The possible bed bug infestation can be a terrifying prospect for many homeowners and hotels, and rightfully so. After all, a well-established bed bug population in your home can be extremely difficult to remove and result in a great deal of frustration and expense. The fact is, bed bugs are a rapidly reproducing species, and if left unchecked, they can quickly establish a substantial infestation in your home. Beyond this, they will oftentimes hitch a ride with humans or animals as a way to spread to new areas. This can make their spread unpredictable, and even a single bed bug brought home from a trip or on used furniture could potentially create a new infestation. Due to this, it is essential that any signs of bed bug activity in your home are quickly identified.
So if you are a Florida homeowner, the question are asking is probably this: what are the most common signs of a bed bug infestation in my home?
Bed bugs are parasites with a preference for human blood. As such, any active infestation must be clustered around an area that can provide a healthy, living host. Due to this, bed bugs are most often found in areas around the home where people might recline or sleep. While beds are the most common areas that are infested, other furniture and linens can also potentially house a bed bug population. Most of the time, the first sign of bed bug activity noticed by homeowners is the identification of bites. Bed bugs often target areas of skin that are exposed during sleep, so the first areas you check for bites should be the arms, legs, and neck. While they do not always show a pattern, bed bug bites form reddish bumps that are usually itchy. These bumps often take some time to form, however, and it can sometimes be up to 48 hours before you notice the bite.
Beyond the signs of their bites, bed bugs leave behind other signs of their habitation. In areas that they frequent, you will often find small blackish-brown stains as well as excrement. Most of the time, these will be found in dark, secluded spaces. When searching a room for bed bug activity, you should check in the more common infestation spots such as:
- Beneath the mattress
- Behind headboards or beneath floorboards
- Inside, loose bedding and pillowcases
- Around box springs or on bed framing
While these are not the only areas that bed bugs can infest, they will still often have signs of pest activity even if they are just moving to and from feeding.
But the fact is, identifying signs of a bed bug infestation is just the first step. There is another question that needs to be answered:
What should you do if you find signs of bed bug activity in your home?
While there are a variety of DIY treatment products that are often marketed for bed bug removal, many of these products are insufficient. This is because they are usually “Kill-On-Contact” products that can only eradicate the bed bugs that pass through treated areas. Since the majority of the bed bug population remains secluded, such treatment products are often unable to entirely eradicate an infestation. For this reason, treating bed bugs is a multi-step process often involving multiple applications of treatment over time.
If your home has become infested with bedbugs, your best option is to call in a licensed pest control company to perform an inspection ASAP. The sooner treatment can begin in your home, the more easily the pests can be removed. Since bed bug removal can be a complex task, homeowners will want to ensure that any company they hire is one that they can trust to treat their home completely and carefully!
We here at Arrow Pest Service have been a leading pest provider for the greater Panama City area for decades! We have dealt with bed bugs in a wide range of situations, and we employ a variety of safe, targeted treatment options to eradicate the pest infestation at the source! All of our treatment comes backed by a customer satisfaction guarantee, so you can rest easy knowing that the treatment of your home is in good hands!
Here’s to YOU living pest-free!
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