Where Do Bed Bugs Originate From?

Experts point to the Middle East as a likely origin of bed bugs.

The species most commonly associated with human infestations, Cimex lectularius, likely fed on bats and other warm blooded animals before shifting to people once humans began sleeping in permanent shelters.

Once bed bugs found human blood as a reliable blood meal, they never looked back.

Bed bugs spread by traveling with people. As trade routes expanded and international travel increased, bed bugs came along inside infested items.

Today, public transportation, hotel rooms, airplanes, retail stores, and movie theaters all provide opportunities for bed bug populations to move from place to place.

Bed bugs prefer locations close to where people sleep. Beds offer warmth, carbon dioxide from breathing, and easy access to skin.

Adult bed bugs hide in mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, and cracks and crevices near the bed. Picture frames, electrical outlets, electrical sockets, and furniture joints also serve as ideal hiding places.

A bed bug infestation often begins with a single, itty bitty hitchhiker.

Second hand furniture, used furniture, and luggage from an infested area are common sources. Once inside, bed bugs lay eggs, shed skins as they grow through multiple life stages, and quietly build bedbug infestations before people notice.

Common signs of bed bugs include dark spots from droppings, blood stains on bed sheets, shed skins, and itchy welts from bed bug bites. A thorough inspection of mattress seams, box springs, and cracks helps confirm an infestation.

Finding bed bugs early makes a huge difference.

Bed bugs are tough survivors. They can live over a year without feeding and hide deep inside cracks, furniture, and walls.

Bug bombs are not effective against bed bugs, and some pesticides may not effectively kill them. This resilience is why pest control professionals often recommend heat treatments.

Bed bugs primarily feed on human blood. They are attracted to carbon dioxide and body heat. After feeding, they retreat to hiding places to digest and reproduce. Their life cycle allows populations to grow quickly once established.

Prevention starts with awareness. Inspect hotel rooms before unpacking, regularly inspect mattresses and furniture at home, and avoid bringing infested items indoors.

When traveling, keep clothes in a plastic bag and wash clothes in hot water with high heat drying as soon as possible.

Getting rid of bed bugs requires persistence.

Vacuum cleaners help remove visible bugs, but eggs are usually hard to remove. Sealing cracks, encasing mattresses, and using diatomaceous earth can reduce hiding places.

Severe infestations usually require professional pest control to fully rid a home of bed bugs.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.