WHERE BED BUGS LIVE

The bed bug epidemic across the United States has wreaked havoc on many homeowners. Our warm Sacramento climate is ideal for bed bugs. These parasites are excellent travelers, hiding in clothing, bedding, and suitcases and making new colonies in homes and businesses across America. Bed bug infestations can cause anxiety and embarrassment. If you have guests over, can you assure them they won’t carry bugs with them, leading to their own infestation?

Bed bugs are creepy. These sneaky little villains are literally out for blood! They live exclusively off the blood of humans and animals, feeding at night. They’re cunning little insects. They detect the chemical signatures of sleeping prey. To keep their prey from waking, they inject a numbing agent and an anticoagulant to keep the blood flowing.

Although bed bugs don’t typically transmit diseases, their bites can cause allergic reactions and can lead to secondary infections. A bed bug bite is similar to that of a flea or mosquito, often leaving an itchy red bump on the skin. A night of bed bug feasting on your skin leads to many itchy bites, leaving you feeling miserable. Constant scratching can lead to bacterial infections.

BED BUG BITE EVIDENCE

Bed Bug Bites on the skin can be mistaken for bites from a variety of other pests. Look for these other signs:

• Rust-colored spots on your bedding or furniture from the parasite’s fecal matter
• Small blood spots on sheets and linens
• Exoskeletons, shell-like coverings shed after the bed bugs grow and molt
• Sweet musty odor
• Multiple bites in a generally straight pattern anywhere on the body

ELIMINATING BED BUGS

Bed Bugs have small, flat bodies, making them experts at hiding and seek. Although the obvious solution may be to dump your mattress and box springs, that doesn’t ensure a bed bug eviction. They hide in the smallest crevices in furniture, suitcases, boxes, clothing, carpet, power outlets, screw holes, and even inside electronic devices. After their nightly feast, young bed bugs can go weeks in hiding without another meal, while adults can live up to a year and a half between feedings.

A thorough cleaning is indeed a good start. Wash bedding and clothing in hot water and dry on high heat. Vacuum cracks and crevices where bed bugs could be hiding. It’s important to empty the vacuum canister outside to ensure they don’t crawl out and spread to other rooms. Next, get professional help. It’s virtually impossible to find and clean all of the hiding places. Even if you do see bed bugs, without professional help, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with them. Each female can lay 5 -7 eggs each week. Each egg hatches in 10 days, quickly developing into an adult capable of mating and producing more eggs. Before long, a new colony will be out of control.