The Holiday season may be behind us, but for millions of Americans, a bed bug horror may be in the near future. This is because bed bugs spread faster when travel increases. If you've recently come back from a holiday trip, bed bugs could be quietly multiplying in your home. Here are some things you should watch for.
Bites
There are a lot of creatures that bite us, and this makes it harder to recognize when bed bugs come to have a meal. But, there are a few insects you can rule out, especially this time of year. If you're getting welts that look like mosquito bites and there is a layer of snow on the ground, those are probably not mosquito bites. If you're getting tiny bites all over your body, those are not likely from spiders. Spiders rarely bite humans unless we accidentally scare them; spiders don't eat blood; they eat other insects. So, multiple bites are usually indicative of an insect that eats blood, such as fleas or mites. If you don't have pets, you can still get fleas and mites, but this is unlikely. Multiple bites this time of year usually means bed bugs.
Signs
- If you missed the early warning sign of multiple bites, be sure to recognize the signs of a developed infestation.
- Blood stains on sheets and pillowcases.
- Black fecal streaks on sheets, pillowcases, baseboards, and wall outlets.
- Black fecal deposits on the corners of mattresses, or in mattress seams and upholstered furniture stitching.
- Shed insect casings. As these insects grow, they shed their old shells. These can be found in your bed and in areas where these insects are breeding.
- Light brown urine staining.
- Oval, brown or rust-colored insects crawling in your bed. Before feeding, they will look flat and oval in shape. After feeding, they will appear more pill shaped.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
Finding holiday bed bugs is disturbing. We get it. But, before you try to take matters into your own hands, you need to know that bed bugs are extremely hard to get rid of without proper experience and education. Contact a professional pest control company. These blood-eating insects can hide from chemicals and heat treatments that are administered improperly, and CO2 traps, if they have any effect at all, do not stop an infestation.
At Parkway Pest Services, we are educated in the habits and habitats of these bugs--and we have the tools and experience to corral and eradicate them. Our experts can quickly eradicate the problem and have your home back to normal in no time. We'll guide you through all the measures you need to take to find immediate relief, and quickly dispatch a team to purge your home of these disturbing bugs. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.