Why Do I Have Bed Bugs In My Baldwyn Home?
One aspect of life in Baldwyn that many are not as familiar with is the abundance of invasive pests in the city. These pests range from small insects to larger invasive wildlife. The issues they present run the spectrum from minor nuisances to causing property damage and the spread of dangerous diseases. One of the most frequent and troublesome of these unwanted guests in Baldwyn homes are bed bugs.
If there's one pest that can make your skin crawl, it's bed bugs – both literally and figuratively. Here's what Baldwyn homeowners should know about identifying bed bugs, whether they're dangerous, how bed bugs get inside your home, and what you can do to get rid of bed bugs with pest control in Baldwyn.
In this informative article, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of bed bugs, their identifying characteristics, how to prevent them, and how to put a stop to them for good. As always, if bed bugs ever become a problem for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to the resident bed bug control specialists here at McCary Pest Control.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
What do bed bugs look like? Bed bugs can look different, depending on the stage of life they're in:
- Adult bed bugs: When they're full-grown, adult bed bugs will only be the size of an apple seed with flat, oval-shaped bodies. Most bed bugs have dark brown coloring, although they may look more reddish-brown if you spot them after feeding. Adults also have wing pads on their back, but they never develop into functional wings, so these pests can't fly.
- Nymphs: Adolescent bed bugs, also called nymphs, are a little bit smaller and more difficult to spot, but you can still see them with the naked eye. Newly-hatched nymphs aren't bigger than the head of a pin, and they're white and tan until they start feeding.
- Bed bug eggs: While you may have trouble spotting them in the dark, bed bug eggs also have white coloring and may look similar to white poppy seeds. You may also see empty eggshells that get left behind after a nymph hatches.
If you spot Baldwyn bed bugs at any stage of life, it's important to take action quickly.
The Lifecycle Of The Baldwyn Bed Bug
Bed bugs are tiny reddish-brown insects that feed on blood and are active at night. These pests will feed on any warm-blooded host that they can find and will not discriminate between you and your pets. The life cycle for bed bugs typically takes around seven weeks from egg to adult. Once females have laid their bed bug eggs, they typically hatch within two weeks, and the nymphs come out of the eggs ready to feed on blood. Over the course of the next few weeks, these nymphs molt five times before reaching the adult stage.
How Can I Tell If I Have A Bed Bug Infestation?
Because bed bugs are so tiny and stay out of sight, the primary way to discover an infestation is by noticing bites. Bed bugs, which are most active and more likely to bite at night, feed on blood and will often bite people as they sleep when they infest a home. While bed bugs are not an especially dangerous pest, their bites can cause extreme discomfort and have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals.
In addition to the itchiness and potential allergic reactions to bed bug bites, an infestation of these blood-sucking pests can cause harm in other ways. Studies have shown that bed bug infestations have harmful impacts on mental health and lead to insomnia and anxiety when dealing with an untreated infestation.
In addition to bed bug bites, some common signs of an infestation are:
- A musty odor; bed bugs emit a must-like odor that will become stronger as their numbers increase.
- Stains of blood or fecal matter on your pillowcases and sheets left behind by bed bugs as they feed.
- Deposits of skin left behind as bed bugs shed.
Feel free to reach out to the experts at McCary Pest Control for more information on these pests and how to prevent them from infesting your home.
Is It Dangerous To Have Bed Bugs In My House?
While bed bugs do bite, they're not known to transmit diseases as cockroaches do. However, that doesn't mean they aren't without health concerns – from insomnia to secondary infections, bed bug infestations are only detrimental to your health.
For example:
- Secondary infections: While they don't directly cause infections, the itchy, red welts that bed bugs leave behind can develop secondary skin infections from repeated scratching. Common infections include ecthyma, lymphangitis, and impetigo.
- Insomnia: Once homeowners become aware that they've got bed bugs living in their home and that they're being bitten during sleep, many people start to develop insomnia. It's often difficult to get a good night's sleep when you know bed bugs are waiting to feast on your blood. This can also lead to anxiety.
- Allergies: Although it's common for people to have mild allergic reactions to bed bugs, a small percentage of people can have severe, whole-body reactions to bed bug bites.
- Anemia: While this is uncommon, bed bug infestations that grow large enough and go untreated for long enough can actually cause symptoms of anemia.
Even if they don't directly transmit disease, the health concerns of a bed bug problem are still dangerous – having an infestation in your home can mean waking up covered in bug bites, battling insomnia, or even developing anemia.
How Did Bed Bugs Get Into My House?
Often called parasitical hitchhikers, it's no surprise that bed bugs make their way into your home through traveling. If you visit somewhere that already has a bed bug infestation, like a hotel room, airport, or even a bus, these critters will latch onto your luggage or other personal belongings and catch a ride home with you. These places, and anywhere else where there's plenty of regular human activity, tend to be hot spots for bed bugs. And there's always the chance that you could even pick them up at a friend's house too.
Once they've made it into your home, any bed bugs you've picked up can climb off your luggage and begin finding a well-hidden spot to continue growing their colony.
Even if you're careful about spending time in hot spots, bed bugs can still enter your home through secondhand clothing or used furniture and appliances. Used appliances, furniture, and sometimes clothing could hold small colonies of bed bugs if these items were in a place with an existing infestation.
Five Tips For Bed Bug Prevention In Baldwyn
While professional bed bug control is the only long-term solution to a bed bug infestation, there are practical ways for homeowners to protect their homes from these pests.
Five tips for keeping your Baldwyn home bed bug-free include:
- Inspect new furniture brought into the home, particularly used or secondhand furniture that may have an infestation.
- Routinely inspect any pets in the house for bed bugs.
- Regularly check and repair any cracks or damage around the home that could serve as entry points for bed bugs.
- Use bed bug repellant products in affected areas, such as peppermint or lavender oil.
- Reduce the clutter in your home, which provides hiding spots for bed bugs.
Reach out to the experts at McCary Pest Control for more information on how to keep your home safe and pest-free.
Unfortunately, sometimes even the best-prepared homes can fall victim to termites if you’re simply unlucky. In the event that happens, as soon as you realize you have an infestation on your hands, it’s important to take immediate steps to eliminate it.
How Do I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In My House?
While using practical measures to keep bed bugs away from your property is important and effective, the only solution for an infestation is through professional bed bug control. If you are dealing with a bed bug infestation, McCary Pest Control is here to help.
McCary Pest Control, a local Baldwyn bed bug control specialist, is committed to keeping homes safe and bed bug-free. Our team of certified and highly trained technicians has experience preventing and exterminating these blood-sucking pests. We will work with you to create a customized bed bug control plan for your specific situation. We offer flexible scheduling options and provide free estimates on our services. Call us today to take care of your bed bug problem.
Maybe you're noticing signs of a bed bug infestation or trying to identify a live bed bug that you've found in your home; either way, dealing with a bed bug infestation is something to leave up to the professionals. At McCary Pest Control, we've been eliminating bed bug infestations in Baldwyn for years, and we can do the same for your home.
If you think you've got a bed bug problem on your hands, there's no need to let it get any worse – contact us at McCary Pest Control today for more information about our residential and commercial pest control services in Baldwyn.