Pest alert: Bed bugs are biting back in South East Queensland
National Pest Solutions is receiving an increasing number of calls about bed bugs, and these tiny hitchhikers are one pest you don’t want getting comfortable in your home.
Bed bugs can be brought into a property without you even realising it. Luggage, second hand furniture, mattresses, clothing and other belongings can all provide transport for a pest that is exceptionally good at hiding.
And once bed bugs get established, numbers can grow surprisingly quickly.
Why are we seeing more bed bug enquiries?
The NPS team has noticed an increase in enquiries relating to suspected and confirmed bed bug activity across our South East Queensland service area.
There can be many reasons behind an increase in bed bug problems. Travel and the movement of people and belongings between properties are particularly important because bed bugs don’t need to fly or jump to find their way into your home. We transport them.
Our warm Queensland climate doesn’t hurt them either.
Two species are associated with human infestations, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and tropical bed bug (Cimex hemipterus). The tropical species is specifically associated with tropical and subtropical regions and requires higher average temperatures than the common bed bug.
Warm indoor conditions can also allow bed bugs to remain active and reproduce throughout the year.
How quickly can a few bed bugs become a big problem?
Surprisingly quickly.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a female bed bug can lay approximately 1 to 3 eggs per day and between 200 and 500 eggs during her lifetime under favourable conditions.
Those eggs don’t take long to get started either. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that bed bug eggs can hatch in approximately 4 to 12 days. The young bed bugs, called nymphs, then progress through five developmental stages, taking a blood meal before each stage.
Under favourable conditions, the EPA reports that the complete egg-to-egg life cycle can occur in approximately 4 to 5 weeks. This means a new generation may be developing and beginning to reproduce while earlier generations are still alive.
What does that mean for South East Queensland homes?
Our climate is particularly relevant because South East Queensland is an area where both the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and tropical bed bug (Cimex hemipterus) may be encountered.
The Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA) Industry Code of Best Practice for Bed Bug Management notes that the common bed bug is predominantly found south of the NSW/Queensland border, while the tropical bed bug is predominantly found north of it. Importantly for South East Queensland, there is an overlap between northern NSW and southern Queensland where both species may occur.
So, could a handful of bed bugs become hundreds?
Potentially, yes.
Bed bug population growth isn’t as simple as multiplying the number of eggs laid each day. Not every egg will survive, not every bed bug will be female, access to blood meals varies and temperature and other environmental conditions affect development.
However, their reproductive potential means that an unnoticed introduction of just a few bed bugs can develop into a significant infestation over a period of several months.
There isn’t a scientifically reliable countdown for how long it takes bed bugs to “take over” an average family home. They initially tend to remain close to their food source, usually where people sleep or rest. As numbers increase, however, they can establish additional hiding places and spread further through the room and into other areas of the property.
That’s why early identification and professional treatment are so important. If you suspect you’ve brought bed bugs home, waiting to see whether the problem gets worse can give them valuable time to reproduce.
Will bed bugs spread through the whole house?
They can, but they don’t usually arrive and immediately march from room to room.
Bed bugs tend to establish themselves close to places where people remain still long enough for them to feed. Unsurprisingly, beds are prime real estate.
Common hiding places include:
• Mattress seams and labels
• Bed frames and headboards
• Bedside furniture
• Cracks and crevices
• Skirting boards
• Upholstered furniture
• Behind fixtures and fittings
• Luggage and stored belongings
As an infestation grows, bugs may establish additional harbourages and spread further through a room or into other parts of the property.
In multi-unit accommodation, they can be particularly problematic because bed bugs are capable of moving through wall voids and openings associated with electrical, heating and plumbing services.
So there isn’t a scientifically reliable “X days until they take over your house” figure.
What we can say is that, under favourable conditions, bed bugs can complete a generation in around a month. Leave an infestation unnoticed for several months and you may no longer be dealing with the handful of bugs originally brought into the property.
The second hand furniture trap
Found a great couch, bed frame or bedside table on Facebook Marketplace?
Before you bring it inside, check it carefully.
Bed bugs are not an indication that a home or its occupants are dirty. They are hitchhikers, and second hand furniture gives them an excellent opportunity to move from one property to another.
Pay particular attention to seams, joins, screw holes, cracks and folds.
Look for:
• Live bed bugs
• Tiny pale eggs or eggshells
• Shed skins
• Dark or rusty spotting
• Unexplained staining around seams and crevices
If something looks suspicious, don’t bring the item inside until you know what you’re dealing with.
Just back from holidays?
Your luggage deserves some attention too.
Hotels, holiday accommodation and other places with a high turnover of guests can provide opportunities for bed bugs to hitch a ride.
When returning home, particularly if you noticed bites or anything suspicious during your trip:
• Inspect luggage carefully
• Check seams, pockets and folds
• Avoid immediately placing suitcases on beds
• Inspect clothing and belongings before putting them away
• Keep an eye out for unusual bites or spotting around your bed in the following weeks
Think you’ve found bed bugs? Don’t ignore them
The earlier a bed bug problem is correctly identified, the easier it is to prevent it becoming a much larger infestation.
If you’re waking with unexplained bites, finding suspicious spotting around your mattress or have actually seen something crawling around your bed, don’t wait for the population to multiply.
Contact National Pest Solutions for professional bed bug identification and treatment advice.
Need help with bed bugs?
Call National Pest Solutions on 1300 356 691
or contact our team online.
Bed Bugs Can’t Hide With National Pest By Your Side!
Sources
US Environmental Protection Agency, How to Find Bed Bugs
Key data used: females may lay 1 to 3 eggs per day and 200 to 500 during their lifetime; under favourable conditions the egg-to-egg life cycle can take approximately 4 to 5 weeks.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DPDx: Bed Bugs
Key data used: eggs hatch in approximately 4 to 12 days; bed bugs have five nymphal stages requiring blood meals; adults may live 6 to 12 months; C. hemipterus occurs in tropical and subtropical regions.
