Bed bugs. At one time, we thought the miracles of modern science alleviated us from this elusive, almost invisible, nightly pest. We were confident that, at least in the United States, we could check this bug off our list, but it has made a comeback. If you are reading this article, it may be because you think bed bugs are possibly invading your Quad Cities home.
Continue reading to learn more, and contact the Quad Cities pest control team from Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. We are your nationally recognized bed bug experts; we will eliminate these frustrating pests from your house.
How To Identify A Bed Bug Infestation
So you don't confuse the bites you see on your body with mosquitoes, chiggers, or another pest, early signs of bed bugs in your Quad Cities house include reddish-brown fecal stains on the walls, mattresses, and upholstery. You may also find empty shells from bed bug eggs, cream-colored eggs, and a musty, sweet odor in rooms where you suspect bed bugs.
Check for bed bugs in the following areas:
Behind the headboard
Between the baseboards and wall
Around the buttons on mattresses
Inside the box springs
Behind picture frames in the room
Bedrooms are prime locations; secondary locations involve the sleeping quarters of animals. Bed bugs can hide in spaces no wider than a credit card, so check all cracks and crevices in suspected areas.
Why Bed Bugs Like To Bite Sleeping People
Bed bugs need blood to live, grow, and reproduce. When a fertilized female bed bug bites, the blood she draws enables her to lay five to twenty eggs. A few days later, when the eggs hatch, the emerging nymphs need blood to grow. Each time a baby bed bug gets a blood meal, it goes through an instar phase shedding its exoskeleton, thus allowing it to grow. Each of the five instar phases requires a blood meal to complete. A nymph becomes an adult after the fifth instar. An adult bed bug lives 99 days to a year under optimal conditions.
Feeding for a bed bug usually takes five to ten minutes; when finished, it gathers with other engorged bed bugs in a secluded space where it remains for several days until it needs another meal. If you see little red bite bumps on your body after a night's sleep, you need the best local pest control for bed bugs to come to your aid.
How Bed Bugs Find Their Way Into Our Homes
Bed bugs are hitchhikers who tend to live in the following:
Hotels and motels
Movie theatres
City buses
Cabs
Used furniture
They hide in these locations in mattress folds, box springs, behind headboards, picture frames, and electrical outlets. In used furniture, they hide in cracks in the wood and gaps in the upholstery.
A bed bug infestation begins when the bed bugs in public, often crowded, areas attach themselves to our luggage, bags, folds in clothing, and shoes. Once we enter our homes, they detach and hide in rooms nearby a host — usually a human host. When they find a host and hiding place, they begin feeding and multiplying resulting in an infestation.
How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Home For Good
Pest control professionals consider bed bugs to be difficult to eradicate from homes. If the professionals agree they are tough to eliminate, you can rest assured that DIY methods will likely fail! Due to the high level of difficulty, you need the best pest control for bed bugs near you, Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators.
We are industry leaders in providing bed bug solutions for Quad Cities homeowners. Our experts use modern, effective treatment techniques targeting bed bugs. Contact us today and set up a free inspection. Soon, you will be able to rest at night knowing we have eliminated the bed bugs in your house.