Bed bugs are little brown tick-like bugs that live in your mattress and eat your blood while you sleep. As crazy as it sounds, some people shrug these bugs off as an irritant, not unlike mosquitoes. This attitude quickly goes away when they realize that bed bugs multiply like crazy, and getting rid of them is quite a hassle. The best way to deal with bed bugs is to not bring them into your house. "What? Bring them into my home? Why would I do that?" Bed bugs are hitchhikers, and infestations usually occur when one female bed bugs hitches a ride home with you after a vacation. A single female bed bug can produce as many as 5,000 babies in a six-month period. And, since bed bugs grow to adulthood in about a month, it doesn't take long for their numbers to get out of hand. But don't worry. We'll help you detect those bed bugs, so you can protect your home and your family against an infestation.
How Do I Detect Bed Bugs?
Looking for signs of bed bugs in a hotel room, or in your own room, is the same. Start by peeling the covers all the way off your bed, and examine between your sheets. You're looking for a tiny brown speck of a bug, that looks like a tick, if you use a magnifying glass to look at it. If you see the bugs, there will usually be a sprinkle of them. If you don't see the bugs, you may find the tiny brown, blood spots they leave behind, after feeding on you. Check the corners and edges of your mattress and box spring for black sticky areas. This is bed bug excrement. The larger these patches are, the larger your infestation is. Use a flashlight and check your baseboard, and any furniture in your room that has fabric. If you find no bugs, no blood, and no excrement, that is a very good sign.
How Do Bed Bugs Get In My House?
The most common way bed bugs hitch a ride into homes is with college students returning home from school. College dormitories are highly susceptible to bed bug infestations. Make sure to check your kid's bags outside, wash all of their clothes on the highest temperature setting, and dry them on the highest temperature setting before putting them in the dresser.
It is also common to bring bed bugs back from vacation. It doesn't matter how luxurious your accommodations, any hotel, motel, or resort can have bed bugs. They house a lot of people, from all over the world, and infestations start small. Always check your room with the above detection methods, and make sure to check your bags and wash and dry your clothing on a high heat upon return to your home. Click here to another one of our articles focused entirely on tips for avoiding bed bugs on vacation.
Bed bugs can also come in with guests. This is a touchy matter, so it is up to you how you approach it. The above security measures should pertain to anyone bringing a suitcase or bag into your home. These bugs ride on furniture as well. Always check chairs, couches, dressers, mattresses, and box springs before bringing them inside, especially if you picked them up off the side of the road. Look for signs of bug activity like live bugs, blood spots, and black residue.
How Do I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?
If you find that you have a bed bug infestation, please don't try to handle it yourself. Pesticides can be dangerous if mixed improperly, and heating a home to over 100 degrees can be dangerous. A professional technician knows where these bugs hide, and how to eradicate them safely. Don't take a chance with your family or your home. It isn't worth the risk. Give us a call at Parkway Pest Services for quality bed bug control solutions near you.