S & W Pest Management Inc : Insect Guide

Pest Guide » Stinging and Biting » Bedbugs:

Bedbugs
Color: Mahogany to rusty brown; red after a blood meal
Legs: Six
Shape: Flat; broad oval
Size: 1/4"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: No

Bed bugs were once a common public health pest worldwide. Nearly everyone has heard the saying, “Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite!” But, after the introduction of modern pest control products in the 1940s, this insect faded from the American scene. Recently however, bed bugs have undergone a dramatic resurgence and worldwide there are reports of increasing numbers of infestations. Bedbugs get their name because they like to live and feed in beds. But that's not the only place they can live. Bedbugs like to hide in small cracks and crevices close to a human environment, including, behind baseboards, wallpaper, upholstery, and in furniture crevices.

These parasites are blood feeders. Like a monster in horror movie, they crawl into beds during the night while their victims are sleeping. The bite can be painless, some people may not react to their bite. Skin reactions are common with bed bugs, their bites can become red, itchy welts. Many note a great deal of discomfort often with loss of sleep from the persistent biting. Bedbugs do not transmit diseases.

*Note that an irritation or bite experienced in bed may not necessarily be due to a bed bug infestation.

A bed bug infestation can be identified by collections of live or dead bed bugs, cast skins, hatched or unhatched eggs.

Bed bugs are still not seen much in single-family homes, but they have become more commonplace in motels, hotels, and apartment buildings. Bedbugs like to travel and will hide in suitcases, boxes and shoes to be near a food supply. Typically, an infestation begins in a single motel/hotel room or apartment and then spreads to neighboring units. Bed bugs spend the day resting in cracks or voids of furniture or walls. They are elusive, nocturnal creatures. They can hide behind baseboards, electrical switchplates, picture frames, even wall paper. They come out at night for a blood meal.

Prevention:

Vacuum suitcases after returning from a vacation.
Check your bedsheets for tell-tale blood spots.
Bedbugs are elusive creatures, it is not recomeded to treat this problem yourslef. You may think that you could "starve" the bedbugs out of your house by simply leaving for a few days, but this would be useless since bedbugs can survive more than a year without feeding.

It is important to seek professional pest management services to address an infestation.

If you would like to make an appointment with S & W Pest Management, please fill out the online appointment form or call 1-877-989-BUGS.