Is it “Bed Bugs” or “Bedbugs”

My five year old is learning sight words in kindergarten this year. More than once we have had the conversation about the oddity of words in our English language.

“No son, a C does not replace a K in ‘like’, even though the C in ‘cat’ sounds the same.”

I’m sure some people might be confused as to whether or not the proper spelling for bed bugs is a separated word or a combined word, ie. bedbugs. Don’t get us started on the hyphenated bed-bugs.

So is the proper spelling ‘bed bugs’ or ‘bedbugs’?

The answer?.. Yes.

Yes, you can use either of the methods for writing out the word bed bug. The more academic sources that have chronicled the history, science, of bedbugs will use the two word term of ‘bed bug’. This is why we are Johnson Pest Control will use the two word term as well as it has become one of our industry standards.

However, we will know exactly what you are talking bout if you write us and tells that you suspect you have ‘bedbugs’ in your home. If you are wanting to look up some of that academic research on bed bugs then you will be best served to write the two word phrasing of ‘bed bugs’.

One of the less common used phrasings for bed bugs is to hyphenate the words, ie. bed-bugs. We are not quite sure why that seems to be used, but it is an acceptable use of naming a bed bug. Again, we will totally know what you are talking about if you write us saying that you suspect that you have bed-bugs in your home.