Bed Bugs
Nobody likes bed bugs. They’re gross, they’re unhygienic, and getting bit by them is miserable. One of the worst things to find when you wake up in your hotel is a host of itchy, red bites all over you. But what could be worse than that?
If they’re in your home. You can leave a hotel, but if bed bugs get into your house you’re stuck with them until you get rid of the infestation. But don’t worry, if you have a bed bug infestation it is not the end of the world. There are ways to deal with these pests, and there are pest control services that can help you get rid of them as well.
And maybe you fear you might have a bed bug problem, but you just aren’t sure. Well, here we will go over a few telltale signs of bed bug infestations and what to do about them.
What To Look For
Bed bugs are rather distinct creatures and as such are quite easy to identify. Some key features of bed bugs are;
- They are anywhere from 5 to 7 millimeters long depending on whether or not they have recently eaten, and look somewhat like ticks.
- They are oval-shaped, and almost completely flat with their legs sticking out the sides.
- They have pointed mouths and are reddish brown in hue.
- Their eggs are a yellowy white colour and get darker as they get closer to hatching.
- Shed skins from bed bugs are lighter in colour than the bugs themselves.
More than anything, you will probably know one when you see one and if you do see one you should make sure to take action immediately.
How To Identify A Bed Bug Bite
Unfortunately, bed bugs bites are often hard to differentiate from bites received from other kinds of insects or skin rashes, but there are still a few things you can search for.
Bed bug bites itch. A lot. This itching is often what will tell you that you were bitten by a bed bug, but you may also be able to identify the bite by location and density. Generally, there will be clusters of bites grouped together. Each one of these will be a small red bump that is roughly 5 millimeters wide. As mentioned before, these bites itch, but before you scratch them be warned that that only makes it worse. You might find a spot of blood on your sheets too, this is from a bed bug bite.
Bed Bug FAQ
Infestations are pretty rare, aren’t they?
Bed bugs are not nearly as rare as you would think. In reality, bed bug infestations are increasing in the 21st century, and it is never a good idea to dismiss the possibility that you could have one. Always be cautious when it comes to bed bugs.
Do bed bugs transmit diseases?
Luckily, no. Bed bugs can carry a variety of infectious diseases, but the danger of them being transferred to humans is almost non-existent.
I woke up with bites on me. Do I have bed bugs?
No. Bed bugs often bite people when they are sleeping as you are in their territory and are incredibly vulnerable, but they are not the only insects that feed on humans nocturnally. There are a variety of other insects that could be causing the bite marks, so it is important to try and use the information above to make sure you have a bed bug bite.
Signs of A Bed Bug Infestation
“Luckily, you don’t need to find the bed bugs themselves to know you have an infestation.”
Obviously, the clearest signs that you have bed bugs are bed bug bites, but there are a few other ways to figure out whether or not these pests are in your home.
Bed bugs hide in bed frames, furniture, carpets, baseboards, mattresses, and in general clutter in your room. Most often you will find them in the seams of your mattress. Luckily, you don’t need to find the bed bugs themselves to know you have an infestation.
They can also be identified by their excrement, which leaves dark brown stains on mattresses and sheets, and you may find bloodstains where they have been crushed.
Preventing Bed Bugs
Don’t stress about bed bugs too much. Even if you have them it is not the end of the world, and while you want to take care of them quickly, stressing will not help anything.
First thing’s first, if you want to prevent bed bugs from calling your house their home, make sure there’s little space for them to hide. The messier your home is, the more locations these pests have to snuggle into, so make sure to tidy up often.
This one should be obvious but wash your sheets. If you happen to have bed bugs or bed bug eggs on your sheets, a cycle in the washer will do a lot of good to get rid of some of them.
Vacuuming can also get rid of some bed bugs and should be done often if you fear you have an infestation.
If you have bed bugs or even think you do, be very careful not to pass them on to others. They will take blood from wherever they can get it, so if you come into contact with somebody else while you have bed bugs, you could well give them to that person. If you get rid of an item that has bed bugs, make sure to destroy it so that nobody else uses it.
Bed Bug Removal in Brisbane
What if it is too late for prevention and the bugs are already there? Then you are going to have to go on a bit of a hunt.
Take apart your bed frames to find their hiding spots and get rid of them at the source. Take out the drawers of your dresser. Caulk around baseboards or cracks where they could hide. Clean and vacuum anywhere that you think the bed bugs might be hiding. Anywhere that offers isolation, protection, and shade is a perfect place for them to live and breed.
Bed Bug Extermination
Sometimes you need a professional to get the job done. If none of the above tips is fixing your bed bug problem, pest control is the right way to go. Pest control companies are trained to deal with these kinds of situations and will be able to easily and efficiently fix your bed bug problem.
But where should you go? Pest Control Southside is the way to go.
Pest Control Southside is the premier pest control service around Brisbane and is easily the most trustworthy company to bring your business to. If you don’t want to run the risk of having your infestation pop back up again weeks after you supposedly had it ‘fixed’, Pest Control Southside is the way to go.
Don’t hesitate to give us a call and make an appointment to get rid of your bed bugs.
List of Brisbane suburbs we cover:
Southern Suburbs
Acacia Ridge – Algester – Annerley – Archerfield – Burbank – Calamvale – Coopers Plains – Darra – Doolandella – Drewvale – Durack – Dutton Park – Eight Mile Plains – Ellen Grove – Fairfield – Forest Lake – Greenslopes – Heathwood – Holland Park – Holland Park West – Inala – Karawatha – Kuraby – Larapinta – MacGregor – Mackenzie – Mansfield – Moorooka – Mount Gravatt – Mount Gravatt East – Nathan – Pallara – Parkinson – Richlands – Robertson – Rochedale – Rocklea – Runcorn – Salisbury – Seventeen Mile Rocks – Sinnamon Park – Stones Corner – Stretton – Sumner – Sunnybank – Sunnybank Hills – Tarragindi – Tennyson – Upper Mount Gravatt – Wacol – Willawong – Wishart – Yeerongpilly – Yeronga
Logan City
Bahrs Scrub – Bannockburn – Beenleigh – Belivah – Berrinba – Bethania – Boronia Heights – Browns Plains – Buccan – Carbrook – Cedar Creek – Cedar Grove – Cedar Vale – Chambers Flat – Cornubia – Crestmead – Daisy Hill – Eagleby – Edens Landing – Forestdale – Greenbank – Heritage Park – Hillcrest – Holmview – Jimboomba – Kagaru – Kingston – Logan Central – Logan Reserve – Logan Village – Loganholme – Loganlea – Lyons – Marsden – Meadowbrook – Mount Warren Park – Mundoolun – Munruben – New Beith – North Maclean – Park Ridge South – Park Ridge – Priestdale – Regents Park – Rochedale South – Shailer Park – Slacks Creek – South Maclean – Springwood – Stockleigh – Tamborine – Tanah Merah – Underwood – Undullah – Veresdale Scrub – Veresdale – Waterford West – Waterford – Windaroo – Wolffdene – Woodhill – Woodridge – Yarrabilba
Redland City
Alexandra Hills – Amity Point – Birkdale – Capalaba – Cleveland – Coochiemudlo Island – Dunwich – Karragarra Island – Lamb Island – Macleay Island – Mount Cotton – North Stradbroke Island – Ormiston – Point Lookout – Redland Bay – Russell Island – Sheldon – Thorneside – Thornlands – Victoria Point – Wellington Point