What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Bed bugs can be very hard to identify, thanks to their small size and resemblance to other small insects that might invade your home. When trying to determine whether or not something is a bed bug, you should take care to look at the size and appearance of the insect in question. Adult bed bugs are approximately the size and shape of an apple seed; they will have a reddish-brown color and be slightly elongated if they have fed recently.
In addition to adult bed bugs, you can watch for bed bug eggs; they are around one millimeter in size. The eggs and eggshells tend to be a whitish color, boarding on transparent, and will likely be in areas with the least risk of disturbance. Bed bug nymphs, which are young bed bugs, will also be fairly small and an off-white color if they have fed recently. If they have not eaten, they will be almost translucent and very difficult to see.
Because of these factors, it can be very difficult to identify a bed bug infestation until you have a significant number of adult insects crawling around your house. Proper bed bug control and prevention tactics are very important to avoid an infestation. Below, we list signs that may indicate you are struggling with a bed bug infestation on your Hot Springs property.
- Bed bugs can be found all over your home, even though they prefer beds and sleeping areas. You may find dead bed bug bodies or discarded eggshells throughout your house and especially near any cracks in walls and baseboards or along the seams of furniture.
- As bed bugs feed, they may leave behind reddish-brown staining. This staining can occur on your sheets, mattresses, furniture, floors, or walls. Keep an eye out for these small marks around your home.
- Bed bugs that live in your home will likely emerge at night to feed. If you or any other individual in your house is starting to show small red, itchy bumps on their exposed limbs, you may be dealing with a major bed bug problem.
- Shine a flashlight into the seams of furniture, around utility outlets, and on the cracks and gaps in windows, doors, baseboards, and walls to determine if bed bugs are hiding there. If they are, you will likely see a gathering of these insects when the light hits them.
Can Pest Control Kill Bed Bugs?
If you spot signs of bed bugs, you should call the professionals at Advanced Pest Control right away. Bed bugs are not pests that you can use DIY methods of removal on with much success due to their ability to hide in hard-to-reach areas and completely infiltrate your home.
Professional bed bug control is the best way to eliminate these insects. Our experts here at Advanced Pest Control will be able to get rid of bed bugs in all phases of development, preventing infestations from returning and allowing your home to return to a peaceful, pest-free environment.