3 Common Myths About Bedbugs

Bed Bugs Myths — Newburgh, IN — Pass Pest Control

Maintaining your home can be challenging at times, especially since so many tasks are necessary. Unfortunately, some homeowners do not place enough importance on pest control.

While shocking to learn, an estimated 97 percent of all pest professionals have treated bedbugs. These bugs are becoming more common and more problematic each year, but many people lack a real understanding of bedbugs. By debunking these common myths, you will understand the signs, preventative measures, and treatment options for bedbugs.

1. Bedbugs Only Infest Beds

One of the most common myths associated with bedbugs is that they only infest beds. Focusing on your bed when inspecting for these bugs is smart, but it is not the only area these unwanted guests can visit.

As a matter of fact, bedbugs can infest numerous areas of your home, clothing, and vehicle. If you are concerned about these pests in your home, make sure to inspect the following locations:

Head and footboards of beds
Bed linens
Mattress and box spring
Nightstand
Chairs, sofas, and loveseats
Window treatments
Carpeting and rugs
Baseboards
Closets
Clothing
Luggage
Handbags

Bedbugs may create homes in any of the above areas, but they can also infest your vehicle. If you have traveled recently, consider inspecting the floors and seats of your vehicle for bedbugs.

2. You Cannot Actually See Bedbugs

Another common misconception you may believe is that bedbugs are similar to dust mites, meaning that you are unable to see them. This is not true — you can see bedbugs and the damage left behind by these unappealing pests.

Bedbugs measure approximately 5 to 7 mm long, which is about the size of an apple seed. They have a flat body that is shaped like an oval and are usually a reddish brown in color. If you see one or more of these bugs in your home, contact a professional to make a plan of action for treatment.

The actual sight of a bug is not the only sign of an infestation. Because bedbugs will bite, feeding off your skin and blood, you may notice light spots of blood on your sheets, mattress, or furniture. As with any living creature, bedbugs will leave behind fecal matter.

If you have an infestation, you may notice brown spots with hints of red on bedding and other areas of your home. Because of the potential buildup of bloody residue and fecal matter, an infestation can create a foul odor in your home.

3. Bug Bombs Are Effective Treatments

Visit your local home improvement, hardware store, or discount retailer and you will find a large selection of pesticides and bug removal products.

While some of these are effective in certain situations, DIY treatments that are sold in stores are not the best solution for your home's bedbug infestation. Once the pesticide is released, bedbugs will move deeper into surfaces, entering smaller cracks and crevices to effectively hide from the fog.

Thermal remediation uses heat to eradicate a bedbug infestation. The excessively high temperatures create heat that is capable of killing bedbugs — whether they are out in the open or hidden deep within your home. Compared to DIY bug bombs, thermal remediation is more effective and safer to use against a bedbug infestation.

Bedbugs are common but not fully understood by most people. To learn more about these unappealing, problematic pests, contact the pest professionals at Pass Pest Control today. We offer treatments that work to eradicate bedbugs from your home. Please let us know what questions and concerns you have about your pest situation. We will be happy to answer them and help in any way we can.

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Hand holding a magnifying glass over a bed, enlarging a bee illustration near a bedroom scene

BED BUGS: What They Are, How to Identify Them and How to Eliminate The

August 19, 2026

Bed bugs are small, parasitic blood feeding insects that can a comfortable home into a very unpleasant residence. Although they are not known to transmit diseases to people, their bites can cause itching and irritation, and an infestation can be difficult to correct without a complete application. However, in larger infestations the problem can cause open wounds due to scratching that can become infected. What are Bed Bugs? Bed bugs are small, dark brown insects that feed on blood. Adult bed bugs are about the size of apple seed where younger bed bugs are about the size of a grape seed and lighter in color. They are compact insects, allowing them to hide in cracks and crevices that are about the width of a dime. Despite their name, bed bugs aren’t limited to beds. They can hide in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, couches, chairs, carpets, cracks and other areas where individuals might rest. How to Identify Them? Bed Bugs can be difficult to spot because they are good at concealing themselves. Most common indications of an infestation are: Blood stains on bedding and mattresss Small dark spots indicating bed bug droppings Small eggs or cast skins Active bedbugs around tufts in the mattress, couches, chairs and cracks and crevices Red bites that occur in lines Where do they originate from? Bed bugs are excellent travelers. Bedbugs have a claw like hook similar to a tick which makes them the ultimate hitchhiker. They can enter a home through luggage, clothing, used furniture, bedding, and other personal belongings. They may also spread between rooms or apartments through cracks and other openings as well as person to person. How do you eliminate bed bugs? A few steps to take reduce your exposure to bed bugs: Inspect used furniture before you place it into the home. Use caution when traveling- inspect head boards, mattresses and all hotel furnishing before removing your items from your suitcase. Carefully check contents of luggage when returning home. Keep rooms organized which will make inspection easier in case of infestation. If you are suspicious of an item treat it for bedbugs before you place it into your home What Do I Do if I Find Bedbugs? Don’t discard of your furniture. Moving the items around can spread the infestation and make the problem worse. Start by carefully inspecting the area where bedbugs were observed. Wash and dry bedding on the highest setting available. Vacuuming is a valuable tool in helping to control infestations but can’t eliminate bedbugs on its own. Bed bugs can conceal themselves in cracks and crevices. Professional pest management may be necessary if the infestations is well established. What to Do? Bed bugs are an unpleasant, but they are a manageable pest problem. Early detection makes treatment easier. If you suspect and problem, inspect carefully, avoid spreading potentially infested belongings and consider contacting a qualified pest control professional for an appropriate treatment plan. If you are experiencing a reoccurring bed bug problem it is likely that you are coming into contact with an infected person or infested item. The key is to act in an organized manner rather than relying on a single treatment for moving to another room. With careful inspection and the correct treatment protocol bed bugs can be eliminated. There are many types of treatments for bedbugs and all of them work to a certain extent depending on the level of infestation and the condition of the home being treated. Heat is a very common way to control bedbugs but it only has about an 80 percent success rate. High clutter and easy avenues to avoid heat impact the ability of heat treatments to be successful. Temperatures have to be maintained at a level of 140 degrees or higher for at least three hours to see optimum results. Uncontrolled heat applications that maintain heat at 150 degrees for higher can result in serious damage to furniture, wiring and belongings. Chemical applications tend to perform very well in small to medium infestations but are challenged by aggressive, more populated bed bug infestations. Cryogenic applications do an excellent job of killing bedbugs on contact but do very little in controlling hidden infestations and leave no chemical residual for long term control. Fumigation is likely the most reliable method. Performed at the proper dosage rate a variety of insects and rodents can be eliminated with fumigation. However, fumigation tends to be more expensive that other applications and leaves no residual as chemical applications will.