Bed bugs can get into your home in many ways. For example, you could unintentionally transport them from a hotel room. You can also transport them with items such as second-hand furniture. Now, here’s the primary concern: It doesn’t matter how they come into your home. They will not leave your home once they have established a camp there unless you take action.
Bed bugs are drawn to blood, warmth, and carbon dioxide. Your mattress provides all three elements. They feel at home on your bed, hence the name “bed bug.” But sharing a bed with these parasites isn’t something anyone wishes for.
So, how do you know you have bed bugs on a mattress? At first glance, you can’t tell your mattress is hosting the troublesome critters. That’s because they’re good at hiding. But if you search hard enough, you can identify them through the early signs of a bed bug infestation.
Let’s look at seven common signs of bed bugs on mattresses:
Spotting live bed bugs is one sure way to tell if you have an infestation. But remember, it’s also not easy to find them in the early stages. These insects prefer darkness to light. But that doesn’t mean leaving the lights on will help. That’s a bed bug myth and won’t help eliminate them.
Adult bed bugs hide in mattress seams and bed frames. They’re flat in shape and can fit in a tiny crevice. After feeding on blood, they have a puffy oval-shaped body with a reddish-brown color. If you see one, be aware that there may be more bed bugs on the mattress. Call a pest control company for extermination right away.
Bed bug bites are red, itchy, and bumpy spots on the skin. Sometimes, you’ll see a cluster of these bite marks on exposed skin, such as the arms and legs. People call them the breakfast, lunch, and dinner patterns.
Fortunately, bed bug bites don’t transmit any known diseases. But people react differently to them. Some may exhibit allergic reactions, while others don’t show any signs at all. Therefore, the bite marks may not be conclusive evidence of bed bugs. Other insects can also be responsible for causing the bite marks.
Small patches of blood stains on your bed sheets are another giveaway for bed bugs. Once the bug has finished feeding, it fills with blood. When you move your body, you can crush them, thereby spilling the blood they have fed on.
If there’s no other explanation for the blood, it could be bed bugs. Conduct an investigation by checking the mattress for bed bugs and inspecting the box spring. Smell the blood stains to determine if they’re from bed bugs.
Bed bugs produce a pheromone chemical that has a musty smell, similar to raspberries. In severe infestations, the odor feels like wet towels, rust, and mold. Bedding is good at trapping scents of any kind. So, the bed bug smell may linger a bit longer. It’s advisable to work with professionals for bed bug heat treatment to eliminate the bed bug problem.
Female bed bugs lay hundreds of eggs during their lifetime. These eggs are white and oval. Although you can see them with the naked eye, it’s easy to miss them due to their small, pinhead size. After five days, the white eggs develop an eye spot, which you can only see using a magnifying glass. Then within ten days, they hatch.
Fecal spots can also be used to identify bed bugs. These are the droppings they leave behind after feeding on blood. These spots are much smaller and darker than the blood stains. Most often, you’ll see them in harborage areas.
Bed bugs go through five stages in their life cycle. They must shed the outer skin to enter the next stage. As a result, shells of the same color as bed bugs are more likely to be found in a bed bug infestation. If you see the shells, look around to see if you can find bed bugs on the mattress.
If you’re not sure whether you have bed bugs on your mattress, the seven signs of bed bugs can help you identify them. If you have already identified an infestation, call a pest control company for a bed bug treatment.
McDonald Pest Control can help you deal with your bed bug problem. We provide pest control services in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and throughout Florida. Call us if you need bed bug prevention, inspection, and treatment today.
