Have you recently had a run-in with a “Cimex lectularius”, better known as the bed bug? If so, you may as well know there is a chance your home will be infiltrated by the insect(s). While not bed bug encounters will result in home infiltration, the odds of it happening are extremely high.
More often than not, bed bug encounters take place in travel accommodations – hotels, country inns, rental cabins & chalets, and bed & breakfasts. Most travelers do not give much thought to bed bugs or any other insect species for that matter when booking their travel accommodations. This is just one reason why travelers are victimized by bed bugs, more often than not.
Does A Bed Bug Sighting Warrant Concern?
Yes, all bed bug sightings are concerning. Whether the sighting occurred in travel accommodation, college dorms, skilled nursing facilities, homeless shelters, or hospitals, the risks are all the same. However, bed bugs detected in your home are even more concerning. These tiny insects are continuously procreating, following home infiltration. Within a few months, a full-blown infestation will develop inside your home. What are your options at this point? There is only one treatment option for bed bug infestation. This treatment is no other than professional pest control.
What To Do When A Bed Bug Is Detected In Your Home?
Sightings in your home can be very stressful, even when only a bed bug is involved. Bed bugs are drawn to the unsuspecting host’s bedroom. To narrow down the possibilities, bed bugs burrow deep into the fibers of the mattress. They can also be found hiding underneath the seams and stitching.
Bed bugs can also be found hiding in the tiniest opening in wood bed frames, footboards, baseboards, and bedside tables. When the home becomes overcrowded, the bed bugs will begin to spread out into the room. In this case, the insects will seek refuge in carpet fibers, home décor, electronics, toy boxes, storage containers, and books.
When a bed bug, a colony of bed bugs, or the signs of a bed bug infestation are detected in your home, it is crucial to seek assistance from experts. Our pest control experts are on standby to take your call 5 days a week and some weekends.
Why Is A Bed Bug Sighting So Risky?
Bed bugs are continuously reproducing year-round, as there is no breeding season. The mature pregnant female will carry her eggs for no more than 17 days, at which time, they are deposited near the host’s bed. It will take another 10 days for the eggs to hatch and an additional 5 weeks for them to reach maturity. While not all the bed bug eggs will survive, the majority of them will reach maturity.
When the insects reach adulthood, they will begin to procreate. Before you know it, a few bed bugs will transition into a full-blown infestation.
Are Bed Bugs Difficult To Detect?
Yes, mature bed bugs are small insects, no larger than Abraham Lincoln’s head on the copper penny. Not only does the small size complicate detection, but also the bed bug nocturnal behavior. Bed bugs tend to adapt to their new hosts’ schedules, feeding at night and hiding during the daylight hours. This is typical behavior among all adult bed bugs.
As previously mentioned, bed bugs can adapt to their new host’s schedules. If the host is a day sleeper, the bed bugs will alter their schedule to feed during the day. Again, this is a common behavior among all species of bed bugs, as it is sometimes a necessity for survival in the human habitat.
How To Detect Bed Bugs In All Settings?
Detecting bed bugs in residential and commercial settings is extremely difficult when there is no infestation. The lower number of bed bugs, the more difficult the insects are to detect. The best and only way to detect bed bugs when only a few are present is to know the signs and hiding places.
It cannot be stressed enough the host’s mattress is more likely to become a hiding place for bed bugs than any other item in the hotel or home setting. Knowing where the bed bugs hide and what to look for when a visible sighting is not possible. This knowledge will prove to be valuable if ever you find yourself in such a predicament.
Bed bugs are also difficult to detect in residential settings because their dark coloration allows them to blend in with furniture and other items with a similar finish. Bed bugs blend in with walnut, red oak, cherry, ebony brown, and mahogany.
How Do Bed Bugs Know Their Hosts Are Asleep?
Have you ever wondered how bed bugs are able to differentiate between a sleeping host and a host awake? This has probably crossed your time at least a few times when dealing with bed bugs. It is really no big mystery, as the bed bug has sensors like all other species of insects. These sensors are in the bed bug’s antennae.
To determine if the host is asleep or awake, the bed bug relies on these sensors, which can detect heat and carbon dioxide. When humans are asleep, their bodies generate carbon dioxide and heat. Carbon dioxide is release from the human body through exhalation. With each exhale, carbon dioxide is emitted, making detection extremely easy for the bed bug’s antennae sensors.
When carbon dioxide and heat are detected, the bed bug knows it is safe to eat.
Identifying The Bed Bug
It cannot be stressed enough live bed bug sightings are rare. However, when they do occur, it is important to be fully prepared. Being familiar with the insect’s unique physical characteristics is a great place to start. The insect’s body is the shape of an apple seed, with a reddish/black or brown coloration.
Bed bugs do not grow larger than 7 millimeters in length, but only in rare circumstances. If you are trying to identify an insect species larger than 7 millimeters, you can almost guarantee it is not a bed bug.
The antennas are segmented and the legs tiny, but large enough to carry the bed bug short distances.
Do A Few Bed Bugs Justify A Call For Help From The Professionals?
Yes, a bed bug or a colony of bed bugs share the same risks. There is no sighting too large or too small to truly ignore. In fact, we highly recommend a call to our pest control experts immediately following all bed bug sightings.
Our pest control team is on standby to process your service request. Be sure to take advantage of our free bed bug inspection, consultation, and written quote services.
