Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, wingless, parasitic insects that feed exclusively on the blood of people and animals, typically while the host is asleep. They are about the size of an apple seed and have a flat, oval body shape. Transmission is possible, but almost never through casual contact or direct human-to-human transfer. These insects primarily spread by latching onto inanimate objects, which are then transported to a new location.
How Bed Bugs Move and Spread
Bed bugs cannot fly or jump, limiting their active dispersal. Their primary movement is crawling, and they can travel quickly, often covering several feet per minute. When seeking a blood meal, they typically emerge at night and can move distances up to 100 feet to reach a host.
The most significant mechanism for widespread infestation is passive dispersal, commonly known as “hitchhiking.” This occurs when the insect crawls onto an object that is then relocated, such as a suitcase, backpack, or jacket. The bugs use these items as temporary transport to move from an infested location, like a hotel room or public transit, to a new environment. This reliance on being carried drives nearly all new infestations.
The Difference Between People and Personal Items
The distinction between a person and their belongings is central to understanding transmission risk. Bed bugs do not live on a human host like fleas or lice. They are repelled by body heat and movement once they finish feeding, preventing them from establishing a permanent presence on skin or hair.
After feeding, the bug detaches and seeks a dark, secluded harborage to digest its meal, retreating to places like mattress seams and furniture cracks. A person’s clothing, luggage, or bag offers a perfect temporary harborage because it provides fabric folds and crevices for hiding. These items are stationary for periods and retain warmth, making them an ideal vehicle for transit.
If someone has an infestation, the risk comes from the items they carry, not their body. Objects like a backpack left on an infested floor or a jacket draped over an infested chair provide a safe hiding spot for the bug to crawl into. The person simply serves as the transportation system for the infested item.
Persistence of the Risk in Different Settings
Bed bugs are highly resilient, meaning the risk does not immediately vanish once an infested item leaves a location. Their ability to survive without a blood meal varies widely based on environmental conditions, especially temperature. In typical room temperatures (around 70°F), adult bed bugs can survive for several months without feeding.
If the temperature is cooler, their metabolism slows down, allowing them to enter a dormant state and survive for over a year in some cases. A bug that crawled off a person’s item onto a stationary piece of furniture, such as a theater seat or a bus seat, can linger there for an extended period.
They prefer upholstered seating and other shared fabric items that offer a sheltered space close to where a human host might pause. The pests seek out cracks, crevices, and fabric folds in shared environments, such as the seams of public transit seats. This persistence explains why vacant properties or items stored for long periods can still harbor a viable infestation.
Reducing Your Risk
Minimizing the risk of transmission requires diligence and a focus on managing personal items in potentially exposed environments. When visiting a new location, avoid placing belongings directly onto upholstered furniture or the floor. Instead, keep personal items elevated on hard surfaces, such as a metal luggage rack or a table.
After spending time in a high-risk location like a hotel, shared laundry facility, or public transit, carefully inspect the seams, zippers, and pockets of any bags or clothing. Upon returning home from travel, immediately wash and dry any potentially exposed clothing using the highest heat setting possible. Exposure to temperatures above 122°F for a sustained period eliminates all life stages of bed bugs, including the eggs.