When bed bugs are caught, they can create more than a bit of concern. Most of the reason for the concern is that Tampa residents don't know much about these insects. We get many questions that stem from a lack of knowledge, questions such as, "Are bed bugs visible to the naked eye?" While bed bugs are tiny, they're far from microscopic. The reason you might think they're impossible to see is that they're incredibly adept at hiding from view. Today, we're going to take our years of experience in offering advanced pest control in Tampa and share insights regarding bed bug infestations. If you have questions about these bugs, you may find your answers within our answers to the following four questions. For direct answers, jump to our contact page and connect with us. We're more than happy to help!
What Are The Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?
Learning how to detect bed bug activity is not only beneficial for helping you get rid of bed bugs in Tampa, but also to help you prevent an infestation. There are a few ways to find bed bugs. Let's consider them as smaller questions that answer the larger question.
What do bed bugs look like? If you see bed bugs, you'll know you have an infestation. Here are a few characteristics to consider.
Bed bugs begin as 1/26 of an inch long, pale white insects with six legs and an oval shape. These newly hatched insects may look red if they have blood inside, due to their transparent skins.
As bed bugs grow, they turn tan. They may also have a black coloration or a red coloration due to fecal matter or blood within the insect.
Adult bed bugs look like apple seeds. They may look darker or even black in certain lighting conditions. At full size, a bed bug is around 1/5 of an inch in length.
Look for bed bugs in tight spaces, cracks, and gaps. They may also hide in dark voids where they are difficult or impossible to see.
Do bed bugs stain fabrics? Yes, they do. And you can use those stains to help you detect these pests. The stains you're looking for are black fecal spotting and blood stains. They may appear black, brown, or black and brown mixed together. Look for them on and in the following places:
- Pillowcases
- Blankets
- Sheets
- Mattress fabric
- Box spring fabric
- Bed frames
- Wood frames of other furniture
- Baseboards
- Crown molding
- Upholstery
- Voids within couches and chairs
As you search, keep in mind how small bed bugs are and that they prefer to squeeze into tight spaces. Plus, many of the stains they leave behind are hidden.
Do bed bugs shed their skins? Yes. They shed their skins as they develop. There are other insects that do this as well. As you examine the hiding places described above and search for skins, also look for the tiny white eggs bed bugs lay. Eggs and skins are often found together.
- Bed bug skins may appear white, yellowish, or tan.
- Skins may look like the bed bugs or just appear as pieces.
- Eggs are white and about 1/26 of an inch long.
All of the above warning signs are likely to stay hidden. But you don't have to see bed bugs or other warning signs. You may smell them.
What do bed bugs smell like? There are a number of descriptions given by people to describe the scent of bed bugs in their homes. Some describe the scent simply as being sickly sweet. Some say bed bugs smell like coriander. The most common is spoiled fruit or a musty sweet smell.
If you detect bed bugs in your home, it is critical to evaluate your infestation. Contact EcoTech Pest Control Services for an inspection. If you are away from home when you detect these warning signs, take steps to keep bed bugs from coming home with you. Check out our other blogs to learn about bed bug prevention.
How Serious Is A Bed Bug Infestation?
A bed bug infestation may become serious, but perhaps for a different reason than you might think. At the root of this question is the concern that bed bugs might make you sick. We're happy to say that there are no current cases of disease transmission from bed bugs to humans. So, disease transmission is not the root of the problem. The root is linked to these seven facts.
- Bed bugs are indoor pests. They're not going to leave your home. They will only stay and grow a population.
- Bed bugs feed on blood, so the source of food they need comes from you. They will never run out of food.
- Bed bugs are seriously hard to control. These irritating pests can appear and disappear over and over again. How does this work? Blood is a nutritious food source. For this reason, bed bugs can go months without a meal. So, attempting to get rid of them is typically a frustrating, time-consuming, and laborsome process if you don't know what works to get rid of bed bugs.
- Bed bugs prefer to bite multiple times. It only takes a few bugs to cause a lot of bite wounds.
- Bed bug wounds can swell, itch, and develop a rash. The allergic reaction can grow as the infestation grows.
- Ongoing exposure to bed bug bites and bloodletting can result in anemia, which is harmful.
- Ongoing stress from a bed bug infestation can lead to loss of sleep, and sleep deprivation can have severe consequences.
Bed bugs are mostly annoying pests. But a bed bug problem that goes untreated can have consequences. Take steps to effectively eliminate these insects when you detect them.
How Did Bed Bugs Get Into My Home In The First Place?
How do you get bed bugs in your house? The answer is surprising. These insects don't live in your grass or crawl around on the exterior of your home. They don't enter your home from the outdoors. Bed bugs are indoor bugs.
Okay. So, how does an indoor bug get into your home? Bed bugs do what bed bugs do. They hide during the day and come out at night to feed. If you move an item bed bugs are hiding in, those bed bugs are going to move with it.
Do bed bugs live inside beds and only move with beds? No. Bed bugs certainly enjoy getting into beds, but they are found in many other objects. They can move with any of the following items:
- Mattresses
- Box springs
- Bed frames
- Nightstands
- Upholstered chairs
- Gaming chairs
- Couches
- Alarm clocks
- Clothing
- Luggage
- Duffel bags
- Pocketbooks
- Bookbags
- And many other items.
Do bed bugs only travel passively? Not always. While the majority of infestations start with passive dispersal, bed bugs can enter your home from another apartment if you live in an apartment complex. The same is true of multi-family homes and similar housing situations. That brings us to one last question: Do bed bugs live in dirty homes? No. They do not select homes that are dirty. While they can grow a population and hide from view better in a cluttered space, they aren't attracted to dirty conditions. They'll live in a home that is impeccably clean. All they require is access to blood and a place to hide during the day.
How Can I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Fast?
When you find bed bugs, can you handle them yourself or do you have to seek out local pest control for bed bugs? You can deal with them yourself—if you know how. The trick is applying control methods in a way that counteracts bed bugs' ability to avoid treatments. How good are they at avoiding DIY treatments? We give this example a lot, but it is the best way to describe what you're up against. Bed bugs are indoor pests. They've been dwelling with humans since man first started using written language. They are irritating and frustrating pests that people through the ages have been ashamed of having in their homes (or castles). If bed bugs were easy to exterminate, we would live in a world without bed bugs. It's just that simple. Unfortunately, bed bugs are wired to work together and survive in hostile environments. If you want to avoid a lot of hassles, let a pest control professional deal with these bugs.
If you need bed bug control in Tampa, contact EcoTech Pest Control Services for industry-leading control solutions. We can treat one room or your entire home. We use a mixture of control materials and methods and select the right treatment for your specific needs. Our bed bug treatments are multi-pronged so that you have the best control possible. We back our treatments with a pest-free guarantee. If you find bed bugs in a treated area within 30 days after the treatment, we will come back and treat again at no charge to you.
You don't have to live with bed bugs in your Tampa home, and you don't have to spend hours, days, or weeks battling these pests. Let our knowledgeable Green Pro Specialists resolve your issue starting today.
