EARLY SIGNS OF BED BUGS NEWTOWN PA
For most people, a bed bug infestation is the stuff of nightmares. No one wants to spend the night in a room in which they know they are being feasted upon by unwanted guests.
Bed bugs are brownish-colored and oval-shaped. But their appearance can change after feeding, becoming red-colored and often becoming round in shape.
Bed bugs have six legs, antennae, and segmented bodies. Bed bugs range can range from five to seven millimeters in length, or about the size of an average apple seed.
But how do you know that you have a bed bug infestation? How did they get there? How can you get rid of them?
You've come to the right place. A bed bug infestation is troubling, but it also is possible to treat it so that the infestation can be ended for good.
Information is power during a bed bug infestation. Use this article to help you plan your next steps in the fight against bed bugs.
WHERE DO BED BUGS HIDE?
Bed bugs don't like to be exposed, nor do they take to being out and about in the daylight. This means that they need good places to hide.
Fortunately, the size and shape of the bed bug is helpful when it comes to hiding. Of course, this is what makes it so difficult for people to eradicate a bed bug infestation.
Bed bugs prefer to conceal themselves in and around the bed because this provides the most convenient access to their food source at night. On the mattress and box spring, they will hide among the tags, seams and piping. The bed frame, headboard and footboard offer additional hiding spots in their cracks.
In a major infestation, some bed bugs are forced to look elsewhere in the room. The joints of drawers in nearby furniture, the seams of upholstered furniture and curtain folds are good hiding spots. Some bed bugs will conceal themselves inside appliances and electrical receptacles. They may be discovered behind loose wall paper or a picture hanging on the wall.
The average bed bug is approximately the same width as a credit card, enabling them to hide on the head of a screw or the tiniest cracks in walls.
TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING BED BUGS
These pests give away their presence with numerous signs. Still, some of these can be mistaken as signs of other pests. Ultimately, it may be necessary to ask an exterminator to provide certain identification so that the infestation can be treated.
Because bed bugs feed off human flesh, getting bitten is an early sign of a bed bug presence. They often bite the arms, legs, backs, necks, and hands where the body is most exposed. Sometimes bed bugs bite in groups, and sometimes they bite in a linear pattern. It's important to notice if you're seeing any unusual bites because you might have a serious issue.
Bed bugs also give away their presence by leaving behind rusty or dark spots on sheets, mattresses, quilts and even the walls. These spots are bed bug excrement.
Other signs of an infestation include the presence of shed skins, eggs and egg shells somewhere in the bedroom and a musty odor that is emitted from scent glands on the bed bugs.
WAKING UP WITH BED BUG BITES
During the night, bed bugs emerge from their hiding places to seek a meal. The only sustenance they need is blood, and they acquire this by biting a sleeping person.
To feed, the bed bug pierces the skin and uses their elongated beak to withdraw blood. Feeding time may range from three to ten minutes. Once the bug is fully engorged, it crawls away back to its hiding place.
Most people find that bed bug bites initially are painless. However, they soon transform into itchy welts. While flea bites usually are concentrated around the ankles, bed bug bites may be found on any skin that is exposed while you are sleeping. Also differentiating bed bug bites from flea bites is the fact that they do not have a central red spot.
Yet, bed bug bites can cause red welts that itch intensely. These welts may also develop into open sores if not treated promptly. In addition, bed bug saliva contains an enzyme that causes your skin to break down, resulting in blisters. You should wash any area where you suspect a bite occurred thoroughly with soap and water, and then apply an antihistamine cream to reduce itching.
But when people do not realize that they have a bed bug problem, they are likely to attribute the red, itchy bites to mosquitoes or chiggers.
In fact, bed bug bites can look like a rash caused by eczema or a fungal infection or hives. Certain individuals may not have a reaction to these bites at all.
This means that bites are not the only way that you can tell if you have bed bugs in your home.
TELL-TALE BLOOD MARKS
Itchy bites are one clue that you may be dealing with bed bugs. However, these irritating welts may have other causes, so it is critical to seek other signs of a bed bug infestation.
One of the most common signs is blood marks on bedding. In the morning, check your pillowcase, sheets and pajamas for minuscule red stains. These are tiny blood marks that are an almost certain sign that bed bugs have been at work in the darkness.
