The only reason many today still know what bed bugs are is the popular bed-time rhyme – don’t let the bed bugs bite! Even though pesticides have controlled bed bugs in recent decades, they are still out there and can affect anyone. Because they aren’t as common nowadays, people don’t know as much about them. Heron Home & Outdoor is here to shine some light on bed bugs for those who are having trouble dealing with them today.

Where do bed bugs come from?

Bed bug issues have been on the rise recently, and experts think the culprit is globalization. Increased international travel unintentionally brings more small insects and bacteria all over the world. This makes places like hotels the most likely to house bed bugs, since the parasites can easily hide in the clothing and luggage of travelers and make their way into furniture of the room. Once there, they can go up to a year without feeding, waiting for a host to feed on.

How do you detect bed bugs?

The most obvious way you can detect bed bugs is by being bitten by them or noticing the reddish bites they leave after feeding. You might mistake them for mosquito bites at first, but if you know that the bites weren’t there before you went to bed, that is an indicator of bed bugs. Bed bugs also tend to bite in straight lines, and can leave blood from previous victims behind on the skin.

How do you check for bed bugs?

Since bed bugs generally live in furniture, it is best to start looking there. You might find the “skin” they’ve shed, small blood spots or reddish-black fecal matter, eggs, or even the bugs themselves. They are about the size of apple seeds and look similar to ticks. You might even catch a whiff of something musty, yet sweet, which can point to the presence of the blood-suckers.

Can you have bed bugs and not see them?

Bed bugs are excellent “hibernators.” They can go months at a time without feeding, which makes it especially difficult to detect them. Just because you haven’t detected the pests for a few weeks doesn’t mean that you’ve finally gotten rid of them. They could also be living inside your mattress or box spring, which makes them impossible to see without destroying your bed.

Heron Bed Bug Treatment

Trying to eliminate bed bugs from your furniture can be one of the most frustrating tasks, and there is no guarantee of success. Let the bed bug experts at Heron come treat your house so that you’ll never have to deal with the pests again. The difference between us and other bed bug professionals is that we will come back again and again at no cost if your problem persists. We believe in total treatment, not just a one-time job. The only thing more resilient than bed bugs is our service. Contact us today for your free same-day inspection.