Less-obvious places bed bugs can be found

Heather Erskine Patterson

The cryptic nature of bed bugs is just one of the factors that makes controlling them a challenge for pest management professionals (PMPs). Predominantly found in places like single-family homes, apartments and hotels, bed bug hot spots usually are where you’d expect them to be: in and around the bed.

However, bed bugs can occur and thrive in other, less-obvious places, too. They crawl on items such as handbags, backpacks, stuffed animals and sweaters, where they are easily and inconspicuously transported to their next destination. Some of the more unexpected places that bed bugs have been found include:

• Reading benches in a library.
• Seats at a movie theater.
• Restaurant booths.
• Ridesharing vehicles.
• Church pews.
• Airport seating areas.
• Mobility scooters at retail stores.

Bed bugs are good at going unnoticed. By paying close attention to these unusual items and to places where bed bugs can be found, you can help reduce the likelihood of transferring them to new destinations — or inviting them back in after treatment.