Are the bed bugs biting?
Don’t let the bed bugs bite. You’ve heard the phrase thousands of times in your life, and there’s a reason for it. If you suffer from an infestation of these critters, your life will get complicated quickly. Here are several ways to tell if your home or hotel room has bed bugs.
What Are Bed Bugs?
These insects are small and wingless. They have an oval shape, and they’re fairly slow to move. The only reason that they’re prone to swarm your bed is that they thrive on human flesh. People carry them to different locations, and they breed like bunnies in their new nest, which is oftentimes your bed. The largest are only seven millimeters in size, so hundreds of them can occupy a small space. Even worse, they’re like tiny vampires, eating human blood to survive.
Bed Bug Bites
Many pests will bite you, so it’s important to distinguish between bedbugs and other pests. When you detect a bite, look at it in the mirror. If it’s from a bed bug, the affected area will be swollen and red. In the center part of the bite, the color is an even deeper red. You also might have a line or group of bites, which means that you’re the buffet for one or more bed bugs. Note that you might experience blisters or hives as well.
The Warning Signs
To avoid becoming a late night snack, you need to understand whether you have bed bugs. They can survive up to 300 days, which means you’ll suffer countless bites and blisters. Unfortunately, due to their minuscule size, bed bugs are only easy to spot if you have a giant infestation. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay careful attention to warning signs.
They have a distinct smell, particularly in large groups. It’s both sweet and musty, an unusual combination you’re likely to notice if there’s a swarm nearby. Bed bugs exude chemicals that allow them to communicate in groups. Another hint is if there are a few spots of blood on your mattress. Those are yours, and it means you’re getting eaten alive at night.
Other Hints
Bed bugs have exoskeletons that work as a protective shell. They shed these over time to build a stronger shell. If you notice shell-like remains on your mattress, it’s time to act. Also, since bed bugs don’t live forever, you’ll eventually start finding groupings that resemble black dust but are oval-shaped. The worst sign of a beg bug infestation, however, is if you start seeing tiny white, oval eggs in your bed. If that happens, bed bugs are nesting on your mattress. Where you sleep, they’re fertilizing lots of replacements for the next generation of the infestation. You’ll need to call an exterminator immediately if that occurs.
It’s clear that having bed bugs biting is a nightmare. If this happens to you, stop what you’re doing and immediately call a professional exterminator to save your home. Contact the experts at Beeline Pest Control at 801-544-9200.