Bed bugs are a disturbing pest. They invade your home and feed on you while you sleep. They’re hard to spot and even harder to get rid of. There’s no reason to panic, however. There are steps that you can take to make your home less of a target for bed bugs, and we’ll cover them in this article. First, though, we need to talk about how to recognize the evidence of bed bugs and identify the pests themselves. Then we’ll go over some of bed bugs’ favorite hiding places and the many ways they can get into homes in the first place.
Bed bugs are exceptionally resilient, but they aren’t invincible. You can use some simple techniques to help keep them out. And if you do find yourself dealing with a bed bug invasion, you can always call your Snohomish pest control experts, Guard Pest Control. Let’s start by talking about how to identify bed bugs and the evidence of their presence.
How To Tell If It’s Bed Bugs Infesting Your Home
Bed bugs are six-legged, oval-shaped insects with brownish bodies flattened from side to side. They have two antennae and are usually only a quarter of an inch long when fully grown. After feeding on humans or other warm-blooded animals, they become swollen and elongated, and their bodies turn reddish-brown.
One of the most common signs of bed bug activity is seeing small spots or smears of reddish-brown on mattresses, upholstery, bed frames, and walls. These reddish-brown stains are bed bug feces, and they are one of the most common signs of a bed bug infestation. Other signs of bed bugs in your home include seeing active bed bugs in the areas mentioned above, as well as their molted skins or eggs. Molted skins are often yellow, while eggs or eggshells are usually white. While these are all quite small, they are still visible to the human eye in most cases.
Another possible sign of an infestation is finding bed bug bites on yourself, your family, or possibly even your pets. The difficulty with this indicator is that bed bug bites resemble many other insect bites, so it can be hard to determine if you have bed bugs without additional evidence. Next, let’s discuss how to find bed bugs or, more accurately, where to look.
All The Places Bed Bugs Like To Hide In Your Home
As mentioned above, bed bugs like to hide in places that give them access to their prey while allowing them to remain hidden during the day. Typical hiding places for bed bugs include bed frames, mattresses, and upholstery. If you don’t get rid of bed bugs quickly, they can use their small size and ability to hide to their advantage. You can easily find yourself with a much larger infestation if the first one isn’t properly taken care of.
Bed bugs reproduce very quickly, with females able to lay multiple eggs daily. Worrying about bed bugs can also negatively impact your sleep schedule and make it hard for you to rest. Before we go over how to keep bed bugs out of your home, we first need to know how they get in.
How Bed Bugs Hitch Rides Into Our Homes
Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers. Since they can be found in almost any location where people spend prolonged amounts of time, they have plenty of opportunities to travel. From hotel rooms to public transportation, bed bugs are always looking for their next meal. They can easily attach themselves to clothes, suitcases, or other similar items. With this in mind, here are some simplebed bug control techniques for your home:
- Inspect hotel rooms and public areas when traveling for signs of bed bugs.
- Check your clothes and suitcases when returning from a trip.
- Wash linens and clothes in the highest temperature setting if you suspect they might be infested.
- Avoid bringing secondhand furniture into your home, as bed bugs can easily hide inside it.
If you do find yourself dealing with a bed bug infestation, don’t panic. There is still a way to get rid of these pests for good.
Call Us At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs In Your Home
For over 20 years, Guard Pest Control has been helping homeowners like you with their bed bug problems. We offer the best pest control for bed bugs near you.
Because we’re a local business, we care about our customers and treat them like neighbors. We maintain the highest standards of service and quality.
Contact Guard Pest Control today!