Why Bed Bugs Invade San Mateo Homes And How To Keep Them Out

What Are Bed Bugs?

A bed bug is an unassuming insect in terms of size. It isn't going to startle you like a big, hairy wolf spider or a large, ugly Palmetto bug. If you are fortunate to uncover a bed bug, you may not even know it. At full size, a bed bug is just over ? of an inch in length. The newly hatched nymphs are much smaller, measuring in at 1/26 of an inch. You may not notice the tiny speck sitting on the corner of your box spring, but we hope you do. Bed bugs bite. Are bed bug bites dangerous? No, but over time, small bumps will turn into large, uncomfortable welts. One way you can stop this from happening is to learn how to identify bed bugs. Here are some tips.

Bed bugs hide in tight spaces. You may have to probe along seams, inside pockets, and under labels to find them.

Bed bugs hide in dark spaces. You may have to examine around rips, tears, holes, and recesses in furniture.

An adult bed bug is about the same size, shape, and coloration of an apple seed. It has six legs, two tiny antennae, and a large abdomen. The abdomen may have blood in it, causing the bug to look redder. It may also have no blood in it and you may notice the black feces inside the bug. In dim lighting, bed bugs sometimes look like black insects.

A baby bed bug is pale, oval, and has six legs. If it has had a recent blood meal, it will appear bright red.

As bed bugs grow, they shed their skins several times. You may see these skins or other warning signs when you perform an inspection. The other warning signs to look for are black fecal spotting, dried brown blood stains, and tiny white eggs. You may also use your nose to detect bed bugs. Some compare the smell to coriander.

You can use these tips to locate bed bugs inside your home or to find them before they hitch a ride home with you. Yes, if you're not aware, this is what bed bugs do. They climb in your stuff while you're away from home. When you bring your stuff home, the bugs come out of your stuff and resume their normal activities, which are feeding, breeding, and hiding. But bed bugs don't just come home with you inside your stuff. There are other ways they can get into your home. It is critical to know how this works.   

All The Ways Bed Bugs Can Get Into Your Home

It is common knowledge that people can pick bed bugs up at hotels and motels. You are likely also aware that bed bugs commonly use luggage, clothing, and pocketbooks. But they can get into anything. They can get into an alarm clock, computer, cardboard box, etc. Anything with a void inside will provide a hiding place for bed bugs. Here are a few more facts to consider.

• Bed bugs can come into your home inside these objects even when you don't bring them back from a trip. If you buy a used computer, piano, guitar, or box of stuff, bed bugs can hitch a ride into your home. Any item that has a void may have bed bugs inside. Always perform an inspection.
• Bed bugs can come into your home with other people. You're not the only one who can bring a bed bug-infested item into your home. You kids can bring bed bugs home from a sleepover. Adult kids can bring them home from a university dorm room. Your family can bring them over. Your friends can bring them over. Anyone who stays in your home can accidentally carry bed bugs into your home.
• While rare, it is possible to get bed bugs during the day. It can happen even if you don't have someone spend the night. All that is required is darkness. Bed bugs avoid the light. But an object placed in a dark space or next to another object, can allow bed bugs to transfer.
• Bed bugs get into wall voids. If you live in an apartment, you could get bed bugs from an adjacent neighbor.
• You can get bed bugs from a taxi cab, bus, train, or plane. These insects can climb out and tuck themselves into tiny gaps in seat cushions.
• You can get bed bugs when you go to the movie theater. While these insects don't prefer to feed during the day, they do what they have to in order to survive.

You don't have to live in fear of bed bugs. They aren't always found in these places. We don't want you to get nervous every time you go to the movies. We just recommend taking a quick examination of your seat and taking notice if you smell coriander. If you spend the night somewhere, take a moment to check your bed and the surrounding furniture for black fecal spotting and brown blood stains. A quick and simple check may prevent a bed bug infestation in your home.   

Why Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Control Methods Usually Fail

What do you do when you find bed bugs in your home? You may immediately go to the internet to learn bed bug control techniques for your home. But keep in mind that most of those "online experts" aren't experts at all. They use speculation and second-hand knowledge to develop tips and videos to share with you. Unfortunately, bed bugs behave in ways that can make people think they've had success with their control methods when they actually haven't. The primary reason bed bug control fails is a lack of knowledge. Can you catch bed bugs with traps? Yes, but not all of them. Can you stop bed bugs from getting into your mattress and box spring by applying encasements? Yes, but bed bugs can hide in walls and other furniture. Can you apply a treatment product to eliminate bed bugs? Yes, but these insects know how to avoid danger and are born with some immunity to common control materials.

Bed bug control is a process, not a product. There are many products that work to manage and control bed bugs. When used in a multi-pronged strategy, they can succeed at arresting a bed bug infestation. But untrained individuals lack the training and experience to apply these products successfully and often prolong their suffering by attempting treatments. You can avoid wasting money, time, and energy by letting a professional address your bed bug infestation.       

Contact The Professionals At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs

If bed bug control was easy, bed bugs would be extinct. It is as simple as that. Our recommendation is to contact a professional at the first sign of a bed bug infestation. Take pictures of what you're seeing in your home to help your professional diagnose the problem quickly, but please consider refraining from applying control products. You can make the bed bugs in your home harder to control if you apply a product and cause them to disperse, or you can make them adapt and become resistant to the materials you use.

If you're in San Mateo, contact Pacific Pest Management for assistance with bed bug control. Our service professionals use trusted control methods to target and eliminate bed bugs. When greater control is required, we can perform fumigations, which treat every hiding place inside structures. Our methods are field-tested and developed by experts in the industry. We know what is needed to make sure no bugs remain in your home. Contact us today for a free inspection or answers to your questions. We're here to help.