Bed bugs seem to be one of those things that other people have to deal with. You imagine them to be found in seedy hotels or unkempt apartments. The reality is that they can be found everywhere from the fanciest hotels in NYC to your average American family home.
The problem is that they are easily brought home and can spread without you even knowing that they are there. The key is to know when you have them so you can contact a pest control company like Critter Stop and work towards getting rid of them. In this article, we will go over the signs to look out for to understand if you have bed bugs.
Look for bites
As tiny as they are, those critters can actually bite you and draw blood. They are sort of like fleas in that they look to bite you and feed off of the blood they can extract. Since they are small, bed bug bites are hard to notice at first. If they are happening during the summer, they are usually brushed off as being mosquito bites.
To differentiate them from mosquito bites, you will notice that they are in clusters where you have the bites. A mosquito bite will often be a lone bump with some others scattered around. These bites will occur in patches of many bites in a small area.
When you see those patches and they are very itchy then this is a good sign that you have some bed bugs in your house. Another thing to consider is how you would get those bites from a mosquito if you are under the covers in bed. The key is to look for some other signs to know for sure.
Look for stains
Bed bugs love the environment in your mattress. This means that it is likely that this is where you are getting bitten. Take a look at your sheets to determine if they have any stains from the blood from your bites. If they are on your sheets biting you at night then this is where you will see small stains of blood.
Then, take a look under the sheets. If you see smaller brown spots or streaks then this is their excrement and is the surest sign that you have bed bugs.
They smell
As tiny as they are, these creatures have a very peculiar smell. When they multiply and are found in big numbers, there is a distinct musty odor that comes from them. This can often go unnoticed if you feel like it is something mildew or musty. For instance, if you took a sheet out of the closet that has been in there a while but was put away when it was still damp. This is the type of smell to look out for.
If you notice any of these signs then it is time to call a pest control agency. These bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of on your own. A professional can root them all out and has the tools to do it effectively.
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