Sneaky Buggers
Bed bugs are insects that like to hide and, when they can, make a meal out of the person nearby, typically during the nighttime hours while the person is asleep. However, while they are most commonly associated with beds, they can also live in other places if given the chance. Car upholstery, couches, and even carpeting provide ample space for bed bugs to hide. In addition to this, their size makes them very hard to see.
Bed bugs can hitch a ride on people, luggage, and other items in order to get to your home. Even if your house is spotless, bed bugs can still invade and make themselves at home. Five star hotels have encountered bed bug problems, so it isn’t always a matter of cleanliness. So don’t be discouraged if you find bed bugs in your home. If you’ve just returned from traveling, that may be the reason they have appeared in your house.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Bed bugs are small brown or reddish brown insects with a flattened oval body. Adults can grow to about 5 millimeters in length and 3 millimeters wide. This is precisely why they are difficult to see. Nymphs that have recently hatched are virtually impossible to spot because not only are they even smaller, but their bodies are translucent.
When spotted, people may sometimes mistake them for small cockroaches due to their shape and coloring, or carpet beetles. When they are active their movements are actually more ant-like.
Discovering Bed Bugs
You are more likely to discover bed bugs due to bites on your skin and from seeing small brown or black marks on light colored areas such as sheets or even the wood of a box spring. Bites are more likely to be the result of bed bugs if you wake up with bites that were not present the night before. Marks on bedding may be fecal matter, which is partially digested blood. Looking for them directly is not as simple as flipping up your sheets and spotting them. Bed bugs are excellent at hiding, and will quickly run away as you begin to look for them.
If you suspect that you have a bed bug problem, then it is best to call a professional for a close home inspection. A high quality green pest control company can assess the situation and then inform you of ways that they can rid your home of bed bugs. Then you can sleep tight once again.