Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

Bed bugs are parasitic pests that require blood meals to move from one stage of development to the next. The adults are a mahogany color and about the size and shape of an apple seed when they haven’t eaten. After a meal, they become more of a reddish brown color and elongated in shape. Bed bugs go through five stages of development before becoming adults. The earliest nymph stage is very tiny and white. With each passing stage, the bed bug becomes larger and darker. Bed bug eggs are about the size of a pinhead and almost translucent in color, making them quite difficult to spot with the naked eye.

The good news is that bed bugs are not known to spread any diseases to humans or pets. However, that’s about the only good news when it comes to bed bugs. These pests bite, and their preferred hosts are humans. Their bites leave behind itchy, red bumps. In some cases, people will have a mild allergic reaction to these bites, but most reactions don’t require medical attention.

Perhaps the most dangerous part of a bed bug infestation in your home is the mental and emotional toll it takes. Knowing that bed bugs are in your home, biting you without your knowledge, often while you sleep, is an unsettling thought. Many people who experience a bed bug infestation find that they have trouble sleeping. Bed bugs can also give off an unpleasant, musty odor if the infestation becomes severe.

Bed bugs love to travel. They have perfected the art of stealthy hitchhiking. You can pick up a bed bug on your shoes or pant leg, inside your purse, or in a bag or luggage without realizing it. That bed bug will then ride along with you wherever you go until it decides to climb off. If it sticks around until you arrive home, you have the start of a bed bug problem.

Bed bugs can be found in any public place, but some of the most common spaces to find them are in hotel rooms, on public transportation, or in public spaces such as the library. They can also get transferred from place to place if a piece of furniture is moved from one location to another.

When trying to identify a bed bug infestation, most people start with their bed. It makes sense since bed is right in the name of these pests. Bed bugs are often found in the seams of mattresses, between mattresses and box springs, or between mattresses and headboards. However, that’s not the only place they hide. They can also be found inside dresser drawers, in the crevices of other upholstered furniture, behind picture frames on the wall, in cracks in the floor, or even inside electrical outlets.

Getting rid of bed bugs is difficult for a few reasons. First, they are good at hiding. As nocturnal creatures, they spend their days hidden out of sight, usually in areas that are not the easiest to access. Because of that, you can’t simply vacuum off your mattress, wash your sheets, and hope it does the trick. Furthermore, bed bugs reproduce rapidly. Even if you catch your bed bug infestation early, there are likely more bed bugs present than you think. Finally, bed bugs are resilient. They have become resistant to many treatment methods, and they can go months without food, making it easy for them to hide away for a time before showing back up.

The most effective way to get rid of bed bugs is to contact the bed bug control professionals at Midstate Termite & Pest Control. As trained and experienced pest control technicians, we provide the thorough bed bug control services you need to fully control your bed bug problem. If you don’t want to risk a resurgence of bed bugs in your house, let Midstate Termite & Pest Control take care of the problem for you.

Unfortunately, preventing bed bugs is not as simple as getting routine pest control services performed. Because of the way that bed bugs travel, you can’t truly prevent them from getting into your home. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to mitigate the risk of an infestation.

The following tips can help:

• If you stay at a hotel, check it carefully for signs of bed bugs before bringing your luggage inside.
• While staying at a hotel, store your luggage on hard surfaces above the floor. 
• After staying away from home, always inspect your bags before bringing them inside. Even if you don’t find anything, wash all clothing in hot water.
• Inspect any furniture or other objects for signs of bed bugs before bringing them into your house.
• Put mattress encasements on your mattress for added protection.

By being careful and doing regular inspections, you can help prevent a bed bug problem. Reach out today to get started or to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services.