Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

(Cimex lectularius)

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What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are insects that feed solely on blood. Adult bed bugs have a flattened, oval-shaped body that expands into a more capsule-like shape after feeding. They use their specialized mouthpart (proboscis) to feed on the blood of their warm-blooded animal hosts. People are a bed bug’s favorite hosts, but when they find their way into our homes, they will also feed on our pets, including our cats and dogs. Bed bugs are mainly nocturnal and find their way to their sleeping hosts by being attracted by our body heat and the carbon dioxide we produce as we breathe.

A Bed Bug on a piece of cloth

Are Bed Bugs Dangerous?

Bed bugs aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they certainly are never welcome in our homes or businesses. In fact, bed bugs are more than likely at the top of the list of pests that most people never want to discover in their homes! The biggest concern with bed bugs is the toll an infestation can take on a person’s sleep and mental health. It can be very difficult to feel comfortable in your bed or home knowing that bed bugs are lurking nearby, just waiting to bite you as you sleep.

The second concern is that bed bugs bite. This means they are creating an opening in your skin that could become infected. Also, people allergic to bed bug saliva could develop a raised, red itchy rash and other allergy symptoms.

Why Do I Have A Bed Bug Problem?

Bed bugs do not have wings or legs that allow them to jump, so they move from place to place by hitchhiking on people and our belongings. Bed bugs can become a problem in any home or business because it only takes a few bed bugs to move into a structure for an infestation to develop.

Since bed bugs spend their time where people do, any public space could be where you come into contact with bed bugs. Some of the most common places where bed bugs and people meet include airports, bus stations, hotels, schools, dormitories, apartment buildings, hospitals, shopping centers, office buildings, and movie theaters.

Where Will I Find Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are found in multiple areas of a home, not just in bedrooms. Bed bug infestations typically begin in bedrooms because it provides them with the closest access to their host. However, as the infestation grows, bed bugs travel throughout a home, hiding in multiple areas. Bed bugs use their six legs to crawl to different areas moving behind walls and under floors. In multi-unit buildings, bed bugs crawl between units making preventing problems these pests even more difficult.

Inside homes, areas where bed bugs frequently hideout include:

  • The seams of mattresses and box springs.
  • The cracks of wooden furniture- headboards and footboards
  • Behind wall hanging likes pictures or clocks
  • Inside electrical outlets
  • Behind wall voids
  • Behind wooden door or window trim
  • In the cracks of floors, behind baseboards, or under rugs
  • Under areas of clutter
  • Under piles of dirty laundry

How Do I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?

The best way to protect your home from being invaded by biting bed bugs is to partner with the professionals at Alliance Pest Services. We can provide fast action, accurate K-9 inspections, and the effective solutions necessary to eliminate bed bugs and prevent them from re-infesting. We know there is no one-size-fits-all solution to bed bugs problems, and we want to work with you to find the perfect solution for your property! If you live in Monmouth County, NJ, and would like to learn more about our bed bug control solutions, give us a call today!

How Can I Prevent Bed Bugs In The Future?

In addition to our home pest control and commercial pest control services, protect your property from bed bugs with the following prevention tips:

  • Before bringing your luggage into a hotel room, make sure to thoroughly inspect it for signs of bed bugs.
  • Keep all clothing you take on a trip inside your suitcase, never on beds or the floor.
  • Upon returning home from travel, immediately wash and dry all the clothes you took and clean out the suitcases used on the trip.
  • If you use a laundry mat, take your clothes out of the drier and home to fold.
  • When in public places, keep coats, bags, and other belongings up off the ground as much as possible and away from other people’s things.
  • If you live in a multi-unit building, make sure to install door sweeps on all exterior doors and seal spaces that have developed where your walls meet the floor or ceiling.
  • Vacuum floors and upholstered furniture frequently.
  • Regularly wash your family’s bedding.
  • Place covers over outlets.
  • Place bed bug proof-covers on all mattresses and box springs in your home.

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