What do bed bugs look like?
The first thing you should know about bed bugs is what they look like. They're flat and brown with a round body, making them hard to spot in dark areas of your house. Bed bug nymphs, which are the developing juvenile bed bugs, are even smaller than adults! They're also clear or white-colored before feeding.
Can you see bed bugs with the human eye?
Yes, you can see bed bugs with the human eye. If you want to start by looking for bed bugs with the human eye, look around your mattress and box spring. That's where they typically hang out since that is where they feed. You should also check other dark areas of your house like behind picture frames or anything else hanging on a wall.
What is the main cause of bed bugs?
The main cause of bed bugs is other people. Bed bug infestations are spread from person to person or can even be brought in on your luggage while traveling. These master hitchhikers can pass from person to person on public transportation, movie theaters, hotel rooms, and so on. Any time you come into contact with a person or room that is infested with bed bugs you run the risk of bringing them home with you.
What attracts bed bugs to humans?
Bed bugs are mainly attracted to humans because they use us as their food source. They feed on our blood and can survive up to a year without it. Living in the dark corners of homes and hotel rooms provides them safety from predators and an easy way to feed during the night.
What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
The most common signs of a bed bug infestation include:
- Rust colored stains on your sheets.
- Red, itchy bite marks on your skin.
- Bed bug casing (their exoskeleton) in your bed or around the floor of your room.
Do DIY bed bug treatments work?
There are a lot of claims about do-it-yourself bed bug treatments, but none have been proven to work. In fact, some even make the problem worse by causing an increased infestation or making you think your house is free from bugs when it isn't.
What's the best treatment to get rid of bed bugs?
There are a few different kinds of bed bug treatments. Those include:
Chemical treatments - these work by administering a chemical around your home that kills off the pest. It is done in all areas where the infestation is present and effectively eliminates all life stages of the bug.
Heat treatments - This treatment works by increasing the temperature of the infested area to a temperature at which the bed bugs cannot survive and kills off the entire bed bug population.
Both treatments are effective, but it is best to talk to a professional bed bug exterminator to determine which treatment would be best for your home.
