Bed bugs have the physique that allows them to hide under, behind, and in anything. They will typically hide within five feet of their food source, which correlates with where you spend most of your time, likely where you sleep.
Bed bugs are found in many places, not limited to any one specific type of dwelling. Infestations have been reported everywhere including single family homes, multi-family housing, apartments, hotels, hospitals, schools and college campuses, office buildings and even retail stores. Even five-star hotels and high-end clothing stores are susceptible to infestations. While there are the typical places bed bugs are found, they might be found in a few unlikely places as well, including:
- Movie theaters
- Waiting areas – doctor’s offices, government buildings, office lobbies
- Public Transportation – buses, taxi cabs, trains
- Locker rooms
So how do they get to these unlikely places?
Steve Counsell, Training and Development Manager, explains, “Female bed bugs are the most likely to hitchhike, which causes trouble for us. If the female is pregnant, she is bringing with her a bunch of potential little bed bugs. Pregnant females will typically migrate away from the bed to unusual places throughout a room.” From here, they are likely to get picked up by accident and transported to one of the places listed above.
It is important to remember no place is a guaranteed bed bug free zone. Any place humans sit, rest or sleep gives bed bugs the opportunity to feed and multiply. In order to protect yourself as best as possible, inspect public areas before you take a seat or set down your belongings.