A bed bug infestation can quickly go from a minor inconvenience to a debilitating problem if you do not act fast. Infestation prevention and knowledge of bed bug detection methods are crucial to keeping your home free of these nasty pests.
Bed bugs are much more common than you think: Sleep Advisor reports that a stunning 20% of homes will suffer from a bed bug infestation every year.
Once you start to notice these pesky creatures, it is difficult to get rid of them. Bed bugs are notoriously resilient and can spread rapidly, so it may be worth it to take on pest control costs as part of your bed bug treatment plan.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown bugs that most commonly reside in the seams and insides of mattresses and box springs. However, they can make their home within all types of furniture, and even within wallpaper.
It is important to recognize bed bugs in their three life stages, as these can all look very different:
- Egg: Bed bug eggs are tiny, white, and about the size of a pinhead.
- Adolescent: Nymph bedbugs are often yellow and translucent before they begin to feed.
- Adult: Bed bug adults have the classic reddish-brown hue and are more swollen after feeding.
Bed bugs are so prevalent because of how quickly they can spread. A bed bug can cling to a piece of clothing or a suitcase and easily travel from place to place, exacerbating the infestation.
Bed bugs typically emerge during the night to feed and hide during the day, making them difficult to spot. Their primary activities correspond with the time frame when humans and animals sleep.
How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs
Bug bites are common during the summer months, especially if you live somewhere with mosquitoes or spiders. However, there are specific types of bites to look out for that can signal bed bugs. The bites are often clustered in areas that are exposed while you sleep, such as the:
- Face
- Neck
- Arms
- Legs
Search for evidence of bed bugs during the night, like blood spots on your sheets or mattress where they may have fed. Additionally, flip your mattress and shine a light along the seams and in corners. Even if you see no moving bed bugs, they will often leave sheds and droppings in their wake, which can still signal an active infestation.
It is also important to identify where the bed bugs came from to avoid repeated incidents. If the source is easy to pinpoint, such as a piece of furniture, thoroughly exterminate the bed bugs or throw out the furniture. However, it can be more difficult if you cannot determine how the bed bugs entered your home.
How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
It can take several weeks or even months to successfully combat a bed bug problem. The exact timeline depends on the severity of the infestation and the resources that you use.
Since bed bugs reproduce so quickly, it can be even more difficult to get rid of them. You must look for eggs as well as live bedbugs, or the cycle will continue.
How Do You Get Rid of a Severe Bed Bug Infestation?
Once a bed bug infestation becomes severe, it can make your living quarters uninhabitable. Severe bed bugs often require drastic measures. At the very least, work with a pest control company and come up with a plan to eliminate the issue quickly.
Heat treat all of your bedding by washing and drying it in hot water. For mattresses and box springs that cannot be washed, steam clean them and use bed bug covers that will trap remaining bugs and eventually kill them.
Continually re-inspect and stay vigilant of potential bed bugs. Catching an infestation early can save you quite a bit of time, money, and hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Quickly Do Bed Bugs Reproduce?
Bed bugs spread rapidly because of how quickly they can reproduce, making them especially difficult to combat. Oklahoma State University reveals that female bed bugs can lay an astonishing 200 to 300 eggs during their lifetimes. When you consider the exponential effect, it is easy to see how bed bug infestations can become unmanageable.
How Do I Avoid Bed Bugs in the Future?
Bed bugs are not completely unavoidable due to their hardy nature and ability to spread easily. However, there are still some steps that you can take for infestation prevention:
- Pest control: Work with a pest control contractor such as EnviroGuard GPC to stop bed bugs in their tracks early and take advantage of professional resources to keep your home bed bug-free.
- Thoroughly vet new furniture: Buy furniture brand-new, but if that is not possible, check for signs of bed bugs before bringing any secondhand pieces into your home.
- Check local news: Contrary to their name, bed bugs can thrive on any type of carpeted or upholstered furniture, meaning they can spread on public transit or in public spaces with heavy traffic.
- Act quickly: When you see the first signs of bed bugs, do not wait for the problem to get worse; contact your pest control company or take corrective steps immediately to halt the spread.
Do Bed Bugs Hibernate During the Winter?
Unfortunately, no. Unlike other bugs that lie dormant in the colder months, such as ants and mosquitoes, bed bugs thrive year-round. Since they are primarily indoors, they can take advantage of warmer environments and abundant food sources, even when the temperatures dip outside.
Even in very cold temperatures, bed bugs can go dormant, rather than die off completely, making it very difficult for them to die naturally without human intervention.
Control Your Bed Bug Infestation Today
Whether you are coping with a bed bug problem or you simply need to know about these pesky creatures, it is important to understand the signs of bed bugs and how to purge them from your home. With this guide, you can quickly identify bed bugs and ensure they do not spread further.
Do you want to learn more about how you can keep your home clean and free of pests? Take a look around our website for more home maintenance tips and tricks.
This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
