Do I Have to Throw Out Food After a Bed Bug Infestation?
When dealing with a bed bug infestation, itโs easy to panic and assume that theyโve infiltrated every corner of your home, but no, bed bugs are not interested in your food. Thatโs because you are their food. There are many pantry pests that resemble bed bugs at a glance, and they will ruin your food, but bed bugs generally will not.
So thereโs some good news if youโve got bed bugs in your house: no need to throw out your food!
Will bed bugs eat my food?
Unlike most pests, bed bugs have no interest in your food items. They only want to feed on blood.
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How long can bed bugs go without feeding on blood?
Amazingly and unfortunately, bed bugs can live an entire year without consuming a blood meal. Depending on ambient temperature and humidity levels, adult bed bugs have been observed surviving anywhere from 20 to 400 days without feeding.
Without access to their primary food source, many bugs would turn to something else, but thatโs not the case with bed bugs. Without access to blood, they will simply not eat.
What Needs to Be Thrown Out After a Bed Bug Infestation?
Sometimes youโll see discarded beds or furniture with signs on them that say โbed bugs,โ suggesting that the previous owner threw them out rather than deal with the problem.
But if you work with a professional pest control company, thereโs no reason to throw anything out. Treatment options like thermal remediation and steamers kill off all bed bugs and their eggs without doing damage to your infested belongings. Thatโs just another reason why professional bed bug exterminators are your best bet.