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Worry of the hour: Will they migrate FROM my car TO the house?

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   BuggedInSomerville
   

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   Posted 3 years ago
   Fri Aug 14 2009 10:18:32
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   I've been staying at my parents' house for the past week or so while planning to move to a new, bug-free apartment in September. I've been bringing in the bare minimum of items and have been living out of a ziplock bag of clothes I had washed and dried several times. What I'm worried about now, though, is that any bugs I had in my car (which is now parked in my parents' driveway) will somehow find a way out of the car's cabin and into the house. To most, this fear would sound ridiculous, but we all know how unpredictable and freakish bedbugs can be. Any thoughts? I should note that after a few quick visual checks, I couldn't find any bug evidence like stains, casings, eggs, etc., in the car, but still, who knows?

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   F@ Bed Bugs
   

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   Posted 3 years ago
   Fri Aug 14 2009 10:29:22
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   This same thing worries me because my luggage that was with me in the bug infested motel stayed in my car for two days until I realized my "hives" might be bed bug bites. I only knew for sure it was bed bugs when I found one in my luggage. I sprayed the car with Raid (recommended by a PCO) that day. He said that THEY can't really spray the vehicle because it will smell for months and its too small of an area to release pesticides. He also said that they wouldn't stay in the car if they were in there, because they like to be near a food source. I assumed that meant they would attach themsleves to a food source when available and hitch a ride to a bedroom... but really, are these things THAT smart?

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   Nobugsonme
   

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   Posted 3 years ago
   Fri Aug 14 2009 15:54:43
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   I would be worried about your parents hopping in the car and riding around, and also about stuff you may have brought (or worn) from the car to the home.

   However, it sounds like you're worried about them potentially walking out of the car while you're not using it, since you've removed their food.

   It has been proven that bed bugs can migrate to a building if left outside (I cannot think of the specific reference off-hand), but it's important to note this does not mean they necessarily will.

   Remember, they only need to eat once a week or so. They may just hang out. If you drove regularly before parking there, any bed bugs would probably have fed on you pretty recently. That removes a prime motive for leaving the car.

   Also, if you left the car in the sun, the heat may kill them. I know we regularly say that you can't count on killing bed bugs in stuff left in a car in the summer sun, and this is true. However, if you leave your car parked for a week in a hot summer sun, with no stuff inside to insulate them, it seems like there is some chance they will die off.

   All of the above is speculation, but ultimately, I also would not worry too much about this since you do not even know if bed bugs are harboring in the car.

   Note to others with different circumstances: I am not saying bed bugs don't infest cars. They do, and some have paid to have cars tented and gassed with Vikane (sulfuryl fluoride) in order to kill bed bugs inside. On the other hand, many people have bed bugs at home and don't seem to have infested cars.

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