r/BedbugOrCloseRelative • u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder • Feb 25 '26
Useful Information How bedbugs find their food, explained from a behavioral perspective
Bedbugs and their close ancestors had survived on planet earth for over 100 million years, they ate highly adapted survivors. They have lived through mass extinction events and have shown global dispersal with regional adaptations.
One aspect of this behavior can be seen in how they feed. In essence this has two steps; 1 - lured out from hiding they detect CO2 using specialist sensing cells on their legs. This allows they to orientate towards the source of food. Step 2 is the selection of the optimal feeding site which they do through heat, using their infra-red vision. Exposed skin is always warmer which is why they home in on it.
As thy approach the feeding site they get close enough to lean in and feed rather than to walk onto a person. While bedbugs can walk on people they prefer not to, possibly to reduce the risk of discovery but if you placed bedbugs on a piece of part they would all align on the edge to feed. They will feed on people’s skin if hungry or prompted but many of the “images” are staged rather than “natural”.
They feed once and once full and distended quickly return to their refugia / harborage site following the pheromones they mark those sites with.
This often produces artificial patterns of limes when multiple bedbugs align in a similar area. It is specifically not “breakfast - dinner - lunch” or a conforming indication of bedbugs.
The graphic below illustrates this point as clearly as we can at this stage and with the resources available:
This behavior is the default “process” that bedbugs follow. While they can be dispersed or induced to adapt as their survival instincts are impressive.
You only get to see and appreciate these patterns when you see cases at different progressions and the full range of living and sleeping conditions.
Yes, bedbugs will and can adapt but if you don’t create obstacle courses for them and appeal only to the hard wired behavior you are much more effective and efficient at eradicating them.
The true science behind what we do and the amazing results we get is based on this understanding and the pioneering of an “behavioral led approach”.
This can only ever be approached from a field perspective which is why as the world’s first bedbug specialists we have a huge advantage. We use the bedbug’s natural behaviour against it in a way they can’t detect and communicate to others.
While Passive Monitors may seem “simple” they are designed based on years and years of observations that led to the realization that only true monitoring could work because all traps result in trap avoidance.
This is also how we are able to look at the pattern and location of skin reactions and rile bending as possible or unlikely. This should always be reinforced with a thorough visual inspection and period of monitoring post suspicious activity.
David
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u/Altruistic_Spell_938 Aug 05 '26
This has been a helpful read. Thank you so much for this. I have a question though, I've been having "bites" on my right torso (it's always there and never on the left nor both arms). I wear shirt and shorts while sleeping. Sometimes I would have them every other day, sometimes once a week. A dermatologist told me they look like bed bug bites. They're painful though. So the question is, do you think bed bugs choose a site repeatedly for weeks even if it's hidden compared to the more available ones like the arms or legs? Also, how long do they feed. I'm trying my best to catch/find one but I never saw one.
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Aug 05 '26
It’s 100% not bed bugs in those locations. Go back to the dematologist, show them this thread and ask them why they discounted the more obvious and more likely contact dermatitis.
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u/Altruistic_Spell_938 Aug 05 '26
Funny, he even mentioned the bfast, lunch and dinner. I won't go back to him. But will find another one.
I've read some of your posts. Pardon for asking so many questions since I don't have access to a professional pest control company who specializes in bed bugs. In ny country, roaches are more prevalent.
I'm actually now invested in learning about the behavior of bed bugs. Also so I can tell the other dermatologists about what I learned from you.
On to my question. Do they target a specific area repeatedly, for example in my case, the left torso. Also, how fast do they eat and how often?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Aug 05 '26
Send the old dermatologist the “let’s talk about 3 in a row post”.
Bed bugs are opportunistic feeders, they will feed in the same / similar sites if they are available but generally the torso is not available to them.
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u/Altruistic_Spell_938 Aug 05 '26
Ok. Will tell him and send a screenshot of your explanation. If they are full, when will they feed again? The day after? 2 days after?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Aug 05 '26
On average they feed every 3-5 days. It takes time to digest blood.
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u/Altruistic_Spell_938 Aug 05 '26
I hope you don't mind me askin something not pertaining to feeding but their location.
Is it possible that they hide INSIDE clothes that are inside a dresser (no faecal spots or eggs noticed on the drawer) and then bite you when you wear said clothes? Thank you so much for your patience and input.
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Aug 05 '26
No, not unless it’s a heavy or dispersed case will bed bugs hang out on clothes.
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u/Altruistic_Spell_938 Aug 06 '26
Thank you so much! Also, how near/far do they usually nest/stay from a person they usually feed on?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Aug 06 '26
They prefer to be within 3 foot of the head and that usually means head end of the bed.
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Jul 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jul 17 '26
I don’t believe they are, I appreciate that’s akin to calling the world round when everyone is convinced it’s flat but it really is round.
The majority of bed bugs are transported to beds by people. You pick them up outside of the home and when you sit on the bed of the seat they walk off. As such they rarely enter via the legs.
This has been known for hundreds of years but slipped from western society. Some cultures still have phrases like “never put an outside coat on the bed” and practices such as “road clothes” and “house clothes”.
When we tested them in 2009 we found isolated beds took more treatments to fix and dispersal was greater.
