Of all earnings by the pest control industry in 2015, residential service accounted for 68%. Bed bugs are an increasing problem that requires professional help. First, you need to determine if you have a bed bug infestation in Indiana — and if you do have them, you then need to contact a bed bug exterminator.
Do You Have Bed Bugs? How to Identify Them
Bed bugs are tiny and look like brown apple seeds. They are wingless and have flat bodies, along with antennae and long, narrow legs. They have a long proboscis, or beak, that comes out when they feed on blood; when the bugs are resting, the proboscis is under the body and points back between its legs. Young bed bugs, called larvae or nymphs, look very much like adults, though they are smaller and lighter in color.
Bed bugs obtain nutrients from human blood. You can look on pest identification websites for photos of bed bugs, as well as the bite marks and skin rashes they cause. Bites can be extremely itchy. You may feel that you’re getting bitten when you go to bed. The bugs can be found on your luggage, clothing, and skin. Signs of bed bug infestation include blood spots, dark stains from the insects’ feces, eggs, and egg shell casings. They tend to gather in clusters.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Bed bugs can be picked up anywhere that people congregate: houses, hotels and motels, college residential halls, medical offices, movie theaters, schools, restaurants, and (of course) beds.
Where Are Bed Bugs Found?
Bed bugs usually move at night and find hiding places during daytime hours. Since they are flat, they can hide in many places. They often hide under loose flooring or wallpaper, within a bed’s box spring and mattress, and in upholstered chairs and couches. In hotel rooms, they often get behind headboards that are attached to walls, as well as behind moldings along floors. Bed bugs can crawl inside appliances and electric switch plates. They are not typically found in places made of plaster, metal, or stone.
Why Are Bed Bugs a Health Risk?
Bed bugs need blood to reproduce. When they bite a human and feed off their blood, they leave itchy welts that interfere with sleep. Looking at these bites can be very upsetting for some people. If bed bugs are allowed to feed heavily, people can lose a great deal of blood and become anemic.
What Do I Do to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
Most people don’t know how to get rid of bed bugs on their own. If you have a bed bug infestation, you need professional extermination services. These bugs are difficult to spot and miserable to have around your home. They may cause health problems for the residents of your household. Bed bugs reproduce with alarming speed and can infiltrate your entire home if you don’t take action to eradicate them. You need pest control services with experience in locating bed bug eggs, evaluating bed bug bites, and clearing your home of these troublesome insects. They should provide you with a bed bug mattress cover and box spring cover that are more effective than the kinds sold in stores. They should also give you Vapona Strips for things that can’t be washed in a washing machine. Steri-Fab may also be given to keep bed bugs away from car and truck interiors and office furniture.
How Do I Hire a Bed Bug Exterminator?
Look for an exterminator with experience in ridding homes of bed bugs. Make sure you choose a company that is professionally run, with well-trained employees who know about the latest methods of bed bug removal. Their equipment and practices should be up-to-date and they should be thorough, friendly, and affordable. Most importantly, they should eradicate your bed bug problem for good, and return promptly if the insects come back. Ask friends for referrals or research exterminators’ reputations online.
You don’t have to live with a bed bug infestation. We’re here to provide relief. For more information, please contact us today.