Bed bugs in your home can be a nightmare to deal with and difficult to identify yourself. In order to ensure you are taking the right treatment steps, it is essential to understand the signs of a bed bug infestation.
Identifying Bed Bugs
A very small, almost nondescript insect, the bed bug can be hard to identify clearly. They are often confused for other insects, such as carpet beetles or other small bugs, but the dangers bed bugs bring with them are usually much more serious for the human inhabitants of your home.
To properly identify bed bugs, you should be looking for adult insects that are brown or reddish-brown and approximately the same size and shape as apple seeds. And while you may find traces of these insects in your bed and sleeping areas, they can, in fact, be found all over your home, especially in the gaps and cracks of walls, floors, upholstered furniture, and behind electrical outlets.
Additionally, you may find the following signs of bed bugs in your bed and around your home:
- Eggs: Bed bug eggs are approximately one millimeter in size and typically white. They are barrel-shaped and look similar to grains of salt, and will be somewhat sticky to the touch.
- Eggshells: Bed bug eggshells around your home are a major indicator of a growing bed bug problem. These eggshells will also be white and around one millimeter in size, but they will be less of a uniform shape.
- Nymphs: Bed bug nymphs are even smaller than their adult counterparts. They are translucent or yellowish-white, and unless they have recently fed (the blood gives them a darker coloration), it may be almost impossible to see them.
If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home, there are other visual signs that you can look out for in addition to properly identifying any live or dead bed bugs that you may come across.
- Bed bugs leave behind reddish-brown or rust-colored stains thanks to their diet. You may find these stains on your sheets, pillows, walls, or furniture. If you see a significant number of stains, it may indicate you have a serious bed bug problem.
- Bed bugs living in your home will bite humans. If any of your household inhabitants start to see red bumps on their arms and legs or begin to feel itchy overnight, you should closely be examining sleeping areas to find the culprits.
- Bed bugs leave behind clusters of dark brown or black droppings, which you may find in sleeping areas, on beds, on furniture, or close to gaps in walls.
- Though it isn’t exactly a visual sign, bed bug infestations leave behind a subtle musty odor. If you detect this scent and other signs of bed bugs, you likely have an infestation.
Complete Bed Bug Removal
As soon as you spot any signs of bed bugs, call the residential and commercial pest professionals at Matar Termite & Pest Control. Our experts will conduct an in-depth inspection of all areas in your home that may potentially be infested and narrow down the exact source of your bed bug problem. With the many bed bug treatment solutions available at Matar Termite & Pest Control, you will receive an effective, tailored treatment perfect for your home’s needs.