Identifying Bed Bug Infestations
Bed bugs are often brought into homes on visitors' clothing or luggage. Due to the fact that bed bugs are nocturnal, it can sometimes be difficult to identify an infestation and they can go unnoticed for some time. The best way to determine if you have bed bugs is through finding and identifying a live bug. Other signs of an infestation include small bites on the body that seem to appear overnight, small dark spots on bedding from bed bug feces, or remains of dead bed bugs and shed skins. If you believe that you have an infestation, begin looking around beds and furniture for the nesting location of the bug infestation.
Signs of Bed Bug Infestation
Knowing what to look for is the first step in identifying and controlling bed bugs. They are experts at hiding. Their slim, flattened bodies make it possible for them to fit into tiny spaces, about the width of a credit card. Bed bugs are typically found hiding in mattress seams, pillow top tufts, and around buttons. Without treatment, the population can rapidly grow and move into cracks and crevices near the bed, like those found in the headboard and side tables.
One of the easiest ways to identify a bed bug infestation is by the telltale red, itchy bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands, or any other body part while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area.
Other signs include:
- Dark red blood stains on linens and pajamas.
- Dried feces that appear as small black or brown spots.
- The bed bugs' shed skins (exoskeletons) after molting.
- An unusual smell – a sweet and musty, yet offensive odor. The insects' scent glands on the lower side of the body emit this fluid, which attracts other bed bugs.
After a thorough inspection, we will provide you a customized and individualized assessment and treatment plan. We can help you get rid of bed bugs regardless of your home's construction type, material, or age.
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