You may see other marks on bedding and walls. These are darker or have a rusty appearance. Bed bug excrement is colored by their diet of blood, and it is another dead giveaway that you are dealing with a infestation.
What should you do if you see tiny blood or fecal stains on your pajamas and bedding? Peel away all of the bedding, right down to the dust cover on the box spring. Peer into the seams in the wooden frame and examine the seams in the mattress and box spring. You just might see a few bed bugs lurking there.
BED BUG EGG HIDING PLACES
Bed bugs are exceptionally good at hiding. After all, concealing themselves during the day in hard to reach places is critical to their survival.
This means that they must excel not only at hiding themselves but also at concealing their eggs. After consuming regular blood meals, females are able to lay 100 or more eggs. This is how the bed bug population can explode seemingly overnight.
When bed bugs hatch from their eggs, they look like tiny pearls. They're usually less than 1 mm in size, and they're translucent when first hatching. Look for them on everything—furnishings, carpets, beds, and mattresses—to check for signs of infestation.
These minuscule white, bed bug eggs are hard to see and easy to conceal around mattresses, box springs and furniture in the bedroom.
Anywhere that bed bugs can hide likely will hide their eggs as well.
WHAT'S THAT SMELL?
It's not always easy to discover bed bugs by conducting a visual inspection. However, there are some telltale signs that can help you identify if you're dealing with an infestation. One such indicator comes from a moderate to large bed bug population which produces a chemical odor called pheromone that can be extremely strong and obnoxious.
Take a deep breath in your bedroom. Do you notice a peculiar, musty odor? If so, this is a tell-tale sign of a bed bug infestation.
Usually, that offensive odor is only detectable when there is a large population of bed bugs present. It comes from pheromone secretions that the bed bugs produce with their scent glands.
Any room that is pervaded by a sweetish, pungent or musty smell is probably hosting a huge number of bed bugs. The time to take action is now, before the problem gets even worse.
At this point, it is not enough to simply wash all of the bedding in hot water. Nor is it helpful to set off a "bug bomb" or try to spray insecticide around the room.
Bed bugs are resistant to all of these measures.
The only way to get rid of bed bugs and be absolutely certain that they are gone is to hire a licensed pest management professional.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF A BED BUG INFESTATION
Since bed bugs typically bite people at night during their sleep, they often go undetected until they've been living under their beds for some time. If you start to feel an itch, see small bumps or red rash-like spots on your body, it may be an indication of bed bugs.
Individuals may react to a bed bug infestation in highly personal ways. Some people feel the itchiness of the bites with maddening intensity while others may experience no reaction at all.
Whether you are feeling itchy or not, if you believe that bed bugs may be present, then you may experience other physical symptoms of the infestation.
Once the suspicion is planted in your mind, it is impossible to ignore it. Many bite victims will experience secondary skin problems from excessive scratching.
Anxiety and insomnia are frequent physical symptoms as well. If bed bugs are stealing your peace of mind and your sleep, then it is time to take action by calling a local exterminator.
SLEEPING WITH BED BUGS
Besides the bites themselves, the most obvious indication of an infestation is when you see them where you sleep. You might find them may lurking under sheets, in pillows, and behind the headboard or footboard.
But don’t stop the inspection there. Also look for evidence of bed bugs behind and under furniture, curtains, inside blinds, under loose wallpaper and tiling, and anywhere else they might be hiding, including behind electrical outlets and inside appliances.
Chances are good that you are going to lose a great deal of sleep until you know that the bed bug situation has been resolved. You deserve a good night's rest that is not disturbed by bed bugs, their eggs or their larvae.
It is possible to restore sleep and peacefulness to your home. However, it is not possible for homeowners to do this alone.
Pest control companies have access to specialized products and equipment that make it possible to eradicate a population of bed bugs. If you are serious about getting rid of those pests, then it is time to call an exterminator.
GETTING BED BUGS OUT FOR GOOD
If you know the symptoms of a bed bug infestation, you can take action to prevent them from spreading throughout your house. Inspect for tiny clusters of eggs, red spots, foul smells, and bites.
If bed bugs are discovered, contact a licensed, experienced pest control company if you want to be sure you get rid of the bed bugs for good.
Newtown Termite & Pest Control, Inc. is a certified pest control company that has been providing Newtown area homes and businesses with bed bug extermination for nearly 30 years.
Speak with a certified bed bug control professional who can answer all of your questions.
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