A bed bug sighting is very worrisome. Whether it be a single, handful, or hundreds of bed bugs, there is plenty of reason to be concerned. As fleas and ticks, bed bugs are hijacker insects. They are notorious for hijacking risk with unsuspecting travelers, regardless of their planned destinations. If you frequent hotels, motels, inns, and other temporary rental facilities, you are a bed bug target. Speaking of bed bugs, these insects are known for traveling and living in small-, medium-, and large-sized colonies.
To heighten your concern, adult female bed bugs continuously reproduce. In fact, a single adult female bed bug can produce up to 500 eggs within her lifetime. If the sighting is a female, you can guarantee it will become an infestation within the next few months if left untreated.
A single or few bed bugs is enough to warrant a phone call to our local Indianapolis, Indiana location. Our bed bug experts are always on standby waiting to answer the next bed bug victim’s call for assistance. It is crucial to know the difference between male and female bed bugs. The male has a pointed abdomen while the female’s abdomen is round. Keeping this in mind, you should not face any issues identifying each and every bed bug detected in your home.
Why Are Bed Bugs So Difficult To Detect?
Like other common household pests, bed bugs exhibit deceptive behaviors, such as hiding away during the daylight hours, feeding only at night, traveling long distances to claim another victim, and burrowing deep in cracks and crevices to avoid detection.
The bed bug’s tiny size and flat abdomen allow them to access some of the tiniest cracks and crevices. While they are unable to fly, their other abilities and capabilities allow them to go undetected for weeks, months, or years in some cases. The bed bug is brownish-red in color. Their body structure replicates that of an apple seed. The most commonly reported first sign of a bed bug infestation is a tiny red dot on the skin, which is no other than a bite mark.
How To Accurately Identify A Bed Bug?
Just because you discover a few bite marks on your arm, hand, upper back, neck, or chest does not necessarily come from a bed bug. Many household insects, such as the fly, flea, tick, and mosquito, are notorious for their bites. Unlike these parasites, the bed bug prefers human blood to animal blood. Carefully inspect the bed bug, assessing the body size, color, and shape. An adult bed bug measures approximately 10 millimeters in length, with six tiny legs, segmented antenna, and body that is brownish-red and oval.
It is not unusual to confuse bed bugs with other insects, such as the carpet beetle, flea, and cockroach nymph.
Common Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation
Knowing what to look for will definitely play in your favor when a bed bug sighting is detecting.
- Dark Spots – Dark-colored spots on bed linen, mattresses, box springs, and clothing are signs of a bed bug infestation. These spots could be dried blood, fecal matter, or exoskeletons of bed bugs.
- Exoskeletons – An exterior covering utilized to protect bed bugs from injuries and diseases. The exoskeleton replicates the bed bug’s body shape and size.
- Egg Casings And Eggs – Bed bug eggs are translucent in color, making them almost impossible to detect by the naked eye. Bed bug egg casings, on the other hand, are visible to the naked eye, measuring the same size as a pinpoint.
- Fecal Material – Bed bugs are notorious for leaving fecal matter in their paths. Bed bug fecal matter is dark in color and replicates a tiny spot of ink.
- Red Welts – Generally, the first sign to come to the surface is a tiny red welt on the forearm, chest, neck, upper back, and chest. These tiny edematous spots are bed bug bites left from feedings.
- Musty Scent – A musty odor is another bed bug infestation sigh. However, this is not a common sign because it is extremely difficult to detect in mild cases. Bed bug’ glads excrete a chemical that smells sweet and musty.
How To Conduct A DIY Bed Bug Inspection?
The best place to start a bed bug inspection is the master bedroom. However, this will depend on which bedroom has been impacted the most. Bed bugs do not have the ability to differentiate between one bedroom to another. So, they have no way of knowing which bedroom is the master and which bedrooms are secondary.
Bed bugs prefer living close to their hosts, where they have quick and easy access to endless blood meals after dark. So, it only makes sense to inspect your bedroom first. Remove all bed linen to access the mattress and box springs. Thoroughly inspect the mattress top before flipping it over to examine the bottom. If necessary, remove the mattress from the bed to access the box springs on the bottom.
Thoroughly inspect your bed frame before moving to the flooring, walls, and bedside table or nightstand. From here, you will need to inspect your upholstered furniture, clothing, dresser, and other storage units. What you are looking for are the common signs of a bed bug infestation. A flashlight will definitely come in handy during the inspection because most of the signs are no bigger than the tip of a pencil.
What Warrants A Phone Call To The Bed Bug Experts?
If any of the aforementioned signs are detected, you should not hesitate to contact our bed bug experts. Even if no signs are detected, you can take advantage of our free in-home bed bug inspection. This is a visual inspection that works in the same manner as a DIY bed bug inspection. However, we utilize bed-sniffing dogs with enormous scent capability to detect bed bugs hiding deep inside the tiniest crevices and cracks. Do not fret, we are here to help. Our exterminators have decades of bed bug experience that they would love to share with you.
