If you wake up with bites all over you after a night of camping in the wilderness, you could chalk it up to mosquitoes. If you wind up covered in red welts after spending the weekend volunteering at the pet shelter, it might be fleas. However, if you keep waking up every morning with bites all over you and no readily available explanation, the answer could be more insidious (and more difficult to deal with): bed bugs. These pesky pests don’t just prey on you when you’re outdoors or close to animals. They live in your most intimate spaces and prey on you when you’re most vulnerable, namely, in your bed while you’re sleeping. Below, we’ll go over what to do about these vile vermin and how Prestige Pest Control could help you rest easy again.
Bed Bugs – How To Spot ‘Em
A lot of times people attribute bites on their skin to other insects like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, etc. either because the thought of bed bugs is too unpleasant or because they don’t know the signs of bed bug infestation. However, unexplained bites that appear night after night are one of the premier signs of bed bugs because these bugs have a penchant for concealing themselves. Though they’re not microscopic, these tiny insects are so good at hiding that they can often go unseen for months or even years before you finally figure out they’re there.
Bed bugs have a distinct look. They’re tan to reddish-brown, around 10mm or less in length, and appear oval-shaped except for an extended head and thorax attached to their elongated abdomen. However, the fact that these bugs are visible to the naked eye doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily see them. Aside from bites, you’ll probably see other signs of bed bugs before you see an actual bug in your bed. Telltale clues include:
- Small, round, brown stains on the bedding
- Eggs and droppings in and around the bed
- Shed bed bug skins in the sheets or carpet surrounding the bed
- Itchy or burning welts on the skin that made contact with the bed
- Straight lines of bites upon waking
Bed Bugs – How To Get Rid Of ‘Em
The biggest problem with bed bugs is their amazing talent for hiding. They can be found in the craziest spots like behind light switch covers, inside appliances, under keyboard keys, between carpet fibers, and just about anywhere else you can think of that’s tough to squeeze into. This makes bed bugs incredibly difficult to convince to take a hike. No matter how much you fog or spray, you’re just not going to find every individual. And even if you think you have, bed bugs are resistant to many common over-the-counter insecticides. This means even if you manage to spray every individual, it might not kill them.
All this means prevention is key. The biggest way to avoid getting bed bugs is to be careful when traveling and secondhand shopping. Avoid bringing secondhand items home if you can. If you just can’t stay out of the thrift store, make sure you’re checking your purchases for signs of bugs before bringing them into the house. Also, avoid laying luggage on hotel beds – use the hard furniture instead. Check all baggage for signs of bugs, and wash and dry clothing on the highest setting after travel.
If your most stringent precautions don’t prevent bed bug infestation, there is one more recourse. Here at Prestige Pest Control, we don’t think you should have to put up with bed bugs for one single minute. We’ll inspect your home or commercial property to make sure we find and eliminate every individual, no matter where they’re hiding, and help you take steps to ensure your infestation is gone for good. So give us a call at (912) 551-8163 or visit our contact page to schedule your service today!