Bed bugs aren’t like other insects. They aren’t attracted to regular food consumed by humans or pets. Instead, they only eat blood. If you see these small, blood-feeding bugs in your home, you will need the help of a qualified Chesapeake bed bug exterminator.
At Hawk Mosquito & Pest, We have the best solution to your bed bug problem and know how to effectively eradicate these bothersome bugs from your property.
Visual Clues: Identifying Bed Bugs By Appearance
Bed bugs are small insects with six legs and dark-colored bodies that are wider at one end. An adult bed bug is only about ? an inch long and looks like a medium-sized apple seed. When they haven’t fed, their bodies are usually dark reddish-brown. After taking a blood meal, they typically turn to a mahogany or deep-red color, and their bodies will swell and become more elongated.
These tiny bugs can hide in your electronic devices, under the folds of your mattress, and other hard-to-reach areas. While they are technically able to be seen with the naked eye, their small size makes them difficult to see at a glance; many homeowners will notice other telltale signs, which could include:
- Discarded skin casings
- Blood stains on sheets and bedding
- Seeing fresh bug bites regularly
- Dark fecal spots
If you see any of these signs, you likely already have an infestation in your home. An experienced bed bug inspector can look through your home and determine how severe the infestation is.
Bites And Rashes: Symptoms Of A Bed Bug Invasion
Bed bugs are a type of insect. While they are in no way related to ticks, many people compare bed bugs to ticks because of the unique way they can bite you and drink your blood without you realizing it until the bug is gone. Unlike ticks, bed bugs don’t spread any harmful diseases or illnesses. However, they can leave irritating bug bites on your skin that can be extremely itchy and cause you to lose sleep. Some homeowners have told our bed bug exterminators that the bites were so irritating that they had trouble focusing and completing tasks.
Many bed bugs will bite you more than one time. Many people usually find bed bug bites in a cluster or a zig-zag pattern on their skin. Some people may also develop a rash or skin infection after receiving bed bug bites.
Don’t Let Bed Bugs Take Over Your Home: Call Us Right Away!
Female bed bugs need to consume blood to reproduce. As long as there is a reliable food source, the female bed bug can lay between one and seven eggs a day. If the female has a regular blood meal, she can typically lay between 200 and 400 eggs in her lifetime.
Their small size and high reproduction rate make bed bugs exceptionally invasive. These silent invaders don’t usually respond to over-the-counter pesticides and other DIY bed bug solutions. To eliminate every bed bug from your home, you must have a professional pest control technician apply a specialized bed bug treatment to your home.
To ensure the bed bug infestation does not become too severe, call our Hawk Mosquito & Pest professionals at the first sign of bed bugs in and around your home.
Long-Term Bed Bug Prevention: Tips To Prevent Reinfestation
Once you have eliminated the bed bugs, there are a few proactive steps that you can take to ensure that you never have to deal with a bed bug infestation again. Some of the best preventative tips include:
- Use a protective cover around your mattress and box spring.
- Inspect used furniture or clothing before bringing it into your home.
- Wash and dry all clothing items on high heat when returning from vacation.
- Inspect under the bed and around the furniture of a hotel room when vacationing.
Regular bed bug inspections in your Chesapeake home are another great way to ensure the bed bugs don't return. At Hawk Mosquito & Pest, we can eliminate any infestation and keep the bed bugs away for good. Give us a call today to get your free quote.