Are These Bed Bugs In My Hot Springs Home?
July 15, 2021 - Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are one of the most disgusting pests you can find in your Hot Springs, Arkansas home, and they are known for being extremely difficult to remove once they get inside. These tiny insects bite people while they sleep, and can leave you with rows of bites when you wake up in the morning. Luckily, they aren’t known to transmit disease, but they can cause anemia in extreme infestations or lead to secondary infections from scratching.
The other big concern with bed bugs is that they can be difficult to identify. They are rather small, and they are often mistaken for other pests such as ticks or fleas. This is a concern because bed bugs are so invasive. They can reproduce quickly and hide in many places throughout your home, so being able to identify them early makes it easier to remove them before the infestation grows out of control. In this guide, you’ll learn how you can tell if you’re dealing with bed bugs in your home by looking for the most common signs.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
While many people assume that bed bugs are too small to be seen with the naked eye, they are actually around the size of an apple seed and a similar shape, too. When they reach adulthood, bed bugs have oval-shaped bodies and are usually flat. However, they will become round after they’ve eaten a blood meal. Adults are a red-brown color.
Knowing how to identify the nymphs and eggs of bed bugs is also useful as bed bugs will start to reproduce once they establish themselves in your home. The nymphs look similar to the adults but are a bit smaller and creamy white in color.
Bed bug eggs are also a creamy white color and only about 1 mm long. When they hatch, they will leave behind eggshells that you might notice around baseboards or beds. The discarded egg shells start out white but will turn dark brown over time.
Four More Signs Of Bed Bugs
Knowing what bed bugs look like is just the first step in understanding signs of an infestation. There are other signs of bed bugs that you might notice first if you know what to look for. Here are the four other main signs of bed bugs:
- You might find bed bug bites on your body. They can appear anywhere that skin is exposed while you sleep and usually appear in a line or zigzag pattern.
- You could discover blood stains on mattresses and sheets.
- You may notice brown, irregular-shaped smear marks from the bed bug excrement.
- You could smell a strange musty odor that wasn’t there before.
Also, it’s important to note that bed bugs don’t just infest mattresses and bedding. They can be found on other furniture, curtains, and even hide in small holes in the wall. So, it’s also a good idea to check around baseboards or other furniture for signs of bed bugs.
You Have Bed Bugs: What Next?
If you’ve noticed any of the signs of bed bugs, even if you’re not completely sure if you have an infestation or not, the best way to handle the problem is with help from the bed bug control experts at Advanced Pest Control. Bed bugs are a pervasive pest that can be nearly impossible to remove using DIY methods, so, instead of wasting your time and money, let our trained technicians remove them effectively so they don’t keep coming back. We can also provide bed bug prevention help. We even provide free estimates, so give us a call anytime to get started. We answer phones 24/7. We also offer commercial pest control in Hot Springs.