How To Identify A Bed Bug Infestation In Your Nashville Home
When stressful situations emerge, it's easy to close your eyes and pretend they don't exist, but if you ignore a bed bug infestation, it'll only worsen. Luckily, bed bugs aren't dangerous, but they are some of the most unpleasant nuisance pests any homeowner can encounter. The best way to protect your home from pests is to understand them, so it's time to learn more about bed bugs and how they infest Nashville residences.
Know What Bed Bugs Look Like
Most people think that bed bugs are too small to see with the naked eye, but that's not true. Before feeding, bed bugs are roughly 1/4 inch long, so they're big enough to see without a microscope. They're small, reddish-brown, wingless creatures with six legs and two short antennae. Bed bugs look like your average beetle or apple seed, so they're often mistaken for something less pesky. They're also nocturnal pests that hide in cracks and crevices during the day, making them difficult to discover early in an infestation.
Know Where To Find Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are parasitic pests, so they congregate in public spaces with high foot traffic like bus stops, airports, shopping malls, hotels, and multi-residential properties. These pests can't travel long distances, so they depend on their hosts to carry them to new places. If you have an infestation in your Nasvhville home, though, bed bugs hide in the most inconspicuous spots:
- Mattresses
- Upholstered furniture
- Laundry baskets
- Bedframes
- Wallpaper
- Electrical sockets
- Carpeting
- Rugs
- Pet bedding
These pests are prevalent in the United States, so it's essential to know how to avoid bringing bed bugs into your home. If you travel a lot, thoroughly inspect your hotel rooms before settling in for your stay, then wash and dry your linens in the hottest settings when you return home. Curbside furniture may seem like thrifty finds, but you don't know what kind of house they came from, so play it safe and leave them alone. If you shop at secondhand stores, inspect clothes and furniture before purchasing them. Finally, depend on your local pest control company for bed bug infestations if all else fails.
Know The Signs Of Bed Bugs
Too often, homeowners mistake bed bug evidence for regular household grime. Every home has its fair share of dirt, but a large enough bed bug infestation will even coat the walls with gunk! You don't want an invasion to get out of hand, so here are some easy tips for spotting bed bugs in your Nashville home:
- Bite marks – bed bugs feed in rows and zig-zag patterns. They leave itchy red welts on exposed skin while their host sleeps.
- Reddish-brown stains on bedding – since bed bugs are nocturnal feeders, they get crushed during their midnight meals. They also defecate while they eat.
- Grimy buildup – you will find it on the seams of furniture, mattresses, bed frames, carpeting, and even coating the walls in dark brown stains and dirt. Eggs, shed skin, excrement, and dead carcasses collect where bed bugs nest.
- Sweet, musty odor – a large enough infestation will have a strong smell reminiscent of cilantro or berries. This comes from their pheromones which they use to communicate with each other.
Bed bugs can survive for months without a blood meal, with some even surviving up to 400 days. Don't try to get rid of an infestation on your own. If you think you have an infestation in your home, call your friendly neighborhood Nashville bed bug control company for help.
How To Deal With Bed Bugs
These pests might not be dangerous, but they certainly aren't pleasant house guests. Some people even develop anemia from a large enough bed bug infestation, and since they're resistant to many pesticides, you don't want to deal with bed bugs on your own. Our trained pest experts at Urbanex handle all kinds of unwanted invaders, including bed bugs, and we always use family-friendly pest control products in our treatments. We offer free inspections, thorough treatment plans, and if you purchase general pest control with your bed bug treatment, we cover any future bed bug infestations free of cost. You won't find that deal anywhere else, so if you're ready to sleep easy and pest-free, contact us today for more information.
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