How Bed Bugs Find Their Way Into Del Rio Homes And How To Get Them Out

Few pests can bug people like bed bugs do. They are quite unique. It isn't that they are particularly dangerous; there are many pests that are far more dangerous than bed bugs. It is that they come out at night, crawl on you while you sleep, and draw blood out of your skin. That is wrong on many levels! If you agree, we have some good news. You can keep bed bugs out of your home if you know a few simple facts. Join us today as we look at bed bugs, their behavior patterns, and how they passively move from one location to another. We'll also look at how to get rid of bed bugs and how to use the information shared in this article to keep bed bugs out of your home for good. The secret to bed bug control is to know your enemy. Here's what you need to know.

Many people still find bed bugs mysterious, even though they are now common pests. Once you learn some simple facts, you'll find that they're not mysterious at all. Bed bugs behave in expected ways. Here are a few misconceptions about bed bugs and the straight facts to help you understand what you're up against, should you ever have the displeasure of running into them.

It is hard to locate bed bugs. They're tiny, and also adept at hiding in tight spaces and dark voids, so it isn't surprising that we're often asked, "Are bed bugs microscopic?" We're happy to say that they aren't. A newly hatched bed bug is 1/24 of an inch in length. While incredibly small, you'll see one if you find one. It will grow to about 1/5 of an inch long.

Adult bed bugs look like apple seeds, but they don't always look rusty brown or seed-shaped. If you're not aware of this, it can throw you off. A newly hatched bed bug is white and has six legs and an oval shape. As it grows, it will turn tan and have some black coloration due to the fecal matter inside its body. When it reaches its adult stage, it may still not have a rusty brown coloration or a seed shape. An unfed bed bug, in the right conditions, can look like a black bug. As for the seed shape, female bed bugs aren't quite as pointed at the end of the abdomen as males. But both females and males are pointed when they have had a blood meal and are bloated. We're sure this is more than you ever want to know, but it is essential to know that bed bugs don't always look like bed bugs.

There is one more detail about bed bug identification that you should understand. A newly hatched bed bug is transparent. If you catch it feeding on your skin, it may look like a tiny red bug—or a red smear after you squish it. When bed bugs first hatch, they're hungry to find a blood meal and will take risks that the adults won't take, such as coming out of hiding in dim lighting and before bedtime. Keep watch for this stage, whether you're at home or away from home. You're not likely to see the adults unless you uncover them in a hiding place.     

The next logical fact to talk about is where bed bugs in Del Rio hide. If you want to see bed bugs before you bring them home, it is helpful to know where you may catch a glimpse of them. The common understanding is that bed bugs hide in beds. While this is certainly true, they don't only hide in beds. You can find them in couches, chairs, furniture with interior voids, electronics, musical instruments, and more. You'll have to probe cracks, gaps, crevices, and seams. You may also look for black excrement, shed skins, dried brown blood stains, or tiny white eggs.   

The last fact you need to know about bed bugs is one that you already know: bed bugs bite. But you may not know what these bites look like or how common bites are when bed bugs infest a home. 

What do the bites look like? Each bed bug will likely bite three times during a feeding. Only a handful of bugs can create many bites on your skin. You'll find the bites in one area as bed bugs feed in a group. You'll also notice that the bites are not random. You'll find them creating a trail across your skin. The reason for the trail is that each bug moves forward a little between each feeding. The trail of bites will likely have a significant rash around it. 

How often do bed bugs bite? Under the right conditions, bed bugs will come out to bite every five to ten days. But they can go longer between feedings, depending on the conditions of the environment. Often, the time between bites can cause confusion. Not seeing bites for almost two weeks can make you think your DIY bed bug control has worked when it actually hasn't. The time between bites can also cause bed bug infestations to start slow and go under the radar. So, don't get too mad if you get bed bugs from a friend. It isn't always easy to detect bed bugs at first.

Now you know what bed bugs are and some essential facts. Let's turn our attention to detection, control, and prevention. Here is how they work.

How Bed Bugs Sneak Their Way Into Our Homes

If you don't want bed bugs in your home, you need to know how to detect bed bug signs. As we pointed out, it isn't easy. Bed bugs get into tight spaces and dark voids. It helps to know how bed bugs travel. Here are some examples.

• A bed bug can climb into your luggage and ride home with you.
• A bed bug can climb into a duffel bag or laundry sack and hitch a ride.
• Bed bugs hide inside furniture, electronics, guitars, and other items.
• Bed bugs can pass through walls from one apartment to another.
• A bed bug can lay eggs in a pocketbook, briefcase, book bag, pocket, and other hiding places.
• Bed bugs are picked up in unexpected places, such as daycares, senior living centers, office spaces, movie theaters, taxis, buses, and more.

When objects move, bed bugs move with them. Inspect for black fecal matter, black fabric spotting, brown stains, white eggs, shed skins, or the presence of tiny insects.

If bed bugs avoid detection and find their way into your home, what should you do about them? Should you order some bed bug control products online and get started with DIY bed bug removal? Here is our recommendation.

Contact The Pros At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs

DIY bed bug control achieves mixed results. If you attempt to get rid of bed bugs, you'll likely only cause the bugs to spread within your home. You may also increase the time between feedings. But you'll have a hard time eliminating them. Bed bug control requires training. DIY treatments typically lengthen the amount of time bed bugs are allowed to infest a home.

We understand that you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs overnight and that you're willing to do the hard work to get rid of them. There is just no easy way to do it. If there were an easy way, we'd tell you. Professional bed bug control is a systematic and scientific methodology of inspection, application, evaluation, monitoring, and follow-up. 

While we strongly recommend a professional bed bug treatment to eliminate bed bugs, there are many steps you can take to prevent bed bugs from coming back after your treatment—or to prevent a bed bug infestation in the first place. Here are our best tips.

Tips To Prevent Bed Bugs From Coming Back

After you get bed bug control services in Del Rio, what is the next step? Using the information we're discussed thus far, let's look at bed bug prevention in a simple, step-by-step guide.

1. Always perform a bed bug inspection while away from home.
2. Always protect your laundry in a sealed bag.
3. Consider storing luggage in a sealed bag.
4. If you don't seal your luggage, consider spraying lavender on the outside.
5. Always wash and dry your clothing when you return from a trip.
6. If you have a contaminated item, such as a duffel bag, put it in a dryer for thirty minutes to eliminate bed bugs.
7. If you have a contaminated item that can't go in the dryer, store it in a freezer for four days. 
8. Keep watch for rashy bites that follow a trail across the skin of friends and extended family.
9. Always inspect used furniture and electronics.

These steps can stop bed bugs in their tracks and keep your home free of an infestation. If you ever need help dealing with an infestation, contact Gold Star Exterminators for bed bug pest control in Del Rio. Our certified technicians have the training and experience to give you the best service possible and help you get a good night's rest again. 

Gold Star has been spraying our house for a few years now and I can't express how much it has helped.  I was spraying Demon WD myself and barely made an impact on the scorpions and spiders.  after they started doing it, we have very few sightings now.  Great company.

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