control experts since 1938, and we use a wide range of safe and effective treatments remove bed bugs from your home. Our unique Four Season’s approach means that we’ll be able to quickly locate and remove the pests no matter the time of year.

Call us today for a free quote. Once we arrive on-site, there’s no form of communication that bed bugs will be able to use to hide from us.