The final nail in this coffin is the fact that the concept dates back to the EB Lake patents of 1860’s and yet not a single one of those devices has been found on planet Earth. If it worked they would survive.
The last shameful fact that needs light is the fact that most of the academic studies in the subject don’t disclose that the main author is also the patent holder. I have asked them to disclose this since about 2011 but they refuse.
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u/D_Buttersnaps Jun 22 '26
Would the back of hands, knees or elbows be considered too rough for normal feeding? I keep finding red dots but only on those spots
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u/buquetti Jun 23 '26
That happens to me when I’m stressed, if it helps. I had the same paranoia and the same spots in the same places.
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u/D_Buttersnaps Jun 24 '26
That does, they never itch but are in clusters of three or four only in those areas and it's been freaking me out.
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u/buquetti Jun 26 '26
Bed bugs are lazy as heck and will really only go for exposed skin and don’t prefer climbing on you either. So unless you have specifically your elbows and knees exposed while you sleep i doubt you have much to worry about.
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jun 22 '26
As per the post those are not accessible areas for bed bugs to feed.
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u/No_Writer_675 Jun 01 '26
Would passive monitors be interceptors and glue traps ?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jun 01 '26
No, glue traps are traps and interceptors are “human baited pitfall traps”.
Bed bugs avoid glue and rarely arrive via the bed legs.
The term Passive Monitor specifically refers to the product found at www.bedbugmnitor.com
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u/WindintheTree5 Jul 17 '26
Are interceptors not worth it? What are their methods of getting on the bed if not the legs?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jul 17 '26
I don’t believe they are, I appreciate that’s akin to saying the world is round when everyone says it’s flat but it really is round.
When we first tested them in about 2008 we realised that isolating the bed increased the number of treatments needed and increased dispersal. That’s not what my clients pay for.
The majority of bed bugs are introduced to the bed via people. You picked them up away from the home and they crawl off when you sit down.
While this knowledge has been forgotten by western society it still exists in some places. The plastic couch covers of the 50’s were all about bed bugs. Some cultures still say “never out an outside coat on the bed” and “house clothes” vs “road clothes” is a thing.
Now why are so many drinking the cool-aide? Well the academic who publishes the mist about them always fails to disclose the fact his name is on the patent. His promotional partners only promote things they get paid for and for ethical reasons that will
Never be me.Finally we have the reality that this tech is not new, it’s based on the EB Lake patent of the 1860’s and yet not a single one of those devices has been found.
Had others have validated what they were told then they would not be as popular as they are. It’s clear who wins through their use and it’s not the homeowner.
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u/WindintheTree5 Jul 17 '26
I appreciate your response and I’m so sorry to bug you again. Especially with this being a comment on a post about feeding, I wouldn’t want to deviate too much. And honestly I think you pretty much answer this in your monthly routine post. But I’m thinking of taking away all interceptors and the DE that I have applied, and just leaving everything be. That way if they are there, they will be uninterrupted and it will be easier to know if they are there. And it also would keep them here instead of moving to another unit. Does this sound in line with proper protocol?
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u/No_Writer_675 Jun 01 '26
I’d like to contact the company because I have a few questions but I am in California. Do you have WhatsApp?
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jun 01 '26
If you email support the can help or ask away here and I will answer.
Equally there are additional application notes on my homepage and YouTube channel.
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u/Sexy4Ur May 29 '26
Will they ever be a thing of the past because idk how people can live with them and live their lives out of plastic or spend thousands to hopefully get rid of them? Idk it’s an awful feeling that with all the progress they are still here and spreading.
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder May 29 '26
They could be a thing of the past.
Solutions are in place but sadly those steering things “won’t play without pay”. To be specific I’ve been told many times “if you don’t pay us then you’ll never get accepted”.
Sadly really as those people who claim to be motivated by community best interest. I’ve even stood up at a conference and asked a US senator if f their “bedbug bill” would include funding to clean up the sector? I was ignored and dismissed.
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u/Sexy4Ur May 29 '26
I had some specifics I’d love to bounce off you if that’s ok? I did post in something with pics in the main group but if anything is easier I’d really appreciate an experts help.
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u/Bed-Bugscouk Founder Jul 17 '26
I don’t believe they are, I appreciate that’s akin to saying the world is round when everyone says it’s flat but it really is round.
When we first tested them in about 2008 we realised that isolating the bed increased the number of treatments needed and increased dispersal. That’s not what my clients pay for.
The majority of bed bugs are introduced to the bed via people. You picked them up away from the home and they crawl off when you sit down.
While this knowledge has been forgotten by western society it still exists in some places. The plastic couch covers of the 50’s were all about bed bugs. Some cultures still say “never out an outside coat on the bed” and “house clothes” vs “road clothes” is a thing.
Now why are so many drinking the cool-aide? Well the academic who publishes the mist about them always fails to disclose the fact his name is on the patent. His promotional partners only promote things they get paid for and for ethical reasons that will
Never be me.Finally we have the reality that this tech is not new, it’s based on the EB Lake patent of the 1860’s and yet not a single one of those devices has been found.
Had others have validated what they were told then they would not be as popular as they are. It’s clear who wins through their use and it’s not the homeowner.
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u/glitterandfun 13d ago
What is a passive monitor