How to Find and Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Your Home
Jan 31
By Take Care Termite
Most summer bugs are a nuisance, but bed bugs are among the most persistent pests you could ever deal with. A bed bug infestation can be hard to detect at the early stages, which is when you really need to tackle it.

How to Inspect Your Home for Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can hitchhike their way into your home from just about anywhere. Most homeowners want to know how to get rid of bed bugs before this happens, especially when they’re trying to sell a property. If they get a foothold, they can spread throughout the house and even travel into neighboring homes.
Detecting the presence of bed bugs in your home is a little more challenging than you’d expect. A visual inspection is rarely reliable unless it’s performed by an expert. These insects may be mistaken for other summer bugs, such as carpet beetles, and may have spread throughout your property by the time they’re correctly identified.

Nymphs are even more difficult to spot, since they are much smaller than full-grown bed bugs and lighter in color as well.

There are many other bugs that look like bed bugs or might be mistaken for bed bugs, so it is necessary to learn to identify them correctly. If you want to know how to kill bed bugs or even find them, you have to understand how do bed bugs look like, their eating habits, preferred living conditions, reproductive cycles and behavior.
Bed bug bites are not always accurately diagnosed, since they can look like rashes, hives and other skin problems, as well as bites from mosquitoes or other insects. In fact, some people display no reaction when they’re bitten by bed bugs, even if they have an infestation.

If you suspect you have bed bugs and may have been bitten, consult your doctor for bed bug bites treatment.

Rather than relying on insect bites that may or may not be from bed bugs at all, look for physical signs that may point to an infestation. Conduct a visual inspection while cleaning your room, replacing your bedding and washing your bedlinen (or when you’re staying at a hotel).
Are bed bugs visible? Bed bugs tend to hide in well-protected areas of your home when they aren’t feeding, which is why low-level infestations often go unnoticed. These tiny insects can get into even the thinnest crack, since they are only about as wide as a credit card! Listed below are some of the most common bed bug hiding places.
  • Cracks or joints on the headboard and bed frame
  • Seams, piping or tags of box springs and mattresses
  • Cracks or joints in drawers, cupboards and other furniture
  • Between cushions, or in the seams of couches and chairs
  • Inside electrical appliances and receptacles
  • Between the folds of curtains or drapes
  • Corners, edges or junctions of ceilings and walls
  • Inside or under the heads of screws
  • Under wall hangings or loose wallpaper

Knowing how bed bugs enter your home can help you prevent infestations. Where do bed bugs come from? They can get into your home from nearby properties, through wiring and plumbing, and even hitch a ride in your luggage, clothing or shoes when you return from a vacation.

In order to treat a bed bug infestation effectively, it’s important to catch it as early as possible. Follow these 4 steps if you think bed bugs may have invaded your home:

We offer a wide range of pest control services in California, including professional bed bug treatment and management. If you have a pest problem or want to know how to prevent bed bugs, we’ll be glad to help you. Get expert help from our team today!