Bed bug infestation has become a real problem in Monroe, and getting rid of them is quite the task. The most common places in Monroe where bed bugs lurk include office buildings, schools, hotels, public transportation, nursing homes, and hospitals.
With DIY bed bug control techniques for your home, it may be hard to remove the pests permanently, as they are resistant to many pesticides, hide out of sight, and can go days without food. Call the Monroe pest control experts at Guard Pest Control to exterminate these menacing pests at the first bed bug sign, to stop the invasion from getting out of control.
The Lifecycle Of The Monroe Bed Bug
Bed bugs' diet includes only blood, which they get when they feed on humans. A female bed bug lays up to 250 eggs in her lifetime; the adult bed bugs can live up to a year without feeding, depending on the temperature. Here is an overview of the bed bug's three-stage lifecycle:
- Egg: Female bed bugs lay tiny, white eggs in secluded spots in a home, and the eggs hatch in about six to ten days.
- Nymph: After hatching, they can start feeding immediately. The juvenile bed bugs in the nymph stage progress into five phases, and they must take one blood meal and molt between each phase before they become adults. The entire nymph stage can last up to 40 days. Bugs in the nymph stage can bite you as effortlessly as the adults.
- Adult: This is the final stage, where the bed bugs are their largest and can start breeding. Depending on several factors like temperature and a host's availability to feed, an adult bed bug can live up to 10 months.
Bed bugs are sexual producers and often lay eggs about six days after mating. The eggs are tiny and barely visible to the naked eye.
How Can I Tell If I Have A Bed Bug Infestation?
If you wake up with itchy red bumps, they are likely from bed bug bites, a sign of an infestation. Other signs that your Monroe home has a bed bug invasion include blood stains on your bedding, rusty spots of excrement on the walls or bedding, and exoskeletons where the insects hide.
Pin-sized eggs loosely stuck on surfaces like furniture also signify an infestation. If you smell an unusual musty odor that smells like cilantro or coriander, it could be bed bugs as they emit alarm pheromones. It can get unpleasant when the scent mixes with fecal matter, shell casing, and other matter.
If you spot a live bed bug, it is a sign of an infestation, and it is a call to find the best bed bug pest control near you to exterminate the pests. Bed bugs are discreet and generally hide out of sight, so seeing a live one signifies a severe infestation.
Five Tips For Bed Bug Prevention
A bed bug infestation can occur without your knowledge, ruining your home's comfort. They are hitchhikers, and you can pick them in public transport, from a friend's home, office buildings, and even hospitals.
The best way to deal with bed bugs is prevention using the following five tips:
- Wash your luggage and clothes after traveling: Bed bugs hitchhike on bags and clothes, and you can easily bring them back home. Wash your clothes and luggage after traveling to eliminate the insects and eggs.
- Keep clothes away from the bed: Keep your clothes away from hotel beds to avoid bringing them back to your home. Don't place guests' clothes on your bed to avoid transferring eggs from their homes.
- Avoid second-hand furniture: Avoid second-hand furniture or picking furniture from curbs. Furniture from infested homes can bring a severe infestation to your Monroe home.
- Wash your bedding at high temperatures: Wash sheets and blankets on the highest setting once a week to kill bed bugs and their eggs.
- Clear clutter: Clear clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs and their eggs.
Staying vigilant and preventing bed bugs from infesting your Monroe home will save you from lost sleep and costly treatments.
How To Keep Bed Bugs Away From Your Home
If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your Monroe home, call the experts in bed bug control in Monroe at Guard Pest Control. The best way to keep the pests away from your home is to prevent an infestation in the first place. Bed bugs grow fast and in large numbers, and Guard Pest Control knows the best measures for pest control to kill bed bugs and prevention measures to keep your home clear of pests.
Call us for more information on our bed bug control treatments.