How To Identify Bed Bugs In Conroe
Bed bugs are familiar because it only takes a moment to search for pictures of bed bugs. They look like apple seeds with legs. You may also know that they range in color from light yellow to rusty brown. But, what is often lost when looking at photos of bed bugs on the internet is the size of these insects. A newly hatched bed bug is only 1 mm long. That is hardly a speck. A full-grown bed bug isn't much larger. It will only grow to be about 4.5 mm in length, which is one of the reasons why bed bugs are hard to identify. It is hard to easily see these tiny insects or recognize them as bed bugs when you do see them, so even if you know how to identify bed bugs, they may outsmart you. Here are a few questions we get about bed bugs. The answers will help you with bed bug identification.
- What do bed bugs look like to the human eye? They may be a speck or a tiny insect that is hard to identify, but they're not microscopic.
- What do baby bed bugs look like? A baby bed bug is pale or slightly yellow when it emerges from its egg. While other insects may begin life as worms, grubs, maggots, or caterpillars, bed bugs begin life as insects. A baby bed bug has six legs, three body parts, and two antennae, just like adult bed bugs.
- What do bed bugs look like on skin? A baby bed bug is transparent, which means you may see blood inside the insect. The abdomen, where the blood is stored, is the largest body part. Therefore, a baby bed bug might look like a red insect.
- What do bed bug nymphs look like? A bed bug starts as a nymph and begins as a pale yellowish insect. As it grows, its color will grow darker. The reason it looks darker is that its skin becomes less transparent as it develops.
- Why do bed bugs look black? You may see pictures of bed bugs and they look almost black, or you may see them in your home and mistake them for black insects. The reason for the black coloration is that black feces is seen inside them. Adult bed bugs that have not fed for a while may appear black in certain light conditions.
- What do bed bug eggs look like? A bed bug egg is tiny, just like a baby bed bug. The eggs are a pale white color. You may find them in a small batch or littered about in areas of infestation.
- What do bed bugs look like on a mattress? When you find bed bugs, you will likely find black excrement, shed skins, and brown blood staining as well. But, while they are dirty insects, these materials are often hidden in tight spaces, cracks, and voids.
As familiar as bed bugs are, you may not realize you've found a bed bug in your home. Use these facts to help you with identification. But keep in mind that you're not likely to see bed bugs in your home. They stay hidden. Not only do they stay hidden, they hide in places you may not think to look.
Bed Bugs Can Be Found In More Than Just Beds
There is no doubt that bed bugs love to hide in beds. They'll tuck themselves into the seams of mattresses and box springs, hide under labels, squeeze into the gaps around grommets, and slip right into a gap in the bed frame. But they can also hide in other places. Here are a few places you should check first.
- Under the feet of your furniture. Bed bugs get under the feet of beds, nightstands, desks, chairs, couches, and other furniture.
- In upholstered furniture. Bed bugs can hide inside a seat cushion, pocket, fabric fold, zipper, and frame crack.
- In wood furniture. Bed bugs will get into the cracks and gaps, or hide inside voids within. Technicians find them in piano seats and also inside the pianos as well.
- In electronics. Bed bugs want to be near your bed and may hide in the void of an electronic device, like an alarm clock, radio, or computer.
- In living room furniture. A bed bug doesn't need to hide in or near your bed. Bed bugs can feed on you while you're awake. Any furniture on which you sit, lounge, or sleep is fair game.
- Luggage. Bed bugs get into suitcases, carry-on bags, duffel bags, backpacks, book bags, and other items you use to carry your belongings during a trip. When you bring bed bugs home, they may stay in these items for a short time.
- Your home. Bed bugs can hide under carpet edges, behind baseboards and crown molding, inside outlets, and within your walls.
It isn't enough to know that bed bugs hide in beds. When you go looking for bed bugs, you need to consider all of the places they may hide. If you don't, they're likely to avoid detection.
How Did Bed Bugs Get Into My House?
You may already know that bed bugs are hitchhiking pests. Once again, these are well-known insects. But you may only know part of the story. We don't have to tell you that you can get bed bugs from a hotel or motel while on vacation, but do you know that you can get bed bugs when your child spends the night at a friend's house? These insects can live in the cleanest of homes and they can infest a home for months without detection. Bed bugs commonly spread from home to home without the need for a hotel or motel in between. Here are a few more ways you can get bed bugs.
- You can get bed bugs when you buy used items, not only used beds. They can be in all of the furniture items mentioned in the above section.
- You can get bed bugs from a neighboring apartment. As we pointed out, bed bugs can get into outlets and wall voids. When they do this, they can pass from one home to another.
- You can get bed bugs from work. These insects are found in many commercial environments you may not expect, such as office spaces.
- You can get bed bugs from school. These insects pass from student to student when bookbags are placed near each other.
- You can get bed bugs when you take a ride in a taxi or bus. Bed bugs are sometimes found infesting public transportation.
While you may know that bed bugs hitchhike from one location to another, it may not work the way you imagine. You can get these bugs from many places. You need to keep watch for bed bugs and warning signs of bed bug activity.
How Professional Bed Bug Control Eliminates Bed Bug Infestations
A bed bug treatment is a scientific process. A licensed technician uses trusted materials to treat hiding places and puts a light residual on surfaces as appropriate. The targeted treatment stops bed bugs in all stages of development, save for one. It won't get the bugs hiding in their eggs. The residual addresses the eggs by leaving a material that stops immature bed bugs from living to the adult stage. Your technicians will use monitoring devices to evaluate the success of the treatment. If bed bugs are detected during your follow-up visit, your technician will apply another treatment. At the conclusion of your bed bug control service, no bugs will remain active in your home.
Do you live in Conroe? If so, call us or drop us a line on our contact page for bed bug service. Chase Pest & Termite Control uses industry-leading methods and trusted materials to tackle this tough pest control job. You don't have to let the bed bugs bite.