Bed Bug

What Do Bed Bugs Do?

Bed bugs primarily spend their lives hiding and feeding. You’re unlikely to find bed bugs wandering around anywhere outside of the immediate vicinity where they’ve been nesting.

• Feed on blood, typically from humans, other mammals, and sometimes even birds.
• Usually live in groups, excellent hiders who live in cracks and crevices of bedding, clothing, and furniture.
• Primarily nocturnal insects that emerge for a blood meal at nighttime or whenever their “hosts” are sleeping.

Where Do You Find Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are most often found in or near areas where people sleep or rest. Infestations originate in places like hotels or college dorms where people are frequently arriving and leaving. Common places you’ll find bed bugs include:

• Single-family homes
• Apartments
• Hotels and hospitality businesses
• Hospitals and medical clinics
• Schools and college campuses
• Office buildings
• Retail stores
• Movie theaters
• Public transportation

What Should I Do If I Have Bed Bugs in Georgia?

Bed bug infestations are stubborn, and the insects themselves are highly resilient.

• For these reasons, we don’t recommend DIY bed bug control.
• At the first sight of bed bugs, consider calling a local bed bug control company.

Helpful Bed Bug Resources

Looking for more info on bed bugs and what to do about them? Be sure to check out these resources we’ve put together based on our 45 years of experience offering bed bug extermination services:

• Our Bed Bug Learning Center: Everything you need to know about bed bug identification, treatment, and prevention in one easy-to-use centralized learning hub.
• How to Prevent Bed Bugs While Traveling: The majority of bed bug infestations occur immediately after traveling. This in-depth guide lays out the necessary precautions if you want to protect yourself.
• Professional Bed Bug Treatment Options: Dealing with bed bugs in your home? This guide runs down the different types of professional treatments you can consider.
• Signs of Bed Bugs in Your Home: A detailed breakdown of all of the warning signs that there are bed bugs living in your home or business.

Top 5 FAQs About Bed Bugs in Georgia

Do you have questions about bed bugs? Read through our most frequently asked questions below. If you don’t find your answer here, be sure to give us a call or send an email.

Q. Are bed bugs found in Georgia?

Yes, bed bugs are common in Georgia homes and businesses, and in recent years, have only become even more common.

Q. Can bed bugs hurt me?

Bed bugs frequently bite and leave behind itchy scratches and welts, but the good news is that they don’t spread diseases or cause significant medical concerns (outside of allergic reactions, which are rare). Because you’re asleep when it happens, you typically don’t feel bed bug bites at the time. Some people have no reaction to bites at all; most people experience mild to moderately itchy bites that go away in a few days to a week.

Bed bugs are a severe nuisance, and their presence can take a psychological toll, potentially leading to lost sleep, but the physical harm they cause is limited to bites.

Q. How long can bed bugs live?

Bed bugs are resilient pests. Their natural lifespan is typically about a year and they can live approximately three to five months without a blood meal.

Q. What are the first signs of bed bugs?

Bed bugs are tiny, excellent hiders, and they typically only emerge at night. For these reasons, infestations often go unnoticed until someone notices bites on their skin. Aside from itchy red bites or welts, you may also notice:

• Reddish stains or dark spots on bedding
• Pale yellow eggs/eggshells
• Live, reddish-brown insects
• Shed translucent skins
• Sweet, musty odor

Q. How did I get bed bugs?

If you’ve spent time in any place infested with bed bugs, such as a hotel, college dorm, hospital, or public transit, the bed bug likely detected your scent and jumped onto your clothing or a bag you were carrying. Without realizing it, you probably brought the bed bug or bed bugs into your home.