Bed bugs are a pest that many find to be a nightmare once they make their way inside. This makes a lot of sense given the behavior of these nasty pests. Bed bugs are biting hitchhikers that come at night in search of a blood meal.
Features of a Bed Bug
One common misconception about bed bugs is that they will bite humans and ride on them while biting them, but they aren’t like ticks. Instead, they will attach to anything from furniture to clothing to luggage, and catch an easy ride. Once inside, they can quickly spread from room to room and are incredibly difficult to get rid of.
Another misconception about bed bugs is that they are too small to see with your eyes. However, while tiny, these bugs are visible. So, we’ve provided an overview of what bed bugs look like to help you identify any that may have made it into your home.
- Bed bugs are a reddish-brown color.
- Their bodies have a ribbed appearance and are large in proportion to their heads.
- They are oval-shaped and about the size of an apple seed.
- While generally flat, they do appear round after they’ve eaten.
What Health Issues Do Bed Bugs Cause?
Because bed bugs bite humans while they sleep and use them as their food source, it’s easy to assume that bed bugs are a dangerous pest. While bed bugs do pose some dangers, they aren’t known to transmit any diseases. There are some ongoing studies around this but, as of now, there is no concrete evidence of disease transmission by bed bugs.
However, there are other health problems that bed bugs can cause. One common issue is insomnia from tossing and turning all night. Continued insomnia can cause a whole host of health issues.
Another common health problem that bed bugs cause is secondary infections from scratching over and over at the itchy bites. But, probably the worst bed bug-related medical concern is anemia. However, this only occurs from particularly large infestations.
Why Bed Bugs Are So Invasive
While health problems are a big issue to be aware of, the other major trouble that bed bugs cause is being extremely difficult to remove.
They are one of the hardest pests to prevent and eliminate for a few reasons:
- They are tiny and good at hiding: This means that once you bring home an infestation you might not even notice that you have one for a while. Bed bugs are extremely good at hiding in the day and usually only come out at night.
- They don’t need to eat very often: Bed bugs only need to eat about once a week, so they can hide for long periods again lessening the chance of detection.
- They live in many places: It’s hard to completely prevent bed bugs because you can pick them up anywhere from buses to schools to hotel rooms.
What To Do About Bed Bug Infestations
While bed bugs might not be as dangerous as some other pests, they do pose health risks. They aren’t a good pest to have around, and dealing with them can be frustrating. The safest way to remove bed bugs effectively from your Everett home is to work with the experts at Guard Pest Control. We use a three-part model where we inspect, correct, and protect your home to keep bed bug infestations, and other pest problems, from coming back. Give us a call or send us an email today to learn more.