With a little research, you can find many articles talking about how bed bugs are nearly undetectable when inside homes. They claim that bed bugs are such good hiders that you will never be able to spot them and that the only way you can find bed bugs is with professional help. This is not the case. The truth is, you can find bed bugs on your own. You just have to know what to look for. Are you ready to become a master at bed bug detection? Dynasty is here to show you how.
How Bed Bugs Get Into Homes
Bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, a gas we emit when we breathe out. We emit more carbon dioxide when we are sleeping. When out of the house, bed bugs are drawn to us and to items we interact with. Your workout clothing, for instance, is a beacon for bed bugs. The same goes for backpacks, purses, luggage, and used furniture. Once bed bugs have climbed on an item, all they have to do is wait for you to bring that item home. After this, bed bugs will typically congregate in bedrooms where they hide and wait for you and your family members to fall asleep. Just like mosquitoes, bed bugs need blood to survive and reproduce. Your job is to find them before they multiply and become a huge problem.
How To Do A Thorough Bed Bug Inspection
To do a thorough inspection for bed bugs in your home, you need to know the signs bed bugs leave behind. Here is what you should be keeping your eyes out for.
- Blood Stains (rusty colored spots)
- Fecal Matter (reddish-black dots)
- Egg Casings (extremely small, white, almost see-through)
- Live Bed Bugs (small, oval-shaped, reddish-brown bugs. significantly larger when fed)
Here is how you can look for these signs around your bedroom.
- Start by removing the blankets and outer sheets from your bed. Check these thoroughly for any of the signs mentioned above.
- Next, remove the bottom sheet protecting your mattress. Inspect this as well, as well as the top of your mattress.
- Lift up your mattress, keeping it away from your body in case of falling bed bugs. Check its seams and beneath it for signs.
- Lift your box spring. (This is where bed bugs are most likely to be hiding). Inspect beneath it thoroughly and inside if possible.
- Once you have thoroughly inspected your bed, investigate your room. Check around outlets and lighting fixtures and along baseboards and door trim for fecal matter spots.
- Finally, check cracks and gaps around your room, in floorboards, along door frames, and other places where there are cracks for bed bugs to hide in. Use a flashlight to look inside for eggs and live bed bugs.
Bed bugs will be more difficult to spot if there are only a few of them. For this reason, you'll want to do a bed bug inspection at least once a month. Keep in mind that bed bugs are sneaky and can get into your home at any time.
What To Do If You Find Bed Bugs
When it comes to finding bed bugs, all you need is a little knowledge. Eliminating bed bugs, however, is another story. Without the proper tools and training, you will be hard-pressed to get bed bugs out of your home. For this reason, the experts here at Dynasty Pest Control offer top-of-the-line bed bug extermination services. When we are on the job, bed bugs don’t stand a chance.
We also offer bed bug inspections. If you are finding bites on your skin but haven’t been able to spot bed bugs, we can come and take a look for you. If you are ready to find out what top-of-the-line pest control service looks like for your Dallas home, give us a call today.