"Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite!" How often did we hear that from our parents when we were young? Did they ever think bed bugs would have the resurgence they've had over the last several years?
If you think you have bed bugs in your home, you need to know how to be sure it's bed bugs, how bed bug infestations spread, how to prevent bed bugs from entering your home, and what you should do if you find bed bugs in your home. Sneak peek on that last one: You should call a professional Salt Lake City pest control company like Pest Pro Pest Control immediately.
How Can I Be Sure It's Bed Bugs In My Home?
Knowing if you have them is easy if you know how to find bed bugs and the signs that they're there. Here are a few things to look for in the creases and seams of your mattress, box spring, and headboard:
- Bed bug eggs are small and pearly white, about 1/16 inch long.
- Molt skins left behind by bed bugs outgrowing their exoskeletons five times as they grow.
- Red, brown, or black smears are where the bed bugs have defecated on your mattress.
- Nymphs are young bed bugs that are small, yellow to tan, and very flat.
- Bed bugs themselves are ¼-inch long, oval, brown, flat bugs that grow longer, rounder, and redder after they've fed.
- Bed bug bites on your arms or legs usually appear as three or four welts in a straight line or tight grouping.
If you find any of these signs, you need immediate bed bug control in Salt Lake City.
How Do Bed Bug Infestations Spread?
One way bed bug infestations spread is through embarrassed silence. About 33% of people with bed bugs never mention it to others, including visitors to their homes who may sit on infested furniture. Bed bugs are the consummate hitchhikers, quietly and unobtrusively climbing onto visitors' clothing or bags to take a ride home with them.
Another way bed bug infestations spread is through second-hand purchases. Before you purchase any second-hand furniture, you should thoroughly inspect it, with a flashlight, for signs of bed bugs. They can hide in the tiniest cracks, even in screw holes.
Once in your home, bed bug infestations spread rapidly. Females lay between one and five eggs every day, and more than 540 in their lifetime. It only takes 21 days for those eggs to metamorphose into full-grown adults who can then begin laying their own eggs. If not caught early, the infestation can spread from your bed to your carpet, other furniture, curtains and drapes, clothing, books, piles of clutter, and even into your walls. Bed bugs can go for months without feeding, so they can scatter throughout your home without care.
That's why it's so important for you to know how to get rid of bed bugs in Salt Lake City. If you see any indication that you might have them, call in the pest control technicians from Pest Pro Pest Control.
Everyday Bed Bug Prevention Tips
It's also important to know how to prevent bed bugs. Here are some tips:
- Be careful at public places where people gather, like churches, libraries, offices, retail stores, schools, daycare centers, hotels, and even on public transportation.
- Where people go, there go bed bugs.
- Watch out when you go to your friends' homes. One in five homes, or 20%, have bed bugs at any given time.
- Inspect hotel rooms for signs of current infestations before settling in.
- Wash your clothes in the hottest temperature water they'll handle, then dry them on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Bed bugs can't survive temperatures of 122° Fahrenheit.
Using these tips to prevent an infestation is far easier than combating bed bugs in your salt Lake City home.
What You Should Do If You Find Bed Bugs In Your Home
If you find bed bugs in your home, you should immediately call Pest Pro Pest Control, because we know how to get rid of bed bugs for good. We have a list of satisfied customers who have given us hundreds of five-star ratings on Google. Our ten years of experience in treating bed bugs make us the perfect choice for you. Contact us today to schedule your no-obligation consultation and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Salt Lake City.