How to Prevent Bed Bugs in Wellington

Bed bugs are a horrible pest. They quickly infest a home, spread easily, and leave you with annoying bites. Fortunately, they’re not known for spreading diseases in the home. If you don’t already know what they look like, they’re small, oval-shaped bugs that are brown and sometimes dark red (which is blood they’ve fed on from a host). Bed bugs are common in most places in the world, including Wellington, and can survive in temperatures between 46 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re most commonly found close to beds where people sleep. Their food source is blood, and they can survive long periods without feeding.

Female bed bugs lay five to seven eggs every 7 days and can lay up to 250 eggs in a lifetime — which is incredible. When they lay an egg, it takes around 10 days to hatch. Once hatched, the baby bed bugs go through five nymph stages before becoming adults. In each stage, they shed their exoskeleton, which can often be found around darker areas of the bedroom — such as skirting boards or underneath a bed base. It takes between 2 to 4 months for them to mature into adults.

Bed bugs spread fairly easily. They can get into your clothes, and once they’re there, all it takes is putting that piece of clothing on and travelling to work, another house, or even a hotel — and it’s game over. That’s why it’s so important for Wellington households to take prevention seriously.

Tips to Prevent Bed Bugs in Wellington

• Keep beds off walls and the floor – This prevents bed bugs from easily climbing up the wall and getting onto your bed.
• Reduce clutter – Bed bugs love hiding places, whether that’s piles of clothes, boxes, or furniture seams. Decluttering removes their hiding spots.
• Check hotel rooms when travelling – Inspect the room before unpacking your luggage. If you see signs of Wellington bed bugs, speak to the manager and ask for another room.
• Wash and dry clothes on high heat – Bed bugs cannot survive the high temperatures of a washing machine and dryer.
• Place monitoring stations - You can buy some monitoring stations of us and check them weekly to see if you have an active infestation
• Vacuum regularly – Get into all the nooks and crannies, such as skirting boards, furniture, and under beds and couches.
• Seal cracks and crevices – Pay special attention to gaps around skirting boards and other entry points where bed bugs might hide.

If you suspect you may already have bed bugs in your Wellington home, it’s best to act quickly before the problem spreads further.

Local Expertise You Can Trust

I’m Louie, and I’ve spent years helping Wellington households and businesses with pest problems, including bed bugs. If you have any questions or concerns, give us a call or send us an email.

Good luck with your bed bug control!