No matter where we turn, there are dangers staring us dead in the eye even if we’re not paying attention. Okay, maybe not serious threats but there are enough things in our natural environment to freak us out and keep us on our toes.

You’ve got poison ivy, assassin bugs, snakes, and almost any animal in Australia that’s not a koala, kangaroo, or wombat. Bed bugs belong in the family of gross creatures who we don’t want to tango with but know they exist.

Knowing they can mess up our bedroom vibes, we either stay alert or blissfully oblivious to picking them up and bringing them home. What? Bring them home?

Yes. You could inadvertently be responsible for bringing those little blood pillagers into your own abode because they’re not just found in beds. Caution is necessary with these strange but not so uncommon hiding spots:

1. Airplanes

   An airplane may not seem like an ideal carrier or courier of bed bugs, but tell that to the passengers who arrived at their destinations covered in bites. British Airways and Air India have both made headlines for traveling infestations.

   Keep an eye on those seats or go the extra mile of covering them with a seat cover or your own blanket. Toss when done.

2. Luggage

   Travel light or travel heavy but pay attention to where you put your bags. Your mode of transportation or accommodations could be laced with bed bugs who hide out and crawl about as they please. Hitching a ride on your luggage so they can take their foodie adventures on the road is no big deal.

   Hotels, motels, inns, trains, planes, buses, and other places you lay your bags could be harboring these nasty fugitives. If you’ve found some or believe you may have been exposed, empty your bags (not indoors), launder and dry your clothes, and wrap your bags in plastic for up to two weeks.

3. Used Furniture

   Did your parents ever warn you about where or how to buy used furniture? Like their distant relatives the Cockroaches, bed bugs will squat in furniture and wait to relocate to your home. No GPS required. Think twice before buying or get ready to fumigate your great find before moving it in.

4. Libraries

   The dank, dark, crevices of a book are an ideal hideout for the bed bug. It seems odd that they’ll move among pages because there isn’t any bloody food, but think about how they would wind up in such a spot. Study or read at night in bed? So do others who borrow and return books.

5. Pretty Much Any Facility

   Office buildings, movie theaters, day care centers, and shared living facilities like dorms aren’t immune to bed bugs. Floors, furniture, and even walls can house the critters until they crawl into your coat, handbag, laundry, or person and find their way to your personal space. They’re resilient and can live for months without food.

Your first weapon if you come across bed bugs is heat. Wash, dry, or blast your belongings with heat to kill them. Cover your mattresses with a protective zip-up cover (some are bed bug proof) to kill or repel them. If that fails, try a commercial spray like Proof or call a professional if things get out of control.

Did you think bed bugs were limited to beds? Were you aware they could pop up in the places mentioned above? Have you ever discovered bed bugs in an unusual place?