Few words in the English language come with a degree of disgust and trepidation as " bed bug infestation." In Savannah, we've struggled with more than our share of bed bug issues. Hundreds of households have had their lives upended while trying to rid their homes of these invasive insects every year.
Bed bugs are tiny, less than a quarter-inch big long, parasitic insects that feed on human and animal blood. Their bodies are reddish-brown, shaped a bit like a flat apple seed, and swell to almost double their normal size as they feed.
Bed bugs can't fly or jump, like their flea cousins, but instead spend most of their time hiding in the creases of your bedding or objects around your bed and crawl out to feed once it's dark.
Because they are so small, so adept at hiding, and multiply so rapidly, bed bugs are one of the hardest infestations to rid your house of.
Let's take a closer look at what bed bugs are, how to prevent bed bugs from getting into your home, how to get rid of bed bugs, and if clearing them out of your house on your own fails, how to find quality pest control in Savannah.
Bed Bug Bites Are Usually The First Sign Of A Problem
Bed bug infestations in Savannah often go unnoticed until the bug colony is grown and out of control. A series of bites on your skin as you wake up in the morning, usually arranged in clusters or continuous lines, is one of the few signs of an early infestation.
The problem is you might not even notice the bites for weeks. Bed bugs anesthetize the bite site in a manner similar to mosquitoes to help avoid detection.
As the colony grows, you will be able to see additional signs of bed bugs in your Savannah home. If you suspect a bed bug infestation, watch for the following telltale signs:
- An unpleasant, musty odor: Bed bugs use their pheromones to communicate and mark their territory.
- Dark red or brown spots on walls, bedding, or clothing: These spots are bed bug feces.
- Eggs and skins: Bed bug molt skins and leave tiny white eggs attached to the bed frame or other places they hide.
- Bloodstains: These stains end up on your sheets from bed bugs feeding.
Often, determining that your house is full of bed bugs with any degree of certainty is not easy unless you have prior experience. If the infestation is not dealt with in its early stages, getting your house clear of these insects can be a pretty complicated and prolonged process.
If you're starting to spot signs of a bed bug infestation, give a bed bug control specialist a call.
Bed Bugs Won't Just Go Away On Their Own
Once bed bugs settle into your house, evicting them is not a task for the faint-hearted. Bed bugs can withstand extreme hot or cold temperatures, wait over a year for their next meal, and fit through a crack of less than 1/8 of an inch in size.
Bed bugs often hide in places we would not even consider, such as your mattress, stored clothing, or the middle of your phone or alarm clock.
Why It's Impossible To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
In order to clear the bed bugs out of your house and ensure that there is no reinfestation, you have to destroy every live bug, nymph, and egg. A single female bed bug can lay over 400 eggs a year, with each of those eggs developing into a full-grown bug quickly.
A bed bug can wait patiently, for over a year and a half, for a chance to start feeding and building a colony. Combine that with how hard it is to spot them (bed bug nymphs are so tiny and transparent that they're practically invisible to the naked eye) and how well they can hide, and it's plain to see why professional bed bug control in Savannah is your best bet in ridding your house of bed bugs.
Call The Pros At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs In Your Home
A properly trained pest control professional will have a much easier time identifying the signs of an infestation, will know exactly where to look for bed bugs and their eggs, and will make sure your house is bed bug-free and stays that way.
If you're dealing with a bed bug infestation, give Prestige Pest Control a call today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Savannah.