When we sleep, we are at our most vulnerable point. It’s a time when people are unconscious and usually unaware of their surroundings. This is when bed bugs are known to feed. Bed bugs are blood-feeding insects that feed primarily on humans, although they can feed on other warm-blooded animals. They are often found around beds and couches because these locations put them close to resting hosts. If you think you’re having a problem with bed bugs, it’s probably time to give a good Broken Arrow Exterminator a call.
In this article, I want to take a good hard look at bed bugs and see how we can defend ourselves from them. The first thing to know about bed bugs is the signs. If you think you have bed bugs, start by checking your sheets and pillowcases. Small reddish or rusty stains and dark fecal spots can be signs of bed bug activity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists stains, dark spots, eggs, shed skins, and live bed bugs among the signs to inspect for.
From there, pull the sheets off the bed and start looking in the mattress seams. This is a common place for bed bugs to hide. If you see live bed bugs, shed skins, or eggs, that is strong evidence of a bed bug problem. Adult bed bugs are roughly apple-seed sized, flat, oval, and reddish brown. Their eggs are tiny, pearly white, and much smaller than a grain of rice. Their shed skins can look like pale, hollow versions of the insect.
If any of these things are present, you may have a bed bug situation. Many people go to a hardware store, buy an over-the-counter product, and try to deal with the problem themselves. The difficulty is that bed bugs can hide in very small cracks and crevices, and eliminating an infestation can require more than one control method.
Some bed bug populations have developed resistance to commonly used insecticides, including some pyrethrins and pyrethroids. Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers, while pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals designed to act similarly. Resistance does not mean that every product in these groups always fails, but it is one reason bed bug treatment can be difficult. University of Kentucky Entomology discusses bed bug biology, detection, insecticide resistance, and professional treatment approaches.
The best move when you have an established infestation is to call a good Broken Arrow Exterminator who can evaluate the situation and select an appropriate treatment plan. Depending on the infestation and products being used, professional bed bug management can combine methods such as labeled chemical treatments, heat or steam, monitoring, and other integrated controls.
If you think you’re having problems with bed bugs, it’s time to call a Broken Arrow Exterminator that cares. TermMax Pest Control specializes in pest problems including bed bugs, and we can help determine the right approach for your situation. Call us today.
