BED BUGS AWARENESS WEEK

BED BUGS AWARENESS WEEK

The first week of June each year focuses on Bed Bugs Awareness. Though bed bugs are active all year long, infestations tend to spike in the spring and summer due to the heavy travel season.

#BedBugAwarenessWeek

Bed bugs are small brownish insects that live off the blood of humans or animals. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale. They have flat oval bodies that look similar to an apple seed. They hide in small spaces and crevices making them difficult to detect. Female bed bugs produce over 100 dust-sized offspring in a lifetime.

While they don't fly, bed bugs do move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. They enter buildings through luggage, clothing and used furniture such as mattresses, box springs, sofas, and chairs. While they are a pest, they luckily don't transmit disease. However, they do bite leaving small red marks, often found in a line.

3 Signs of Bed Bugs

1. Bites that may cause blood stains on sheets and pillowcases.

2. Dark or rusty spots on walls, sheets, mattresses, and bedding caused their excrement.

3. Cause an odor that may be offensive.

It is possible to get rid of bed bugs, but it does take effort and diligence. Even the cleanest homes can become infested, too. Because they are transmitted in luggage, a purse, or laptop case, they can easily take up residence in your home after you've traveled somewhere.

BED BUG AWARENESS

1. Learn more about bed bugs and how to protect yourself and your home.

2. Access resources and tips for eradicating an infestation, too.

3. Join the conversation by sharing honest and helpful tips about bed bugs by using  the hashtag #BedBugAwarenessWeek.

History Behind Bed Bug Awareness Week

The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) promotes Bed Bug Awareness Week each year through media campaigns. With the the support of the pest management industry, PPMA can help educate people about this pesky bug.