Bed bugs can lurk in highly unexpected places. Hearing of infestations of these pests in residences and hotels is relatively common. However, bed bugs also may be encountered in movie theaters, waiting rooms, hospitals, libraries, buses, airplanes, dormitories, offices, schools and nursing homes.
Basically, anywhere that people are likely to be found, bed bugs may have followed. These pests are able to get from place to place by clinging to a person who probably is not aware that they are transporting a bed bug. This is possible because bed bugs, especially when they have not had a meal in a long while, are very small.
Thus, people bring bed bug infestations into Ewing homes and offices without realizing what is happening. If the bed bugs are able to obtain adequate food, their population grows. In a surprisingly short amount of time, bed bugs seem to be everywhere.
The only way to meet the problem head on is through the services of a licensed pest management professional.
WHAT DO BED BUGS LOOK LIKE?
Before having a meal, the bed bug is small, virtually flat and oval-shaped. Their coloration is brown, and they may only be about three-sixteenths of an inch long. Bed bugs that have had a recent meal may puff up and appear to have a more reddish color. While they do not have wings and cannot jump, the bed bug is an adept crawler. It can move disconcertingly quickly when it needs to.
Female bed bugs lay many eggs when they are properly fed. People may see these tiny, white eggs occasionally, but typically they are too small and well-hidden to be noticed. This is just one of the reasons why professional bed bug control is essential. Only professionals understand how to kill both bed bugs and their eggs.
WHAT DO BED BUGS EAT?
Mammal blood is the bed bug's only nutritional requirement. People are the preferred host, but bed bugs will make do with family pets or rodents when human blood is unavailable.
A bed bug can survive for several months after having a meal. This means that simply leaving an infested room untenanted for a time is not sufficient for controlling the infestation. Once a person moves back into the infested area, the bed bugs will become active again.
WHERE DO BED BUGS LIVE?
Whether fed or unfed, bed bugs are minuscule. This enables them to fit into cracks that are no wider than a toothpick or a credit card. Given their small size, bed bugs are extremely skilled at hiding, and this complicates the control process.
Moreover, beg bugs do not build large nests nor do they necessarily congregate in a single area. They will spread out across the infested room, and this can make them exceedingly difficult to find.
Likely daytime hiding places for bed bugs tend to be close to people's beds. The reason for this preference is that bed bugs feed on human hosts while the host sleeps. Accordingly, the heaviest concentration of bed bugs is likely to be found in and around the bed with the mattress, box spring and bed frame all offering multiple hiding places.
Large infestations require the pests to look for additional hiding places. These may include bedside tables, lamps, books, remote controls and other electronic devices. Bed bugs have been discovered lurking behind light switch plates and photographs hanging on walls. They may infest a hanging light fixture and even use the wiring in the fixture to travel to an adjacent room.
ARE BED BUGS AGGRESSIVE?
People may spend quite a bit of time surrounded by pests, but most of them do not bite unless they are provoked. Unfortunately, this is not the case with bed bugs that are guaranteed to bite each time they encounter a person.
The pests are small, and their bites in general are not painful, but no one wants to provide blood meals to bed bugs on a regular basis. Knowing that the bed bugs are lurking in the darkness, simply waiting for an opportunity to strike, makes this seem like an incredibly aggressive species.
DO BED BUGS CARRY DISEASE?
Bed bugs bite, but they do not transmit a disease to people when they do so. Bed bug bites may become itchy, raised and red, and they can become infected if they are scratched excessively. Fortunately, complications associated with bed bug bites are rare.
Not known for destroying property, bed bugs nonetheless cause significant staining on bed sheets, comforters and pajamas. These stains may be blood or the dark brown spots of bed bug excrement. Removing these stains is challenging, and some people prefer to simply replace bedding and pajamas in the aftermath of an infestation.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY BED BUGS
While there may be a financial cost involved in cleaning mattresses and possibly replacing bed linens and pajamas, the greater cost during a bed bug infestation relates to the loss of peace of mind. Being able to relax is essential to getting a good night's sleep, but many people feel unable to do so when they are afraid that bed bugs will be making an appearance. Lack of sleep causes stress levels to rise, making it critical to take care of bed bug infestations at the earliest signs of a problem.
HOW TO DETECT BED BUGS
One of the first signs of a bed bug infestation is the appearance of bites.
Physical signs of bed bugs include blood stains, fecal stains, and a musty odor. The most obvious sign is presence of the exoskeletons from the bed bugs themselves.
WHERE DO BED BUGS HIDE?
Detecting bed bugs can be difficult since they are nocturnal and remain secluded during the day. And due to their size and body shape, are able to survive inconspicuously in places such as mattresses, furniture, picture frames, and behind electrical outlets.
HOW TO PREVENT BED BUGS
Although there are no fool-proof methods to ensure one will never encounter bed bugs, there are some things that can be done to keep them at bay when traveling or spending time outside the home.
• Inspect the hotel room for possible bed bugs by examining the mattress, headboard, box spring and furniture prior to unpacking. If detected, insist on another room.
• Keep suitcases on a rack, not on furniture. Keep clothing in suitcases or sealed in traveling bags. Do not use dresser drawers. Keep personals stored in plastic bags.
• Place all items including luggage inside a sealed trash bag en route home to avoid any possibility of infecting car or truck.
• Immediately launder or dry clean clothing upon returning home.
• Keep mattresses and pillows in bed bug-proof encasements to help ensure against infestations.
Other general safeguards include avoiding used clothing and furniture unless the source is known or the items can be properly treated before bringing them home.
AFFORDABLE BED BUG ERADICATION
Professional bed bug control is typically the only reliable, guaranteed method for ending an infestation. Studies indicate that this species is largely immune to many of the pest control treatments that are available to the public. In most cases, do-it-yourself products ultimately prove to be a time-consuming and hopeless task.
Newtown Termite & Pest Control, Inc. is a certified pest control company that has been providing homes and businesses with bed bug extermination for nearly 30 years.
As a certified exterminator we have access to all of the professional-grade products that are currently available for residential and commercial use. That is why we can offer our 100% assurance guarantee. It provides for follow-up treatments as needed to ensure your complete satisfaction.
Speak with a certified bed bug control professional who can answer all of your questions.
