Bed bug infestations continue to grow at an alarming rate across the United States. These insects, which were absent from the U.S. for nearly five decades, started appearing again at the turn of the century. Since many of us didn't grow up with them, there are a lot of misconceptions about these insects, such as the idea that they are too tiny to see. This is not true. Bed bugs are pretty small, but they're not so small that you can't see them. If you have an infestation in your Kansas & Missouri home, you may see them, especially if the bed bug population in your home has grown large. These insects can come out in the evening and start to feed on you while you're watching television, reading a book on the couch, working at your computer, and doing other tasks that have you sitting or lying down. All they need is the cover of darkness. If you're getting bites on your skin and you're wondering if you have a bed bug infestation, we have some tips to help you figure out whether or not these are the bugs you're dealing with.
Flip It
A potentially easy way to find bed bugs is to flip your mattress over. One location where bed bugs love to hide is between mattresses and box springs. If you flip your mattress and find lots of tiny bugs huddled together in a space the size of your thumbnail, you are almost definitely looking at bed bugs. You may also see shed skins, tiny white eggs, brown stains, black stains, or a mixture of these.
Check It
When bed bugs come out to feed, they can leave blood stains and fecal stains on your sheets, pillowcases, bedding, mattress and more. Doing a check of these can help you uncover evidence of a bed bug infestation in your home. Here are a few more things you should check for the presence of these stains or shed skins, white eggs, and tiny little insects:
- Box springs
- Bed frames
- Nightstands
- Electronics
- Carpet edges
- Baseboards
- Crown molding
- Electrical outlet covers
- Upholstered furniture
- Luggage
- Duffel bags
- Pocketbooks
If an object has voids within or recesses for bed bugs to hide in, they can be used for harborage. Don't limit your search to just the objects listed above.
Smell It
Bed bugs communicate with each other by emitting a scent that contains pheromones. If there are several bed bugs in your home, you may smell something a little off. Residents who have dealt with a bed bug infestation describe this smell as smelling like a musky, old wet towel or a locker room. If something doesn't smell right in one of your bedrooms, these bugs could be hiding in there somewhere.
Spot It
One key way to recognize a bed bug infestation is to be able to identify a bed bug when you spot one. An example of this is finding a tiny, 1mm insect with a bright red abdomen feeding on your leg. You may just squish it and think nothing of it if you don't know that bed bug nymphs are pale in color and have six legs and a bright red abdomen when they're drawing blood out of your skin. We strongly recommend that you become familiar with what bed bug nymphs look like. These are the bed bugs you're most likely to see. Adults stay hidden until the carbon dioxide levels in the room rise.
Do You Have Bed Bugs?
If you live in Kansas & Missouri and you've uncovered a bed bug infestation in your home, reach out to Augustine Exterminators. When it comes to eliminating pests from homes in the Greater Kansas City area, you can trust the service team at Augustine. We're standing by to help.