Everything You Should Know About Bed Bugs
A bed bug infestation is not an uncommon fear for many Florida residents, and their concerns are justified. Bed bugs have been a growing problem. In large part due to Florida’s warm climate (bed bugs are tropical pests after all) and the high number of tourists who bring in bed bugs from all over the country. What’s worse, bed bugs can become fully matured in as little as three months and produce three or more generations per year! Because of their fast propagation, a bed bug infestation can rapidly spiral out of control.
Champion Termite and Pest Control, Inc., has compiled a few tips on how to identify bed bugs, ways to prevent infestations, and how to rid your home of them.
If you believe you have bed bugs or any other pest for that matter, contact us today to learn more about our pest control services and request a free estimate.
Bed Bugs & Health Concerns
Like mosquitos and fleas, bed bugs feed on blood by biting. These bites are initially painless but will later develop into itchy welts. Thankfully, bed bugs do not transmit disease. However, their bites can cause allergic reactions and secondary infections from scratching the bites. Bed bugs are active at night and may bite anywhere on the exposed body during sleep. Because of their nightly behavior, they can cause insomnia for those battling infestations. Infestations can even lead to anxiety if it becomes an ongoing issue.
You can tell their bites apart from flea bites because flea bites typically are only found around the ankles and have a red spot in the center. People often mistake bed bug bites for mosquito bites. Once an exterminator has established a bed bug presence inside the house, they can locate the source.
How To Identify Bed Bugs
To identify bed bugs, you must know where they hide. Bed bugs have flattened bodies so it is easy for them to shelter in tight spaces no bigger a credit card’s width. Initially, they will hide in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards so that they are close to a food source (i.e., you.) However, as the infestation grows, so will their living area, spilling over into nearby rooms, couches, and other furniture.
Look for them in fabric seams, drawer joints, folds of curtains, couch cushions, where the ceiling meets the wall, and even in screw heads. While bed bug bites can indicate an infestation, they can take up to 14 days to appear on some people, so it’s best to be aware of other signs, including:
- Pale yellow molted exoskeletons
- Small, rusty or reddish stains from their excrement or crushed bodies
- A sweet, musty odor
- Eggs and eggshells, which are about 1mm
- Live bed bugs, which are about 5-7mm, flat, round, and brown
How To Prevent Bed Bug Infestations
While many equate bug infestations to uncleanliness, bed bugs affect both clean and dirty homes. That’s because bed bugs hitch a ride from the outside world into our homes. To help prevent infestations, always keep these tips in mind:
- When returning from travel, thoroughly check luggage when unpacking for signs of bed bugs. Also, check your body, clothes, and pets if they traveled with you.
- Check secondhand items thoroughly before bringing them into your home, including mattresses, bed frames, couches, carpets, clothes, and other fabric encased items.
- Cover your mattress and box springs in a high-quality, full-encasement protective cover to reduce bed bug hiding spots. Purchasing a light-colored cover can also help you spot bed bugs should any enter your home.
- Vacuum regularly to eradicate any potential hitchhikers that you might have missed.
- If you live in a multi-family home, such as apartments, duplexes, or quadruplexes, insulate your home. Be mindful when using shared laundry spaces to avoid cross-infestation.
How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
While there are DIY solutions for ridding your home of bed bugs, pesticides and chemicals can be dangerous, even lethal, when not handled properly. Even as a professional bed bug exterminator, we opt for a bed bug heat treatment, a safe and effective alternative to traditional fumigation with chemical solutions. This way, residents and pets can safely return to their homes after treatment without the worry of breathing in harmful chemicals. And, because we employ temperature change rather than using a topical treatment, bed bugs will be affected even in the tightest nooks and cracks.
Contact the experts at Champion Termite and Pest Control, Inc. for fast, natural, and effective bed bug infestation eradication.
