Pest Identification: How To Tell If You Have Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are more than a physical annoyance. On top of the scratchy, itchy red welts they leave behind, bed bugs can also be emotionally devastating. After spending countless weeks and thousands of dollars battling severe infestations, homeowners may struggle with their mental health. Conditions such as depression, insomnia, and anxiety are often experienced by property owners undergoing bed bug extermination.
At Champion Termite & Pest Control, our exterminators are licensed, certified, and insured to eradicate troublesome bed bug colonies. We offer all-encompassing thermal heat remediation treatment and insecticide application for bed bug-striken properties in Palatka, Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, Orange Park, St. Augustine, and Starke. Contact us today to receive a complimentary estimate on North Florida bed bug control services.
Bed Bug Appearance
Because bed bugs are mainly active at night, it is often difficult to spot these pesky insects. The average bed bug is about the size of an apple seed. These bugs are long and brown, but may vary in shape depending on if they recently fed. Bed bugs that have not fed from a host recently or often flat, whereas a bed bug that has recently engorged itself might be elongated and oval.
Pest Life Cycle
Bed bugs go through about five different stages—or instars—before they develop into a mature bed bug. Each bed bug begins its life cycle as a pearlish white egg. As the bed bug grows into a young nymph, it will start shedding its skin—leaving pale yellow skins behind. At each nymph stage, the bed bug will need to feed on blood in order to molt into the next instar.
Once the bed bug has matured into an adult, it will stop shedding its skin. With no room left to develop and grow, all of the bed bugs' energy is now focused on reproducing. A female bed bug, on average, can lay upwards of 200-500 eggs in her lifetime. All it takes is a few months for a small select few of bed bugs to rapidly expand into a population in the thousands.
Identifying Bites
Depending on the person, bed bug bites can range in effect. They can either produce an allergic reaction or no physical impact at all. This can make it difficult to pinpoint that a welt is a bed bug bite, as opposed to a mosquito or tick bite.
According to the CDC, EPA, and USDA, bed bugs are considered a public health pest. While bed bugs themselves are not a serious vector for disease, bed bug bites can become infected by bacteria on the skin.
Common Hiding Spots
Bed bugs are known hitchhikers—catching rides on clothing, upholstered furniture, luggage, and bedding. If you suspect you have bed bugs in your home, closely examine any suitcases or travel bags you may have. You should also take a flashlight and inspect the cracks and crevices near your bed’s headboard and bed frame, or around the seams and tags of your mattress.
As you toss and turn in your sleep, you might accidentally crush bed bugs underneath you. Because these crushed bed bugs were filled with blood, they often leave rusty or reddish-brown stains on mattresses and bed sheets. These splotches and spots are a common telltale sign that a bed bug infestation has invaded your home.
Besides crushed bugs, a large bed bug colony also might leave behind waste. This excrement is dark brown to black in color and is approximately the size of a black pepper speck.
Our pest management experts can help you spot early signs of bed bug activity. Once the pest is accurately identified, our bed bug remediation company relies on strategic HEPA equipment, advanced thermal remediation heat treatment, and the careful application of natural pest control insecticides to fully eliminate bed bug populations. Contact us today to schedule a free property inspection and pest extermination services.
