Why You Should Never Try to Fight Bed Bugs Alone

Bed bugs are one of the most misunderstood pests that invade homes and this is a pest that thrives on your lack of knowledge. Today, we're going to look at a few of the misunderstandings people have about bed bugs and how these misunderstandings can make it easier for bed bugs to get in and stay in.

How Do Bed Bugs Get Into a Home?

If you're like most people, you may think that bed bugs come in from outside. They actually don't. Bed bugs dwell almost exclusively with humans. They don't live in the woods. They don't crawl into your yard. And you're not going to find them searching your exterior walls for a way to get in. Then how do they get inside? They are carried in!

Where Do You Think Bed Bugs Hide?

If you're like most people, you'll probably say that they hide in beds, and you would be right. But they don't hide exclusively in beds. Bed bugs hide in a wide variety of places.

Here are a few examples of some common bed bug hiding spots:

• Underneath rugs, behind baseboards, inside outlet covers, and within wall voids.
• Inside alarm clocks, computers, stereo systems, and other electronics that have voids in them.
• In the gaps and cracks of wooden furniture such as desk chairs or kitchen table chairs.
• Within upholstered furniture such as couches, loveseats, and recliners.
• Inside the creases of suitcases, duffel bags, pocketbooks, and other carriable containers.
• In sleeping bags and other bedding that is used for sleepovers.
• In dirty laundry. Bed bugs are attracted to items that have been worn. Laundry is a common vehicle for bed bugs to be brought into a home after a sleepover or a vacation.

How Bad Do You Think Bed Bug Bites Are?

If you're like most people, you'll say that bed bugs leave large red, itchy welts on the skin. While this is sometimes true, it isn't true most of the time. Up to 60% of people have no reaction to bed bug bites when they are first bitten. Some demographics, such as the elderly, are in an even higher percentage. If you're thinking that bed bug bites will be your sign that you have a bed bug infestation, you are likely to be sadly mistaken. Bed bugs can feed multiple times before the skin of a person becomes sensitized and painful welts begin to form. Initial bites can be almost invisible to the naked eye.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

If you're like most people, you'll say that bed bugs are sort of a shield shape with a dark brown coloration. This is what bed bugs look like in the photos shown on the news, where most people have seen these bugs. But bed bugs don't always look like that. When they first hatch, they're only 1 mm in length and pale in coloration. If a newly hatched bed bug has had a blood meal, it will have a bright red abdomen. As it develops, a bed bug will become tan and eventually dark brown. In all stages, you are likely to see the black-coated internals of a bed bug if it hasn't had a blood meal and, in all stages, bed bugs have six legs. If you're seeing mites in your home, they will have eight legs, not six.

Can You Stop an Infestation With Pesticides?

There are mixed opinions about this one. Some people think you can and others think these bugs are too clever to kill with pesticides. The problem is actually worse than just dealing with a clever bug. Bed bugs can develop a resistance to pesticides as they mature to adulthood. That makes them extraordinarily difficult to purge.

What Your Pest Control Professional Knows!

• Your professional knows how bed bugs hitchhike and can give you guidance on preventing future infestations once your bed bugs have been removed.
• Your professional uses field-tested methods and a knowledge of bed bug hiding places to prevent bed bugs from escaping extermination.
• Your professional knows how to get control of bed bugs quickly so bites can be immediately prevented.
• Your professional knows how to properly identify bed bugs so the right treatment is used to correct your infestation.
• Your professional knows how to exterminate bed bugs even if they have developed a resistance to pesticides.

Are you dealing with a bed bug infestation in Lexington, SC? Don't fight those bed bugs alone. Call the experts at The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc.!