No region of the United States is free from bed bug infestations, but some areas see more infestations of the bloosucking insects than others. For example, certain areas of Massachusetts, such as Winchester, see particularly heavy bed bug infestations in each location where they are reported. The reason for this has to do with people in lower-income areas opting to treat bed bug infestations themselves as opposed to hiring a pest control professional to eradicate the insects from their home. Eventually, lower-income residents often pay for bed bug control services, but by the time they do, the infestation has usually grown to proportions that are difficult to manage.
One pest control professional in Massachusetts claims that residents make many mistakes when it comes to carrying out DYI pest control methods. The most common mistake sees bed bug infestation victims attempting to eradicate the insects from only certain rooms in their home. One of the most stressful aspects of having bed bugs eradicated from a home is that residents must clear out every room in their residence in order to have each room treated, but most people hoping to eradicate bed bugs on their own mistakenly believe that they can get away with only targeting certain rooms for bed bug treatments. When treating a home for a bed bug infestation, all clothes and furniture items must be removed, and insecticides even need to be applied within a home’s walls. To put it simply, DIY bed bug control methods are ineffective.
An untreated, or shabbily treated bed bug infestation within one home or apartment unit can result in bed bugs spreading to a neighboring home or unit. Also, as long as bed bugs are present within a home, that home’s occupants will continue spreading the insects to new locations, causing other people to acquire the insects on their clothing before transporting them back to their home. This is why it is every resident’s personal responsibility to have bed bug infestations adequately and professionally addressed. Although bed bugs can spread easily from one area to another, which puts other unsuspecting people at risk of sustaining bites, people are not under any legal obligation to report bed bug infestations or bed bug sightings to health authorities. This is because bed bugs do not transmit disease to humans, and therefore, the insects are not considered a public health threat. Apartment tenants are typically required to report bed bugs to their landlord, and the landlord is then required to have the bugs professionally eradicated within a certain time frame. Sadly, a growing number of landlords in the country are neglecting their legal responsibility in this regard.
Have you ever found bed bugs within another person’s home?