Bed bugs are among the most hated and dreaded pests in the world, along with cockroaches and rodents, and they can enter any home.
Since bed bugs are a natural part of the environment, everyone must understand how to properly handle them because they can infiltrate any home.
Bedbugs: What Are They?
Bedbugs are tiny insects that feed on the blood of animals, including humans. Cimex lectularius is the species of bedbug that we deal with most frequently in the United States, but there are a ton of other species that prey on a variety of mammals and birds. These are sneaky organisms that are easily carried into houses on clothing, bedding, and other soft furnishings.
Ways to Spot Bed Bugs
Small, wingless insects and bed bugs can grow to a length of approximately 1/5 inch. Their oval-shaped bodies are orange-red to brown-red as they reach maturity, while nymphs may have more of a golden hue. The bugs themselves are usually hidden in dark cracks, so you won’t see them much unless they’re feeding or reproducing. However, you might notice more and more indications of their presence.
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Where Can You Usually Find Bed Bugs?
On the earth, bed bugs of some kind can be found practically everywhere. The typical temperature range for bed bugs in the United States is 32 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit; any higher or lower will swiftly cause them to perish. They typically coexist indoors with human hosts because of this.
Methods for Examining Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny, barely noticeable insects that hide in different locations next to beds and can be challenging to find if you don’t know what to search for. Therefore, if you suspect you may have an issue, it’s critical to thoroughly check for them. Here’s a step-by-step approach to assist in your bed insect search:
Step 1: Prepare for Inspection
You must have the appropriate tools ready for your inspection.
· A strong flashlight to aid with visibility in nooks and crannies that are dark.
· A magnifying glass to help you examine tiny insects or eggs up close.
· Disposable gloves for use throughout the inspection.
Step 2: Inspect the Mattress
It’s important to keep checking your bed until you’re certain that no bed bugs are hiding in the tufts or seams, even after you’ve done a visual inspection.
· Take off all of the bedding, blankets, and mattress covers from the bed.
· Check the mattress’s tufts, seams, and folds; pay special attention to the corners and edges.
· Carefully examine all of the nooks and crannies in the headboard, bed frame, and box spring (particularly if it is upholstered).
Step 3: Indications of Bed Bugs
Identifying the telltale indications of bed bugs can be challenging. You must know what to look for as a result. The following are some clues that there may be bed bugs present:
· Adult bed bugs measure about 4 to 5 mm, which is incredibly little. Seek out live insects that are crawling about.
· Look for reddish-brown feces on the linens and mattress. Bed bugs have the potential to bleed and discolor fabric.
· Search for tiny, pale eggs or eggshells that measure no more than one millimeter. They could be concealed in cracks.
Step 4: Conduct a Comprehensive Inspection
Not just your bed is infested by bed bugs. They are infamous for their propensity to spread, reaching adjacent furniture, voids, and even entire rooms in the house. The following actions must be taken into consideration to effectively handle a bed insect infestation:
· Inspect any furniture that may be near the bed, such as dressers, nightstands, or chairs.
· Examine picture frames, wall hangings, and electrical outlets because bed bugs might hide behind them.
· Check for evidence of bed bugs or their shed skins around the margins of the carpet and the baseboards.
· Pay special attention to any wrinkles or pleats in the curtain as bed bugs may hide there as well.
· Check your personal belongings and luggage if you’ve recently traveled or had guests stay over, as bed bugs can travel with these goods.
Step 5: Maintain Observation
If you have any suspicions about an infestation, stay on top of things for a few days. You may not notice anything at first, but bed bugs will eventually show up in your house. As soon as you suspect bed bugs are present, you should get help from a specialist.
Which Symptoms Indicate a Bed Bug Infestation?
Initially, the indications that you could have bed bugs are typically rather mild. Their tendency to hide can mean that you won’t notice them for a long. But eventually, the wrinkles in your mattress or bedding can reveal bugs, dark red feces patches, or light-colored shed skins. If you think you may have an infestation, look for them in other areas in your home where people gather, such as on bedding.
What harm may bed bugs do to your house and you?
Thankfully, most persons who are bitten by bed bugs do not become seriously ill from them; but, rashes, blisters, whelps, and other allergic reactions can occur from the bites. People rarely realize they’ve been eaten by bed bugs until the next morning when they notice the skin reactions because the bites rarely hurt.
