In the absence of humans, bedbugs congregate in their dirty laundry, shows a study that advises avoiding placing clothes near the bed.
Bed bugs are crazy about your blood, but if they haven’t found a pantry nearby, they’ll hide in your dirty clothes and wait for you there. A study published in Scientific Reports shows how these pests colonize dirty laundry and recommends keeping all clothing away from sleeping areas when traveling to prevent the spread of bedbugs.
To carry out their study, William Hentley and his colleagues placed four travel bags in bedrooms. Two of the bags contained clothes worn for half a day and the other two contained clean clothes.
Not accidental
“We have established that in the absence of their human host, bedbugs leave their refuge and congregate in bags containing soiled clothing,” the researchers explain.
Bed bugs were twice as likely to prefer dirty clothes, soaked in human scent, according to the study.
Bedbugs were thought to accidentally fall on clothes or luggage after a good blood meal. But according to the results of this study, pests do seek out our worn clothes.
Upsurge
The authors therefore suggest leaving luggage outside the sleeping areas, those areas where they wait for their prey to fall asleep, to prevent them from leaving with the travelers.
Bed bugs are now experiencing a significant upsurge. They have invaded the United States and part of Europe while they move at the speed of an ant and do not know how to fly.
These pests, which are very difficult to get rid of, can have significant consequences on people’s health and quality of life. Their bites cause severe itching.
.