Whether or not you get professional bed bug control is a choice that only you can make. What we can say is that bed bugs are often extremely difficult to control when there is a lack of knowledge. Service professionals are trained in applying bed bug control products and can evaluate the success of treatment programs. Jacksonville residents have barriers after every turn. To start, some folks think they have bed bugs when they don't. There is much confusion about what bed bugs look like and how to differentiate their bites from the bites of other pests. Sometimes, bumpy rashes are just bumpy rashes, not insect bites. When early warning signs of bed bugs are properly diagnosed, the challenges don't end. Some residents work hard to address infestations only to have bed bugs continue to invade their homes from another source. That's frustrating. Join us today as we examine the symptoms of a bed bug infestation, how to stop bed bugs from finding a way into your home, and how to treat bed bugs. If you want immediate help with a bed bug problem, connect with us through our contact page for pest control in Jacksonville. Our service team members are happy to help.
The Symptoms Of A Bed Bug Infestation In Jacksonville
When you find bites on your skin in the morning, you definitely have a bed bug infestation, right? Don't count on it. We've seen a lot of false positives. Let's quickly look at a few facts that are not commonly understood about bed bug bites, insect bites in general, and the rash associated with bed bug bites.
- The itchy and rashy bump you get on your skin when an insect bites you is due to an allergic reaction. It can take hours for a wound to become a noticeable irritation. You can find an itchy wound on your skin when you wake up in the morning that is not from an indoor insect.
- There are a few pests that can bite you while you sleep. We're sure you are aware of many. Mosquitoes, gnats, spiders, fleas, and ticks are all common. These pests can leave wounds on you when you sleep. You can easily tell bed bug bites because they follow a pattern. Each individual bed bug typically bites three times in a line or close to it. When more than one bed bug bites your skin, you'll see the bites in one area, and they'll look like a path across your skin. All other pests typically bite once and produce a random pattern of bites on the skin.
- When bed bug nymphs bite, you'll likely have minor bumps. You're also likely to have a lot of them. Infestations that begin with the hatching of nymphs from eggs usually result in dozens of bites. These bites are surrounded by an encompassing rash. You may know this but, if you do, it can work against you. There are a few things that can cause a rash that have nothing to do with insects. You may have an allergy to clothing, food, or something else. It is also possible to have a rash that looks like bed bug bites but is actually an allergic reaction to hairs on carpenter beetle larvae. Carpenter beetle babies sometimes feed on linen and come in contact with the skin during sleep.
Do you see the challenge? But when you're armed with knowledge, you may interpret your bites and properly determine that bed bugs are the pests you have in your home. But don't go by bites alone. Inspect your home for other warning signs. It is helpful to know what to look for and where bed bugs hide. Here are some tips.
- Black fecal spotting. Bed bugs leave their black excrement as they move about in your home.
- Brown blood stains. Bed bugs excrete blood. The stains are often created in the early evening and dry before morning. For this reason, they're tan or brown rather than red. They're also often mixed with black feces.
- Shed skins. These yellowish skin fragments are typically found in creases, gaps, and cracks. Use a credit card to bring them to the surface when checking mattresses, box springs, couches, and other furniture.
- Tiny white eggs. Bed bug eggs are 1mm long and white. You might see these eggs when you use your credit card to examine crevices and seams.
- Bed bugs nymphs. You may see a tiny nymph during an inspection. Nymphs are white, six-legged little bugs. They may appear red if they've had a blood meal.
Detecting bed bugs is the first step. Once you know you have them, you need to consider what to do about them. Step one is to stop them from continuing to enter your home.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
There are some misconceptions about how bed bugs get into homes. A lack of knowledge regarding this can allow these insects to continually invade even as you work to get rid of them. You can also use the following facts to prevent a bed bug infestation.
- Bed Bugs Don't Live In Your Yard. These are almost exclusively indoor pests. You won't ever find them outside. Therefore, you can't keep them out by applying a treatment to your exterior, and you aren't going to have success driving them out of your home using repellents. Bed bugs don't want to live outside.
- You Can Carry Bed Bugs Into Your Home. When adult bed bugs get into your stuff, or a female bed bug lays eggs in your stuff, you can carry bed bugs home with you. Be cautious any time you stay somewhere away from home, even in the cleanest of accommodations.
- Your Kids Can Bring Bed Bugs Home. Bed bugs can infest a home for months without detection. If your kids visit a home with bed bugs or spend the night, they can pick some bugs or eggs up. If you have college-age kids, they can bring bed bugs home with them from dormitories and shared rental units.
- Anyone Who Enters Your Home Can Introduce Bed Bugs. When a friend, family member, or a repairperson enters your home, they could bring bed bugs in. It is unlikely, particularly during the day, but it happens.
- Bed Bugs Hitch A Ride In Used Furniture. Any used items that have a void within are able to contain bed bugs. While you may think to check for bed bugs when you buy a mattress or bed frame, remember to do so when you buy a computer, alarm clock, or piano.
- Bed Bugs Move Through Walls. Do you live in an apartment or duplex? Bed bugs can pass from one unit to another through wall voids. Keep this in mind as you work to diagnose your bed bug problem.
There are many ways you can get bed bugs, and none of them are preventable by getting perimeter pest control for your home. So, please be kind to your service provider. You can have the best year-round pest control service plan and still get bed bugs. With that said, how do you prevent them? Once again, the secret it knowledge.
How To Prevent Bed Bugs Inside Your Home
Do you remember Smokey Bear? He used to say, "Only you can prevent forest fires." We could use a mascot for bed bug control because only you can prevent bed bugs. Your service provider can perform routine inspections, but there is no way to fully prevent a bed bug infestation with a pest control service plan. Okay, so what can you do?
- Always perform a quick bed bug inspection when away from home. Use the tips provided above.
- Teach your kids how to perform bed bug inspections.
- Protect laundry items while staying somewhere away from home. Bed bugs are strongly attracted to your scent on the clothes you've worn. Put your clothes in a sealed plastic bag.
- Launder all your clothes when returning home. Soapy water and the heat of a dryer destroy bed bugs in all stages of development.
- Inspect used furniture, electronics, and other household items. Look for black fecal spotting and brown stains. You may also smell bed bug pheromones to detect them.
- When at work or school, don't put your stuff near the stuff of co-workers or fellow students. Bed bugs can transfer between the items.
Stay vigilant and you may catch bed bugs before they catch you by surprise. If these pests should find a way into your Jacksonville home, how do you treat bed bugs?
Professional Bed Bug Control In Jacksonville
We're committed to providing effective, eco-friendly pest control. When it comes to bed bugs, heat can get the job done when it is applied correctly. Our service professionals use strict protocols to heat rooms and blow heat into mattresses, box springs, and other furniture. We also suggest mattress encasements, as needed. We'll evaluate your infestation and guide you in selecting the right bed bug treatment plan for your specific needs. Reach out to us by phone or contact form for immediate assistance. You don't have to let the bed bugs bite.
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