Anyone can get bed bugs; it is not necessarily a matter of cleanliness, but often due to frequent travel or significant human traffic in an area. They have minimal requirements for survival, needing a place to hide and a human host to feed on.
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are wingless, oval, reddish-brown insects that can reach ¼-inch long that feed primarily on the blood of humans. They are most often found around or near the bed, but they may move to other rooms when populations increase. They can live up to a year, with females laying nearly 400 eggs during that time. The bite of bed bugs can leave a swollen, red, irritated welt, on bare skin exposed while sleeping.
Some people do not react to bed bug bites so are not aware of having been bitten. Evidence of bed bug feeding is usually spots of blood or fecal matter found on the sheets, mattress or box spring. They shelter in cracks and crevices in furniture, carpets, walls, bed headboards, and in the mattress and box spring. They are easily transported in clothing, suitcases, furniture, boxes and other items to relocate to new settings.
Other insects called bat bugs (Cimex pilosellus) and swallow bugs (Oeciacus vicarius) can be confused with bed bugs, but they only occasionally bite humans. Identification of these bugs requires the use of a dissecting microscope and a knowledgeable expert. Bat bugs and swallow bugs cannot survive successfully without their preferred hosts, so resolving the source of the bats and swallows can resolve the bat and swallow bug issues.
Control of bed bugs is difficult because they hide in small crevices and cracks that can be difficult to treat. Insecticides may be used to treat bed bugs, but the chemical must come into direct contact with the insect to be effective. Very few insecticides are labeled for use in the home and other products may not have efficacy on eggs, so repeated applications may be necessary. Never use any insecticides that are labeled for outdoor or agricultural use inside the home. Steam heat can be effective but specialized equipment is required for high temperature treatments. Freezing treatments below 23°F for five or more days can be somewhat effective, but bed bugs have adapted to very low temperatures. Aerosol bombs are not effective on bed bugs. It is best to contact a professional pest control operator to help eradicate bed bugs. More information can be found in the MSU MontGuide: Bed Bugs and Pesticides in Homes or Colorado State University Extension publications Bed Bugs and Bat Bugs, Bed Bugs and Relatives.