An unfortunate side effect of the increased travel and use of public spaces we've experienced lately equates to an increase in bed bug infestations. It doesn't take much more than setting your suitcase on the floor in a public place or picking up a book at the library to end up infesting your home with bed bugs.
Bed bugs are tiny insects, less than a quarter inch in size, with a body shaped similar to an apple seed. They're usually mahogany-colored but change to reddish-brown as they feed. Their favorite food source is human blood, and they can swell to almost double their size after feeding.
In Austin, bed bug infestations continue to be a serious problem, so let's take a look at how to identify signs of bed bug infestations, options for DIY bed bug control, and, if that fails, how to find reliable pest control in the Austin area.
Sure Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bug infestations can be tricky to spot. Bed bugs are small and nocturnal; their young (nymphs) are translucent and very hard to see with the naked eye. Bed bugs are also experts at hiding in places that we would not think to look.
Watching for the following signs of bed bug infestations will give you a leg up in your fight to rid your Austin home of bed bugs:
- Reddish brown fecal spots on the bedding
- Bed bug bites often arranged in clusters or straight lines
- Blood spots on the bedding left as they feast on your blood
- Bed bug eggs, usually found in the crevices of the bed frame
- Musty odors created by the bed bugs and used to communicate using pheromones
Bed bug bites often go unnoticed for days because they inject an anesthetizing solution, similar to their cousins, the mosquitoes.
Why Bed Bugs Like To Bite Sleeping People
Bed bugs in Austin are nocturnal and remain hidden during the day. Since there is practically no chance that you would actually feel the bite as they attack you, they don't have to worry about being discovered and squished, as often happens with mosquitoes.
When bed bugs haven't eaten, they're tough to spot, but as they feed, their color changes to a much more noticeable reddish brown, and they become much larger in size.
DIY Bed Bug Control Is A Waste Of Time And Money
To successfully rid your house of an insect infestation, you have to spot and react to it at the very early stages. Once the colony establishes itself and your home has a full-blown infestation of live bed bugs and their eggs, the chances you'll be able to remove every one of them by yourself are pretty slim.
Bed bugs often go unnoticed until the colony is fully developed. Each female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs, and each egg will develop into an adult bug that can wait up to a year and a half for its next meal.
The Most Successful Way To Get Rid Of A Bed Bug Infestation
If you suspect your house has bed bugs, your best and frankly only reliable bet is to get professional bed bug control services in Austin. A well-trained pest control professional can fall back on their experience to pick the proper bed bug removal techniques and ensure your home is free of these disgusting invaders. They'll also be able to get rid of all the bed bug eggs and avoid a reinfestation at a later date.
If you can't get a wink of sleep due to bed bugs setting up camp in your Austin home, give Aries Pest Control a call today for a free inspection and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Austin.