Stay alert for early signs of these pests
Bed bugs live in more than your mattress, with the ability to hide in the smallest of spaces.
Warning signs of bed bugs include rust-colored stains and dark spots on your bedding.
Professional bed bug removal can cost anywhere from $350 to $5,000 to eliminate an infestation.
You should hire a professional bed bug service at the first sign of a bed bug problem to avoid it spreading further.
Bed bugs can wreak havoc on your home, feasting on your blood and hiding out in upholstered items. Knowing the early signs of bed bugs can help you get the problem under control quickly before the infestation spreads. Don’t hesitate to hire a professional bed bug removal service at the first sign of these pesky insects.
Bed bugs are a public health concern that can cause itchy, unbearable bites. Anyone bitten by bed bugs may also suffer from other skin-related issues like impetigo and ecthyma. Bed bugs infest homes and apartments quickly, attaching to every upholstered or soft surface you can think of. Plus, the stress of living with and trying to get rid of bed bugs can mount quickly.
That’s why it’s essential to stay vigilant for signs of bed bugs in your home. Be sure to check your home surfaces regularly if you suspect bed bugs, and inspect hotel and rental home mattresses when traveling to ensure they’re clear of these pests.
Knowing how to spot the signs of a bed bug infestation can help you catch the problem early on, saving you money and sleep. Luckily, bed bugs have some obvious warning signs that aren’t easily mistaken for other pests like fleas or roaches.
When bed bugs get crushed, they leave behind a reddish stain. Check your mattress and bed sheets regularly for signs of these stains, which are a tell-tale sign bed bugs are living in your home. Look for a cluster of red or rust stains. Unfortunately, the larger the stain, the larger the infestation.
Small dark spots on your bedding may be bed bug excrement. These spots tend to bleed on fabric similar to a marker stain. If you see a cluster of small dark dots in your bedding, there’s a cause for concern.
If you see live bugs crawling around your bed or other parts of your home, that’s a surefire sign of bed bugs. Bed bugs are easy to identify because they’re reddish-brown in color and the size of an apple seed at adulthood. Bed bugs that haven’t quite reached adulthood are pale yellow in color and slightly translucent. If you spot live bugs, contact a local bed bug service immediately.
When bed bugs bite, they leave behind a hive-like rash on your skin. Although not everyone experiences this rash and the severity of it varies, waking up with an itchy rash may signal that you have an infestation. The rash is typically red and looks like a cluster of small red bites.
Tiny visible bed bug eggs (one millimeter in size) can often be seen with the naked eye. Sometimes these eggs will still house bed bugs, but if the bugs have already hatched, they will just be a shell. Contact a bed bug service immediately if you spot these eggs in your home.
As bed bugs mature and get larger, they shed their skins and leave them behind in a process called molting. These skins are pale yellow and can be found wherever your infestation is located. Noticing molted skins while changing your bedding or moving around your home can be a sign that you need to treat your home for bed bugs.
Exclusion is the best practice for keeping unwanted pests out. Examples include replacing weather stripping around windows and doors, using dehumidifiers to keep moisture content down, sealing up cracks and crevices both on the exterior and interior of the house, repairing any household damage, and taking care of water-related leaks sooner than later.
While you can contribute to the process, getting rid of bed bugs typically involves hiring a pest control company in your area. Bed bugs spread quickly and it’s difficult to know you’ve fully eradicated them. Without proper care, you could be in for repeat infestations.
You’ll know that you need to hire a pest control pro to eradicate bed bugs when you find live bugs, a rash on your skin, many bed bug eggs, or molten skins in your home. Those warning signs indicate there’s an active infestation in your home. If you only spot one or two dark dots on your bedding, you may be able to implement DIY removal methods to nip an infestation in the bud.
Getting rid of bed bugs on your own is no small feat. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that trying to remove bed bugs yourself can take weeks to months, and you’ll need to be persistent in eliminating them. Even with a DIY approach, the success you’ll have in getting rid of your infestation is dependent on many factors, such as how far the infestation has spread and the size and cleanliness of your home.
We highly recommend seeking out professional pest control management services when experiencing bed bugs. These experts can determine a personalized treatment plan for your home and get rid of bed bugs quicker than you’ll be able to on your own.
To prevent bed bug infestations, you’ll need to take precautionary measures, especially if you suspect that there are bed bugs already living in your building.
Declutter your home, as bed bugs like to hide in clutter, laundry baskets, and hampers.
Clean your home, including upholstered furniture, regularly to reduce bed bug hiding places.
Wash bed linens and clothes then dry them on a high heat setting.
Do not accept mattresses or other furniture, as well as clothes and bedding, without thoroughly inspecting it for bed bugs first.
If a family, friend, or neighbor has an infestation of bed bugs, be careful not to carry that infestation to your own home.
The cost to hire a professional to remove bed bugs is between $350 and $5,000, depending on factors like the size and scope of the infestation. If you own a large building experiencing a bed bug infestation, you could be looking at costs upward of $50,000 to fumigate the entire building.
How much you should expect to spend depends on factors like the severity of your infestation, the treatment method used to eliminate the bed bugs, and the amount of treatments needed. In general, you’ll pay more for chemical-free methods, such as heat or freeze treatments.
Since the cost of ridding your property of bed bugs can vary widely, you should get quotes from multiple pest control companies to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. Each company will evaluate your infestation and recommend a treatment protocol.
Typically, bed bugs live for four to six months. However, they can live even longer in cool conditions without any food. Bed bugs breed frequently, giving rise to dozens of babies that can quickly infest your home, so it’s best to keep a vigilant eye out if you suspect bed bugs may be around.
It’s not recommended that you get rid of your mattress if you’re experiencing a bed bug infestation. This action could cause the infestation to spread to other people and homes. Instead of replacing your mattress, you should take steps to eliminate the bed bugs from the mattress and then focus on preventing further infestations.
