Bed bugs are considered one the most difficult pests to get rid of and keep them gone. They are so incredibly small and can hide anywhere. They also only come out of hiding during the night and only feed for about 10-15 minutes before they are full and can go back into hiding, so they are difficult to see in person and are only detected by clues they leave behind. While bed bug bites are not usually dangerous unless the bites become infected, they can cause allergic reactions similar to mosquitoes because of the way they bite by injecting saliva into the skin and then sucking out the blood. Bed bugs can also interrupt effective sleep by waking their victims as a result of their bites. Building and structural damage is also common where there is a bed bug infestation. To get indoors they can chew their way through or find ways through cracks and creases in the building.
The biggest reason why bed bugs are so difficult to exterminate and keep away for good is that they can go as long as a year without food, and they can survive temperatures ranging from freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
How To Spot Them?
Bed bugs are easily seen by the naked eye no matter what stage of development they are in. While bed bugs can be seen, they often aren’t because of their nocturnal nature. If you do get lucky enough to see them, you’ll know it’s a bed bug when they are very small, oval-shaped, and reddish in color. Capturing them in a small clear container or jar will be beneficial to show the pest control specialist so they know what they’re dealing with. Since they are hard to get a glimpse of, a good way of knowing your bed has bugs is seeing blood smears and fecal spots on your sheets, and experiencing small red bites similar to spider bites. The bites then may cause allergic reactions resulting in swelling, itching, and hives.
Why Do I Have Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs move around frequently, transferring from one host to another enabling them to travel long distances. Bed bugs can even be found on any luggage, clothing, and furniture that was exposed to infestation and become difficult to contain. They survive on human blood and therefore choose living places close to a human host they can feed on. Contrary to popular belief, dirty places and furniture are not the only places bed bugs are attracted too. All they need is blood, shelter, and somewhere dark and warm to be attracted to.
Bed Bug Treatment
Bed bugs can not only be found in beds and other furniture, but also wheelchairs and couches where people spend a lot of time. They can be difficult to get rid of, especially when you aren’t sure how they got there in the first place. They can hide just about anywhere in the room, such as between the seams of the mattress, behind picture frames, dresser drawers, and in the wood trim. With that said, finding remedies to rid of these stubborn pests can be difficult and frustrating. When people decide to tackle the extermination themselves the common remedies include: vacuums, steam, and natural pesticides. While many of these have shown results in repelling bed bugs for a while, the infestation usually appears in a short time leaving the client back at square one.
This is why we recommend calling Columbia Pest Control to get rid of your bed bugs. We know how they’ve evolved and have become resistant to many pesticides and which ones will work. We also know the trick to making sure the bed bugs are completely gone and stay gone. Give our office a call today to schedule your bed bug treatment and get back to sound sleeping every night.