Many people notice bed bugs or fleas suddenly after a visit, a gathering or a trip, and ask whether they come from the evil eye. Belief in the evil eye is widespread, but bed bugs and fleas are insects with a clear way in and a known life cycle. Once you know where they came from, you can stop them and get rid of them.
This article explains why bed bugs and fleas seem to appear suddenly, how to tell where they entered your home, and a step-by-step plan to get rid of them.
Why do bed bugs seem to appear suddenly?
Bed bugs do not come out of thin air. They enter the home hidden in something, and live for weeks in cracks and mattress seams before you notice them. Once their numbers grow, the bites become obvious, so it looks as if they appeared overnight.
The same goes for fleas: eggs and larvae live in carpets and corners, and hatch together when there is movement or warmth, so you notice them all at once.
Where do bed bugs come from?
- Luggage and clothes after travel, or after staying in a hotel or furnished apartment.
- Used furniture or mattresses brought home without inspection.
- Guests and visitors, especially if they sat on the sofa or stayed overnight.
- Neighbours in apartment buildings, as bed bugs move between flats through cracks and electrical conduits.
More detail in Why Bed Bugs Suddenly Appear in the Home: How an Infestation Starts Unnoticed.
And where do fleas come from?
- Cats and dogs, whether household pets or stray cats around the house.
- The yard and garden and the places where cats sleep.
- A house left closed for a while: fleas hatch when people return and movement starts.
How do you know whether it is bed bugs or fleas?
- Bed bugs: bites in a line or cluster on the arms, neck and back, and small black dots on mattress edges.
- Fleas: bites mostly around the ankles and legs, and a small insect that jumps.
- Dust mites: they do not bite at all, but cause allergies.
The full comparison is in Bed Bugs, Fleas or Dust Mites? A Comparison Guide.
Plan to get rid of bed bugs
- Inspect the mattress, bed and sofa seams with a torch and locate where they gather.
- Wash bedding and clothes in hot water and dry them on high heat.
- Use high-temperature dry steam on mattress edges, seams and the bed frame, because it kills bed bugs and eggs without insecticide.
- Spray cracks, bed frames and behind skirting boards with Optigard Flex at the rate given below.
- Encase the mattress in a dedicated cover and repeat the inspection every week for a month.
Plan to get rid of fleas
- Treat the pet at the vet.
- Vacuum carpets and sofas thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum bag outside the house.
- Wash the pet's bedding in hot water.
- Spray floors, corners and carpet edges with Solfac 50 EW at 8 ml per litre.
- Repeat after two weeks to catch fleas that hatch after the first treatment.
For more on fleas, read Fleas at Home: What They Look Like, What They Hate and How to Get Rid of Them.
Spray mixing rates
- Optigard Flex (thiamethoxam): 2.2 ml per litre of water for light infestations and 4.4 ml per litre for heavy ones. Spray into cracks, bed frames and joints, and behind skirting boards.
- Solfac 50 EW (cyfluthrin): 8 ml per litre of water, sprayed at 50 ml of solution per square metre, so one litre of solution covers 20 square metres.
- The mattress surface you sleep on should be treated with steam, not insecticide.
How to stop them coming back
- Inspect luggage after travel before taking it into the bedroom.
- Do not bring in used furniture without inspecting and steam-cleaning it.
- Keep stray cats away from entrances and the yard.
- Seal cracks around sockets and skirting boards.
Products from Orkida
- Optigard Flex for Bed Bugs 236 ml: from Syngenta for treating bed cracks and bed bug hiding places.
- Solfac 50 EW, 5 litres: from Envu for crawling insects and fleas on floors and corners.
- POLTI Italian Steamer, Business model: high-temperature dry steam that kills bed bugs and their eggs in mattresses and sofas.
- POLTI Italian Steamer, Express model, 3 litres: for homes and apartments, sanitising mattresses and bedding without insecticide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bed bugs come from the evil eye?
Belief in the evil eye is widespread, but bed bugs and fleas are insects that enter homes in known ways. The solution is cleaning and correct pest control.
Why do bed bugs bite only one person?
Everyone gets bitten, but bodies react differently. Some people get clear red bumps, while others show almost nothing.
Do bed bugs fly?
No, bed bugs neither fly nor jump. They crawl and travel with luggage, clothes and furniture.
Is spraying the bed with insecticide enough?
No. You need to combine steam, hot washing and crack treatment, because eggs hide in places a spray does not reach.