Why Do Bed Bugs Enter Your Home?
The main reason bed bugs are drawn to humans is because they are bloodsuckers. Nonetheless, several things may draw bed bugs into your house:
Human Existence
Bed bugs are drawn to human body heat, carbon dioxide, and moisture. A room with you in it provides the perfect atmosphere for bed bugs to detect and find their hosts.
Food Origin
Being opportunistic feeders, bedbugs will consume anything, including dead insects, dust mites, human or animal blood, and even excrement. They will remain in your home and might even spread out into other rooms if they discover something they enjoy there.
Traveling
Infested hotels and other lodging establishments frequently have bed bugs, which can attach themselves to your possessions and accompany you when you depart. The bed bugs will follow you home, wherever your luggage and clothes go. When coming home, it is advised to wash all of your clothing in hot water right away and to leave your baggage outside for a few days.
Methods for Eliminating Bed Bugs
Once a bed bug infestation is firmly established, it can be quite difficult to eradicate. This is the reason it’s critical to periodically check your home for bed bugs, particularly after adding new goods or returning from a trip. Even while there aren’t many efficient ways to handle a bed bug infestation on your own, you still have options if you’ve only noticed a few bugs.
Vacuum Everything
Due to their lack of protection, bed bugs typically hide throughout the day. You can vacuum up the bugs, eggs, and skins and throw away the vacuum bag right away if you know where they might be hiding or locate shed skins. Vacuum the couch cushions, baseboards, mattress seams, and any other tiny crevices that could be home to bed bugs close to the area where you believe you were bitten.
Utilize Heat to Attack
If the bedbugs are only present in your clothes or mattress, you can instantly destroy the bugs and their eggs by washing everything in hot water (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit). It is imperative to ensure that the body temperatures of all insects and eggs have been elevated over 120 degrees. If you’re attempting to steam them out of your bed or other furniture, this is particularly crucial. It can take longer than you anticipate, so keep trying.
Put Them in Freeze
Freezing the bugs is another useful technique, especially when combined with heat. Toys for kids, for instance, might not be safe to wash; however, you can place them in a deep freezer and leave them there until it is completely frozen, which will eliminate any potential bugs or eggs. Similar to heat, you must make sure the object is completely frozen before removing it from the treatment. Once the item is frozen, it usually takes four days to take full effect.
To monitor your progress, you can use an infrared thermometer or a probe-type thermometer to take the temperature of your objects. Keep in mind that bulkier objects take longer to freeze fully because their centers heat up more slowly than their exteriors.
Expert Services for Eliminating Bed Bugs
Should the severity of your bedbug problem be beyond your ability to locate the infestation’s source, you will need to engage the services of a professional bed bug eradication company like Innotech Pest Management. Bed bugs are a very frequent problem that may be handled by any pest control firm. Be ready for a lengthy voyage as it will probably take multiple treatments to properly eradicate the bed bugs.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs
Preventing bed bugs is all about recognizing the risk of carrying hitchhikers along with you and acting immediately to reduce that risk. If you like shopping in thrift stores, for example, make sure to wash any clothing or material you bring home immediately. You’ll also want to steam any new-to-you furniture before you bring it into your house.
Vacations are another common source of bedbugs. Take extra care with your luggage, and keep it away from hotel mattresses and floors if possible. Always wash the contents of your luggage, as well as the clothing you’ve worn home, as soon as you arrive. Also, check any pets that might be traveling with you for signs of insects.
Once you’re certain you don’t have any bed bugs on your mattress, protect it with a bed bug-safe mattress cover. Vacuum often sucks up as many potential bugs as possible, making sure to dump the contents of the vacuum and move them outdoors immediately afterward. Reducing clutter can also help remove hiding spots for bed bugs.
Make an appointment for expert pest control services
Consider utilizing professional pest control services to get rid of any pests that may have entered your home while you were away. Innotech Pest Management offers conventional pest control treatments that can quickly and fully eradicate pests. Consider ongoing pest control alternatives if you want to keep an area free of pests for an extended period.
Maintaining a pest-free home while you’re away is essential to maintaining a neat and safe living area. By following the guidelines provided above, you can lessen the likelihood of insect infestations and travel stress-free. Remember to close off potential entry holes, take preventative measures against pests, clean well before you leave, and keep the area secure while you’re away. Make sure everything is tidy and clean when you return, and consider calling a pest control service.