Clues That You Are Infested with Bed Bugs

By Jack Hanley

Prior to World War II bed bugs were common in the United States. Then with the introduction of DDT, bed bugs were almost completely eradicated in the U. S. Although they did remain in other parts of the world. Since DDT has been banned (for good reasons) bed bugs are becoming more common once again in the States. Their rise has made it important that you know the signs of bed bugs and about bed bug detection.

Bed bugs are approximately the same size and shape of an apple seed. The make their home in furniture, especially mattresses, but will live anywhere that humans are likely to sleep or nap. That is because you are their favorite midnight snack. When it gets dark at night, they like to come out to eat. Once they are full, they scurry back to their favorite hiding place so that you are unaware of their presence.

Bed bugs may migrate into you home by hitch hiking on used furniture, luggage or clothing from hotel rooms, or even your clothing as you visit a movie theater. One female bed bug lays hundreds of eggs during her lifetime. This can lead to infestation of your own home. It does not matter if you keep your home clean or dirty. Cleanliness has nothing to do with bed bug infestation. They only need blood to survive. If they cannot get your blood, the will settle for the blood of your pets.

If a home is fully infested with bed bugs, there is a musty foul odor that fill the space. In fact, one way that bed bugs are detected is by the use of specially trained dogs that use their super sensitive noses to sniff out the bugs. Hopefully, you will be able to look for other signs of bed bugs that will allow you to get the problem under control before it becomes an all out infestation.

Since bed bugs are nocturnal, detection is often difficult. Look in cracks and creases on your bed. Look behind the headboard of your bed to see signs of infestation. If you do not see signs of actual bugs, you need to look for rust or brown spots on the bed or bedding especially along the edges of the bedding.

Keep an eye out for egg shells or discarded skins from molting bugs. Remember that your box springs offer a multitude of places for bed bugs to hide as do ripped or torn mattresses.

If you find bed bugs in the house, take immediate action to get rid of them. It will be a difficult task and you may need to call an exterminator, although many are inexperienced in dealing with bed bugs. Your mattress and box springs may need to be encased in a plastic zipper bag to prevent the bugs from eating. They will die without blood.

You will need to take immediate action any time you detect bed bugs. If you are in a hotel ask for another room. If you are in your home, you may want to get rid of a mattress and buy a new one. Just be sure that you are rid of the bugs before bringing in the new mattress. - 29895

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