It’s an overwhelming and concerning feeling to think that your home may be infested with bed bugs. One day you or a loved one wakes up from sleep with a few itchy bumps on their arms or legs all lined up in a cluster, and you begin to wonder. Could you have a bed bug infestation in your home? And if you do, what’s the quickest and most effective way to remove them from your home? Take a deep breath, learn the warning signs, and get ready to begin inspection for these little critters.
Learn the Signs
It’s important to learn the warning signs of a bed bug infestation so that you can quickly identify whether or not you truly have a problem with these pests. While a bed bug bite is usually the initial sign, many people tend to avoid the truth and disregard these bites by saying they are from mosquitoes or spiders. However, bed bug bites have a very particular bite pattern, and there are more ways to indicate an infestation in addition to these bites. Bed bug bites will often leave red welts in lines or clusters on the body. These bites are extremely itchy and relief is not easy to find. While bed bugs are not known to spread diseases, their bites are still irritating and can lead to infection if the individual scratches the bite open.
Here are some main indicators of a bed bug infestation in addition to the bites:
- Bloodstains on your pillowcases, sheets, or mattress
- Rusty-coloured spots on bedding, mattress, or walls due to bug droppings
- Eggshells or skin shedding in areas that bed bugs like to hide
- A musty or sweet odour filling the room caused by the bugs’ scent glands
- Tiny white eggs found in the crevasses of your furniture
If you have any of these warning signs of an infestation, you need to take action as soon as possible to prevent them from travelling to more areas
Identification of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can vary in size depending on the cycle they are in. Starting out as an egg, bed bugs are around the size of a pinhead and are white in colour. As they grow into their youth, the insect will become translucent and yellowish in colour. When they are young and unfed, these pests can be almost invisible to the naked eye. As the bed bug matures into an adult, they grow to the size of an apple seed and have a distinct oval shape with flat bodies to help in maneuvering through small crevasses. Once the adult bed bug has fed, its body will give off a reddish-brown colour and become plumper.
Discover an Infestation? Now What?
Your first thought after seeing a bed bug might be to grab the can of bug spray, or really anything nearby, and start fumigating your home. Or maybe even just throw the whole house away at this point. But, let’s not get too dramatic – there are efficient ways to safely remove bed bugs from your home. However, it’s important to act fast and contact a pest control expert in Hamilton that specializes in bed bug treatments. Having a professional treatment in your home is the most effective way to ensure these critters are gone and won’t be coming back to disturb your sleep.