The only way to know if you have bed bugs is if you see the actual bedbugs themselves. While bite-marks may also indicate that you have suffered a long dreadful night of being the meal of an insect, do not automatically think that the bites you suffered came from bed bugs. There may be so many explanations about how you got your bite-marks, so it is essential to first search for bedbugs just to make sure that they are the real culprit that led to your bite-marks.
Signs of Bed Bugs
Seeing the actual bed bug
Bed bugs are nocturnal creatures and will just come out from their hiding places once you have finally fallen asleep. You will not feel them as they pierce they way through your skin and will just happily drink your blood away without a care in the world. Some individuals however, may just wake up from the constant biting of these insects, especially when a large number of them go and bite their unsuspected victims. When you finally identify and see a bed bug yourself, you may conclude that more of them are just hiding near your bed.
Bite marks
Although there could be some other reasons for waking up in the morning with insect bite-marks, such as from other insects like mosquitoes, fleas and ticks, but this could still be a good indication that bed bugs are just around the corner. When a couple of bed bugs bite your skin, they will leave bite marks that are on a straight line. However, bite marks can also occur in random places. Another indication of bed bug bite marks is if you find yourself having insomnia, anxiety and skin problems that come with profuse scratching of the bites.
Blood spots and blood-filled fecal material
In most cases, these bed bugs will leave fecal spots along the mattress, on the wood frame of the box springs. These bugs will also leave eggs and eggshells behind that are just about 1mm in size.
How to Find Bed Bugs
If you suspect your home has bed bugs, it is necessary to be quick and find them right away. Unlike other insects, these pests do not have hibernate and will constantly feed on you and your family anytime of the year. To find for these bugs search for them:
- In drawer joints
- In the fold of mattresses and sheets
- On the wood frame of the box springs
- Under furniture
- On ceiling or wall junctions
- Behind pictures on the wall
- In curtain seams
- Behind loose wallpaper
- Behind baseboards
- In personal belongings, such as bags, books, toys, and so on
- In any places where you suspect these insects are
Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are persistent creatures. They will not easily give up their invasion just because you caught them. They are extremely hard to find and difficult to kill, which your home may take some time before you finally get rid of them.
The best way to get rid of these bugs is if you can detect their presence early on. Make sure to regularly inspect and clean your home on a regular basis. If you reside in an apartment building, it is best to advice the housing manager about the bed bugs and get the help of a pest control company. Even if your home is a single detached home, it may still be necessary to get the help of a pest control specialist so that these bugs are eliminated in the fastest time possible.
Bed Bug Elimination Will Include:
- • Vacuuming
- • Steaming
- • Laundering and drying clothes on high heat
- • Applying pesticides directly on the bugs
If you have a current bed bug infestation or if you want to protect your home from bed bugs, call Preventive Pest Control. To schedule a free inspection, visit Residential Pest Control.