What Are The Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation?

Bed bugs can be a real problem because they multiply quickly and are difficult to eradicate. Even if you have only a small population of bed bugs crawling around your room at night, the female bed bugs can lay up to five eggs a day. Soon, a small bed bug issue can turn into a full infestation of these blood sucking little hiders. Knowing the signs of a bed bug infestation will help you to keep an eye out for any trace of these bugs before they get out of hand. A bed bug infestation can end up costing a lot of money because mattresses and even other furniture will need to be thrown out in order to finally rid your home of bed bugs if the infestation is severe. Seeing the clues that you have these unwelcome house guests will help save your furniture and keep money in your wallet. Because bed bugs can be extremely stubborn and difficult to eradicate, do not hesitate to call a pest control professional at the first sign of bed bugs.

Signs

If you think you will see a bed bug just skitter across your pillow when you turn on a light like a cockroach does, you are quite mistaken. It is very unlikely you will ever see a bed bug unless you go hunting for them. They only come out at night, while you, their host, are completely asleep. They feed for a few minutes and then return to their hiding spots. Their saliva deadens the feeling in your skin so you will not be aware of their presence. Some people are allergic to bed bug saliva, which causes the red bumps at the bite site. What is interesting is that not all people have a reaction to the saliva, allowing the bed bugs to bite night after night with no evidence on your body. Because bed bugs are expert hiders, many times, the bites, which are characteristically in a trail or a cluster, are the first sign that alerts people that they may have bed bugs. The red or blistered bites are often on exposed skin like the arms or shoulders. Bed bugs do not seek tight clothed places like chiggers do. Other signs to look for are:

• Red or brown tiny spots on your sheets
• Oval shaped exoskeletons scattered underneath furniture near sleeping area
• Sweet, musty odor in high infested rooms
• Small oval-shaped bugs in creases of the mattress

If you find any evidence of bed bugs, understand that they may have infested your clothes, purse, and other parts of your home. Washing your clothes on high heat and drying them on high heat may kill the adults so you can leave the house without spreading them to others. Do not wait to call a professional to evaluate the size of the infestation and begin thoroughly treating your home to rid your house of the bugs. If you are in Chester County, PA and are wanting an eco-friendly option of treating your home for bed bugs, call the friendly team at Environmentally Considered Pest Control, ECPC, today!