Bed Bug Identification
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are resilient pests that live indoors with people. Blood is the sole source of nutrition for bed bugs, and people are their favorite hosts to feed on. Many people associate bed bugs with unsanitary conditions, but the cleanliness of a home or business has no bearing on whether bed bugs will become a problem or not. Bed bugs are hitchhikers, meaning they move from place to place on people and our belongings, moving wherever we take them.
Bed bugs are nocturnal, hiding during the day and emerging at night to feed, attracted to our body heat and the carbon dioxide we produce as we breathe. The bed bug has a flattened, oval-shaped body (think apple seed), but the body expands into a more capsule-like shape after feeding. They are wingless and cannot jump, so they hitchhike.
Are bed bugs dangerous?
Bed bugs are a significant pest concern, not because they are vectors of diseases like other blood-feeding pests, but because their populations are high. Keeping these pests out of our homes is a difficult but necessary task.
These bugs feed on our blood as we sleep, biting through our skin. While not everyone reacts to their bites, some people do experience itchy rashes. Scratching at the bite sites is uncomfortable and can lead to an infection developing. Knowing that bed bugs are in our homes also affects our mental state and sleep.
Why do I have a bed bug problem?
You have bed bugs in your Tupelo, MS home because these hitchhiking pests hitched a ride in. We can come into contact with bed bugs at work, school, during travel, or while running simple daily errands. Friends or family visiting your homes could also have come into contact with bed bugs and unknowingly introduce them.
The unfortunate truth is that any place people are coming and going is a place where you can make contact with bed bugs. Familiar places where we come into contact bed bugs include:
- Hotels and motels
- Airports and bus stations
- Shopping centers and office buildings
- Schools and dormitories
- Movie theaters and libraries
Where will I find bed bugs?
Bed bugs are most problematic in places where people spend a lot of time, such as our homes. When bed bugs get into our houses, they will hide in places that put them into close contact with us but well out of sight.
The seams of mattresses and upholstered furniture, behind wall hangings, inside electrical outlets, under piles of dirty laundry, and inside cracks in walls are regular hideouts for bed bugs.
It is important to understand that bed bugs don't just hang out in bedrooms despite their name. The longer they are in your house, the larger the infestation will become, and they will branch out to other areas of your home, traveling through the walls and floors.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
Win the war against bed bugs by partnering with the local pest control experts at McCary Pest Control. Our professionals know how to deliver the services necessary to completely eliminate an infestation and prevent a re-infestation from happening. For over 50 years, we have helped Mississippi home and business owners keep their properties free of the toughest pests, including bed bugs.
To learn more about our bed bug control process, contact us today and speak with one of our courteous and knowledgeable professionals!
How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?
Partnering with a professional is key to ensuring that the pests on your property are identified accurately, and effective treatments are performed so a re-infestation won't occur.
The following tips are additional ways you can help to protect your property from bed bugs:
- Be vigilant when in public places looking for bed bugs and their signs.
- Make sure you don't leave your personal belongings on the ground of public places for long periods.
- Before bringing personal items into a hotel room, make sure you inspect the rooms for bed bugs.
- After returning home from traveling, wash and dry all clothing taken and clean out luggage before storing it away.
- Regularly vacuum your house and wash and dry your family's bedding.
- Keep clutter to a minimum in your home; bed bugs love to hide in areas of clutter.
- After you have overnight guests, make sure to clean the room where they stayed thoroughly.
Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control services.
