1. Bed bugs live in the clothing of people who are less than clean.

   Don’t confuse bed bugs with body lice. Bed bugs don’t require the closeness of a human body except for the brief time that they are feeding and they definitely don’t like the commotion of a body in motion. Bed bugs could conceivably hide in clothing that is undisturbed in a pile in a corner and they might accidentally hitchhike on shoes or clothing but their preferred daytime hiding places are in cracks and crevices on or near beds. Personal hygiene has very little to do with who does or does not get bed bugs.

2. Bed bugs stay within a few feet of a bed even when hiding during the day.

   That might be true early in an infestation but if populations get so large that there is competition for feeding or if the blood source moves away or goes on vacation, bed bugs are very capable of picking up and moving on, looking for other opportunities. An adult bed bug can travel about 4 feet in a minute and will follow baseboards, pipe chases or utility lines, or even walk under doors and down hallways to infest new rooms and even new apartments.

   

   Bedbugs on cardboard

3. Thorough vacuuming can eliminate bed bugs.

   Don’t count on it. Maybe if you have a new infestation of only a couple of bugs and you know where they are hiding, and you know they are the only bugs, and only if they haven’t laid any eggs! Bed bugs are very good at hiding and they can fit into the tiniest cracks. If you find bed bugs, it’s difficult to dislodge them even with a crevice tool because they cling tightly to rough surfaces like bare wood and fabric. Even if you manage to suck up some bugs, you probably won’t get the eggs since they are stuck to surfaces with a transparent “cement.”

4. It’s impossible to get rid of bed bugs completely.

   Another myth. It certainly can be done but most experts agree, not without professional help. Bed bugs are hard to find and hard to kill and often require follow-up. The earlier the infestation is tackled, the better the success rate. If you think or you know that you have bed bugs, contact a professional exterminator right away.

For more bed bug myths, see What People Believe About Bed Bugs.