You’ve probably heard that bed bugs stick to mattresses and fabric, but then you spot one crawling along your wooden bed frame or nightstand. Now you’re wondering: could they be hiding deeper inside the wood?
Let’s settle the confusion and talk about whether bed bugs can live in wood, what draws them to wooden furniture, and how to keep them from turning your home into their hideout.
Key Takeaways
• Bed bugs live in wooden furniture by squeezing into cracks, seams, screw holes, and other tight spots.
• Furniture near sleeping areas like headboards, nightstands, and box springs often becomes home to hiding bed bugs.
• Second-hand furniture can carry bed bugs that stay hidden for weeks without feeding and show no signs.
• Professional heat treatment uses high temperatures above 120°F to kill all bed bugs and eggs inside furniture.
Can Bed Bugs Live in Wood?
Yes, bed bugs can live in wood, but it’s not the wood itself they’re after. Now let’s talk about why these reddish-brown critters are drawn to wood, and what you can do about it.
Wooden Furniture Is Full of Hiding Places
Bed bugs love any piece of furniture that has seams, joints, or screw holes they can squeeze into. From headboards to dressers to the baseboards running along your walls, these pests look for dark, tight spaces where they can hide during the day.
That’s why wood furniture is a common hiding place in a bed bug infestation, especially older or worn pieces. They don’t burrow like termites, but they sure will take over any tiny voids already there.
If your furniture has a crack, that’s a perfect hiding place, and possibly a spot for them to lay eggs.
Wood Furniture Is Usually Close to Where You Sleep
Bed bugs don’t like to wander far from their food source. That’s why they tend to gather around your bed frame, nightstands, and even inside your box springs. If it’s within three to five feet of where you sleep, it’s fair game.
Whether it’s a wooden bed or a fabric-covered sofa, anything nearby that has hidden access points can be a home for bed bugs. They’re also known to sneak into couches and even picture frames.
During a bed bug treatment, our exterminators often find bugs hiding in the smallest nooks or crevices of nearby furniture.
Bed Bugs Often Hitch a Ride on Second-Hand Furniture
Picking up second-hand furniture can be a quick way to bring home more than a good deal. Bed bugs don’t just infest beds. They’ll hide out in any furniture item, including dressers and wooden chairs.
And since they can survive for weeks without feeding, they may already be inside before you notice any signs of bed bugs like shed skins or fecal stains.
If you’re bringing something used into your home, always inspect it closely—especially the joints and corners. Store it in a sealed plastic bag if you’re unsure how to get rid of bed bugs until it can be treated.
Wood Doesn’t Stop Heat Treatment
One of the most effective ways to kill bed bugs in furniture is with heat treatment. Unlike fumigation, which can miss bugs hiding in deep cracks, high heat penetrates those hard-to-reach hiding places.
Bed bug control professionals use equipment that raises the environment to a high temperature, over 120°F, to eliminate bed bugs at all life stages.
At LaJaunie’s, we combine heat with targeted applications of dust and follow-up treatments to ensure total eradication of bed bug eggs and adults. That’s how we make sure no bed bugs are left hiding, even in deep cracks.
Wood Needs Extra Attention During DIY Prevention
If you’re thinking about a DIY approach to how to get rid of bed bugs in furniture, make sure to focus on the cracks and seams. Products like diatomaceous earth can help, but they have to be applied carefully and consistently.
You can also take preventive measures by sealing cracks with caulk, using interceptors under furniture legs, and adding mattress and box spring encasements.
Just know that while DIY efforts might slow things down, a full infestation often requires professional help.
Don’t Let Bed Bugs Take Over Your Wood Furniture
If you’re seeing signs of bed bugs, bites, tiny black spots on your sheets, or bugs crawling out of your furniture, it’s time to act fast. Whether it’s your metal bed, sofas, or wooden furniture, LaJaunie’s Pest Control offers fast, effective bed bug treatment that targets every hiding spot and helps prevent re-infestation.
We serve all of Southeast Louisiana with same-day service and guaranteed results. From heat treatment to thorough follow-ups, we’ll make sure your home stays bug-free.
Call us today and schedule your inspection to get those critters out of your furniture and your life.
