What are your favorite sayings? Perhaps you say: "Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater," or " It is what it is, "or " Money does not make you happy, but it certainly helps." We all have favorite sayings, but did you know there is a saying that features a pest? Researchers do not know where or when this phrase originated, but we have examples of it appearing as far back as the late 1800s. What is the phrase? The saying is, "Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite."
Bed bugs have probably been around since the beginning of our world. Fossil and text records show that they have been here at least since the time of the ancient Egyptians. These tiny insects have had such an impact on humanity that they are not only the feature of a favorite saying, but Furry Lewis recorded a song about them in 1927 called Mean Old Bed Bug Blues!
In the mid-20th century, the advent of DDT appeared to eradicate bed bugs in North America, but they have since made a tremendous comeback that CBS dubbed 2010 the "Year of the Bed Bug."
If you suspect bed bugs are in your home, you need the best pest control in Conroe, Chase Pest Control. Our family-owned and operated business has successfully fought against bed bugs in Montgomery County since 1997. We have licensed and trained technicians who know the signs of bed bugs and how to treat homes to remove them. To better equip you in your fight against bed bugs, continue reading.
Signs Of Bed Bugs In Your Home
Bed bugs stay hidden during the day and are difficult to detect due to their minuscule size. However, bed bugs leave behind these indications of a bed bug infestation:
- Eggs: Using a magnifying glass, look for cream-colored eggs in crevices in wood flooring, creases along nightstands, cracks between baseboards and walls, and mattress seams.
- Eggshells: When bed bugs hatch, they leave shells behind. Investigate the same areas mentioned above for these creamy-colored remnants.
Stains: Bed bugs draw blood from your body while you sleep, and when you roll over, you may squish a few, creating reddish blemishes on bed linens. Feces from bed bugs is another source of reddish-brown stains that appear on walls, mattress seams, box springs, and upholstery. - Exoskeletons: Bed bugs are insects, and like all insects, their skeleton is on the outside of the body. For an insect to grow into maturity, it must shed its exterior covering through a process known as molting. Bed bugs go through five growth periods, known as instars, where they shed their skeletons. Investigate for discarded exoskeletons in the same places mentioned above and in electrical outlets and cracks behind picture and bed frames.
- Odors: Bed bugs have glands on the underside of their bodies that produce a musty-smelling oily substance. When there is a concentration of bed bugs in an area, you may notice a musty-sweet aroma in the room.
- Bed bugs: Although they grow only 1/4 inch in length, you can see adult bed bugs unaided by a magnifying glass. Before the bed bug eats, it will have a flat, oval, mahogany body; after it eats, it will have an elongated, reddish-brown body. The nearly colorless immature bed bugs (nymphs) are almost impossible to see without a magnifying glass.
- Bites: You will not feel a bed bug biting you, but after a few days, you will notice red, slightly swollen, itchy bumps. These bumps may be in a straight line or randomly on your body. Although they may bite anywhere, exposed arms and legs are usually preferred locations.
When you see these signs of bed bugs, you need the best bed bug pest control near you from Chase Pest Control. When a technician arrives at your Conroe home, they will conduct a thorough inspection to determine if bed bugs are the cause of the bites and, if so, what is the extent of the infestation.
Are Bed Bugs Dangerous?
We do not like the idea of an insect piercing our skin and drawing blood because of the potential for disease. Although insects may not transmit disease when they draw blood, we know mosquitoes may spread infections like malaria and West Nile virus, ticks may cause Lyme disease, and fleas may spread tapeworm. Do bed bugs also transmit disease? Fortunately, we can all breathe a sigh of relief because bed bugs are not known to spread disease; however, that does not mean they are safe to have in your Conroe home.
In the circle of life, you have prey and predators, and bed bugs are no exception. Bed bugs may prey on human and animal hosts for their nutritional needs, but cockroaches prey on bed bugs. Bed bug removal is necessary because when they are present, cockroaches may not be too far behind, and those pests are bad news. Cockroaches spread disease by shedding bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms. They also trigger allergic reactions from the protein produced by their bodies.
Bites from bed bugs do not cause disease, but they are itchy, and when we itch, we scratch. If you are not careful, scratching bed bug bites may infect them and cause other complications. Bed bugs reproduce rapidly. For example, one female bed bug produces one to five eggs daily, and the population quickly grows to a point where it can double every 16 days. The more bed bugs in your house, the more bites you will experience, leading to discomfort and the potential for infection of bites.
Chase Pest Control provides the best pest control for bed bugs near you, so you do not have to live uncomfortably in your Conroe home.
All The Ways Bed Bugs Sneak Their Way Into Our Homes
How do bed bugs get into our houses? Unlike other pests, they do not invade from outside the home by entering through cracks in the foundation or roofline; instead, they hitchhike into the house. Bed bugs use these transportation methods:
- Folds in clothing
- Shoes
- Luggage
- Bags
- Used furniture
- Used electronics
The transportation hub for bed bugs is public locations and carriers. When you spend time in a movie theatre, hotel, motel, or any other large gathering, it is best to inspect your clothing and luggage before entering your house for bed bugs. You should also investigate these items after traveling on buses, cabs, and other forms of public transportation. To be safe, you should wash and dry clothing on the hottest setting the fabric can withstand to kill any bed bugs you may have missed upon inspection.
If you purchase furniture, ask the seller if they have had bed bugs and if they have had them in the past, avoid buying the item. Even if the seller claims the location has been free from bed bugs, inspect the item using a magnifying glass before bringing it into the house. Pay attention to seams in the upholstery, cracks, and where the fabric meets the wood.
Inspecting clothing and used furniture will help ensure a bed-bug-free home once our technicians from Chase Pest Control have removed the bed bugs from your Conroe home. Other steps you can take for bed bug control include regularly sweeping the house and suctioning out cracks in wood floors, behind bed frames, and electrical outlets. Reducing clutter from clothing, magazines, and other items will limit hiding places for bed bugs.
When a technician from Chase Pest Control arrives at your Conroe home, they can provide other tips to help keep your house free from bed bugs.
Call The Professionals At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs
The National Pest Management Association surveyed pest control professionals a few years ago. Technicians were asked on the questionnaire to rank the most difficult pests to remove from homes; 76% of the pest control professionals ranked bed bugs as the most difficult pest to eliminate from houses. Since pest control professionals stated that bed bugs are troublesome to remove, one can only imagine how it is nearly impossible for a homeowner to remove them without professional help.
Chase Pest Control provides local pest control for bed bugs in Conroe. When you schedule your free inspection, we will arrive at a scheduled time and inspect your house one room at a time. We will investigate mattresses, box springs, drawers, furniture, and other places bed bugs like to use as hiding places. If our highly trained technician determines that bed bugs are present, they will use liquid and aerosol products to treat the areas appropriately.
Because bed bugs are problematic to eradicate, we will revisit your home in the next ten days to check the area and apply retreatment if necessary. Chase Pest Control has protected people, pests, and property since 1997. Decades of experience undergirding our trained and certified technicians guarantee our success in removing bed bugs from your Conroe home. Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation inspection.