Pest of the Month: Bed Bugs
“Why am I so itchy? What are all of these dots in my bed?” If you’re asking yourself any of these questions — your home has an infestation of bed bugs. The more you know about these pests, the better shot you have at preventing an infestation, or managing an existing one.
Breakdown
- Size: ¼ – ⅜ inch long
- Color: Brown; Reddish-Brown
- Distinguishing Characteristics: Flat, oval-shaped; younger bed bugs are lighter in color and smaller in size
- Whereabouts: Homes, apartments, hotels, and hospitals; throughout the U.S.
What They Infest
The most common places to find bed bugs are inside and around mattresses, bed frames, box springs, furniture, carpeting, curtains, clothing, electrical outlets, etc. Bed bugs will feed every few days, but can last up to a year without feeding, so don’t assume the infestation will go away on its own. Coming in contact with bed bugs can leave you with multiple itchy bites and rashes.
Pest Management
To prevent bed bugs from infesting your home, always inspect your clothing and suitcases after vacationing or sleeping elsewhere.You should also inspect any furniture before purchase and should wrap your mattress in a protective bed bug cover. When a bed bug infestation already exists, remove all clothing and valuable possessions from your home. Wash all of the clothing on the hottest washer setting to kill any bed bugs and call a pest control professional to take care of the house itself.
Blood sucking, itchiness, and paranoia doesn’t sound too fun, does it? When you need help managing a bed bug infestation in your home, contact the professionals at Knockout Pest Control. To learn more, or to schedule an inspection, give us a call at (800) 244-7378.
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