Bed Bugs: Lesson 2 (Prevention)

Last week, you may have read the first article I posted on bed bugs. If so, you may have been thinking "This is all very interesting, P-Brain, but how is it related to treasure hunting?"

Well, the answer to your question is kind of obvious, and you're probably capable of answering it yourself, but I'll tell you anyway: Bed bugs sometimes live in garbage! This article will focus on how you can reduce the chance of infestation when bringing a garbagem into your home. Here are some tips:

-You now know what bed bugs look like, but keep in mind that their appearance can change significantly between their stages of development. If you see any form of bug living on a potential gem, exercise extreme caution.

-It's usually fairly easy to tell which garbage piles belong to victims of infestation; if the victim is considerate enough, there will be a sign attached, but otherwise, be careful when you see a big pile of stuff that looks too nice to be garbage (especially if there's a mattress involved).

-Bed bugs can live in a broad range of temperatures, but their life cycle is shortened in very cold weather (below -10ºC). If you pick up an item in the winter, it's a good idea to keep it quarantined on a balcony for about a week or so.

-A bed bug's purpose in life is to follow the scent of carbon dioxide. Evolution has equipped them with this sense, as it makes it easier for them to find living creatures full of tasty blood. You should therefore be especially vigilant in areas where you do a lot of breathing. Avoiding breathing altogether is really the best defense, though some people feel this is too big a sacrifice.

-As I mentioned in the previous installment, bed bugs cannot fly, and they're not that great at walking either. You can prevent the spread of bugs by keeping any new gems covered until you're convinced that they're vampire-free. Alternatively, for an object with legs (such as a table or chair), you can simply place traps under all the feet, as this will block all of their possible routes for exploring your home further.

Let's talk about these traps for a minute...


Above, you'll find a rudimentary example of a bed bug trap. It's essentially a container with a thin layer of corn starch or baby powder in the bottom. Bed bugs have a difficult time moving around in this kind of powder, so they tend to struggle in it until they die. For a more humane method, you could also fill the container with liquid, such as soapy water or mercury, as they will suffer less before dying.

The big advantage to these traps is that they block traffic in both directions, so they can also be placed under your existing furniture (e.g.: bed), to prevent bugs from getting in.

Note: You could also use double-sided tape to seal off the perimeter of an object, but the tape can become ineffective after just a few days, as it tends to lose its adhesive property when a small amount of dust builds up.


Congratulations! You should now be well-equipped to prevent the spread of bed bugs throughout your home. The next installment will explore methods for dealing with an infestation, just in case you happen to drop the ball.