Bed bugs are the stuff nightmares are made of.
They’re one type of pest you don’t want inside your house. So how can you prevent bed bugs from entering your bed? One way is to use bed bug traps.
There aren’t many DIY methods that tackle bed bugs, but there are certain traps you can buy that can help reduce the number of bed bugs or to help monitor for any signs of an infestation.
Bed bug traps work by luring the bugs into a trap and catching them, therefore reducing the number of bugs in your room. Different traps are available and they’re good at stopping bugs from climbing into your bed when placing them on your bed frame or other areas of your room.
However, if bugs are already inside your mattress, traps won’t stop them from biting you and only a professional bed bug expert can successfully remove them.
What type of traps are available?
One option is the passive trap, which works to prevent bugs from reaching a hiding place, such as a bed, couch, or furniture. A glue trap is an example of a passive trap, that’s similar to fly paper which catches bugs as they walk through the sticky glue. The interceptor trap is another example. This trap causes them to fall into a container that has smooth sides that bed bugs can’t climb, preventing them from reaching your bed.
Active traps are another option. These contain pheromones, or carbon dioxide, which lures the bugs into the traps. Once they’re in, they won’t get out, as the sides of the traps are smooth and steep.
How effective are bed bug traps?
For less severe infestations, and where the bed bugs haven’t invaded your mattress, these traps can help reduce the number of bugs over time. However, they aren’t a long-term solution, and getting professional help is always the easiest and quickest way to eliminate the problem.
These traps won’t kill the eggs laid by bed bugs, and therefore the problem may never go away without intervention from an expert.
However they are definitely good at alerting you to the presence of bed bugs, for which you can then contact a professional before the infestation gets worse.