Some people may write off spotting a few bedbugs in their homes. After all, you would likely kill one or two flies, ladybugs, or ants without considering it twice. In some cases, it doesn’t mean that your home is infested, but it could.
Spotting a fly or ladybug in the home might not be a huge cause for concern. Nevertheless, bed bugs are an entirely different story. Spotting even one of these bugs in your home means you’re soon going to experience big problems. It is pertinent to identify the infestation immediately so you can eradicate the pests before they spread.
Why Just One Bed Bug Is A Problem
There is always a slim chance that a bed bug found its way into your clothing and hitched a ride home with you. This could have been from a friend’s home, or it could have been from a hotel. Where the pest came from doesn’t matter. What matters is getting a professional exterminator on the phone immediately. Unfortunately, bedbugs are one of the most difficult pests to deal with. Try tackling the problem on your own at your own peril because you’ll likely fail. Remember that bedbugs tend to do everything together. They travel together, live in massive colonies, and consume human blood together. Guess what this means? If you see one, there is a good chance that there are more nearby. When you combine this with their ability to quickly reproduce, you better hope you haven’t spotted a female bedbug. Adult females possess the ability to lay 500 eggs in a lifetime. While bed bugs are hard to spot and trap, you can usually tell the males from the females by looking at the abdomens. Male bedbugs have a pointed abdomen, whereas females have rounded abdomens. These bugs can grow anywhere from 7 to 10 millimeters in diameter. Since they’re so small, you will likely require the assistance of a magnifying glass. It is easier to team up with a licensed professional from your area.Why Bed Bugs Are Hard To Spot
You can ask anyone, including professional exterminators, and they’ll tell you that bed bugs are one of the hardest insects to spot. Bedbugs pose a handful of problems. First and foremost, they’re as thin as a credit card and they often blend in with the furniture around your home. Furthermore, they’re going to adapt to your lifestyle to ensure that they can feed without being detected. These pests are going to feed when you’re asleep. Otherwise, they’re going to hide because they don’t want to be detected. Bedbugs always take extra steps to avoid human detection. It oftentimes requires a professional to detect their presence in the home. If you are lucky enough to spot a bug, don’t waste this opportunity. Since you’ve found them out in the open, the infestation has severely worsened, so you need to get professional assistance immediately.Make Sure You Are Dealing With Bed Bugs
Even if you’re waking up with bite marks on your arms, bedbugs might not be responsible. Instead, you might’ve been bitten by fleas or mites. On the other hand, it could be a mosquito infestation. Whatever the situation, quickly confirm you’re dealing with bedbugs. Here are some of the best ways to do that:- Bloodstains: Bed bugs are parasites and they feed on human blood. They feed while you’re sleeping, so you might roll over and crush one during the night. If you find small bloodstains on your sheets, the blood might’ve been left by the bedbugs you’ve crushed in the middle of the night.
- Fecal Matter: Unfortunately, fecal matter stains can be found in the same locations. The only difference is that it’ll look like black inkblots. Bedbug feces can be found on furniture and mattresses.
- Exoskeletons: Bed bugs shed their skins as they grow. When they do, they leave behind their old, delicate, molted, and near-translucent skin. The exoskeletons will look just like the bug itself, but it will be clear.
- Egg/Egg Casings: No one wants to find eggs or egg casings because it means more bugs are on the way. Although bedbug eggs are usually the size of a pinpoint, you can spot them if you look hard enough and in the right spots.
- Bite Marks: Not everyone reacts to bed bugs bites. If you do, the marks will look like mosquito or flea bites. They’ll show up on your ankles, feet, shoulders, arms, neck areas, and face. Be sure to look at the parts of your body that touch the mattress at night.
- Musty Smells: You know that sweet soda pop syrup smell? It smells kind of musty and satisfying at the same time. This could be the presence of a lot of bed bugs.
