HOW TO IDENTIFY BEDBUGS AND HOW TO GET RID OF THEM?
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As a kid, you may have found the nursery rhyme “Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite” endearing. That is probably because you didn’t know bedbugs were real and could be hiding in your mattress. These tiny critters may go unnoticed until bedtime when they steal out of cracks, crevices, and the folds of your mattress and bedding and head for the nearest warm body for a tasty meal. Bedbugs bite humans, and animals, to obtain blood so they can lay eggs and continue their species. If just the thought of bugs in your bed and furniture sets your skin to crawl, you need to know how to identify bedbugs and how to get rid of them.
The first sign that you may have bedbugs is waking up with mysterious bites on areas that are exposed during sleeping. Initially, the bites appear as tiny, painless, red dots that later turn into itchy welts. They resemble flea bites. But flea bites are typically localized to areas around the ankle. On the other hand, bedbug bites can be found in any area where your skin is exposed during sleeping.
Although you may not see bedbugs in your home because they typically hide away in dark crevices and cracks during the day, they do leave behind some distinct signs. Watch for these signs of bedbugs in your home.
After confirming the signs of bed bugs, it also helps to understand how they may have entered the home. Learn more about what attracts bed bugs and the common ways they spread.
Watch for signs of bedbugs in all areas of your home, especially if you have traveled to a location that is known to have bedbug problems. Bedbugs can be introduced to your home via luggage or even clothing that has been in an infested area. Other suspect items include used furniture.
Adult bedbugs are small, oval insects about the size of an apple seed. They range in color from light to dark brown and may appear swollen and red if they have been fed recently. Eggs and nymphs are much smaller and more difficult to see, but can often be spotted with a flashlight and magnifying glass. Eggs are white or nearly translucent and the size of a sesame seed. The bugs go through several nymph stages before they reach maturity, getting larger and darker in color at each stage. Knowing how to spot and identify bedbugs in each stage is important as an infestation typically contains bedbugs in all stages of growth.
The best way to get rid of bed bugs depends in part on how serious an infestation you are dealing with. If bedbugs are isolated to one piece of furniture or an item of clothing that has recently been brought into your home, the job is much easier. This is in contrast to bedbugs that have lived and bred in your mattress for weeks or months undetected. Try these methods of getting rid of bedbugs on your own.
The best way to get rid of bed bugs in a serious infestation may be to call in the professionals. This is particularly true if your home efforts have failed.
