Bed bugs are opportunistic nuisance pests that feed on blood. Their preferred meal is human blood, so they hang out where you spend most of your time: in your bed. However, they don't necessarily stay there. They can spread to your other furniture, carpeting, clothing, and bookcases.
Bed bugs are challenging pests to control and prevent, but with a little help from the Del Rio pest control experts at Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio, you can maintain a bed bug-free home.
How to Identify A Bed Bug Infestation
You need to know how to find bed bugs in Del Rio to determine whether you have an infestation. The first place you should look is your mattress.
Hiding in the seams, you may find:
- Red, brown, or black spots where bed bugs have defecated
- Pearly white eggs that are about 1/16 inch long
- Yellow to tan exoskeletons that have been shed as bed bugs grow from nymphs to adults
- Nymphs that can be as small as the period at the end of a sentence
- Full-grown bed bugs, which are about ¼ inch long, oval, brown, and very flat unless they've fed recently, in which case they're longer and fatter
You may also notice bed bug bites in a straight line or a small grouping of three or four welts on your arms and legs. Bed bugs inject an anesthetic, so you don't feel the bites as they happen, and you only get welts if you're allergic to their saliva. About 30% of the population isn't, making it harder to tell if you have bed bugs.
Another sign of a bed bug infestation is a strangely sweet, musty odor. This smell may be particularly strong in your bedroom if you have large infestations.
How Dangerous Is It To Have Bed Bugs In My House?
The greatest danger posed by bed bugs is an allergy to their saliva, which is what gives you the welts from their bites. If you're severely allergic, you could develop hives or have trouble breathing. If that's the case, you should seek immediate medical treatment. However, that's exceedingly rare. Despite feeding on blood, bed bugs can't transmit any blood-borne diseases.
While we classify bed bugs as nuisance pests, anyone who has dealt with an infestation can tell you that these bugs are more than just an annoyance. Infestations can lead to an incredible amount of stress unless you know how to get rid of bed bugs.
All The Ways Bed Bugs Can Hitch A Ride Into Your Home
To know how to prevent bed bugs, you need to know how they come into your home. They can't jump or fly as some insects do, so bed bugs hitchhike. They'll climb onto your shoes, clothes, bags, or other belongings and let you carry them home.
You can find bed bugs anywhere people congregate, including:
- Hotels and motels
- Libraries
- Schools
- Daycare centers
- Office buildings
- Retail stores
- Movie theaters
- Churches
- Public transportation
- Taxis
Given the variety of places bed bugs frequent, it can be impossible to avoid them completely. If you do end up with an infestation, you'll want to know how to get rid of bed bugs in your Del Rio home permanently.
What's The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?
The fastest way to get rid of bed bugs is with the help of professionals who deal with bed bug control in Del Rio, like Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio. You shouldn't try to DIY a solution to your bed bug infestation; 76% of pest control professionals agree that bed bugs are the most difficult pest to eradicate. That's why you need professional help to get rid of them fast. At Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio, we train our pest management professionals to handle bed bugs safely, effectively, and conveniently.