At least one in every five Americans has had an experience with bed bugs or knows someone who has had to deal with these pesky creatures.
Surprising as it might sound, the bed bug population has been on the rise despite the many attempts to find new solutions. Part of this problem is caused by the increasing bed bugs’ resistance to typical insecticides.
If you have never had an experience with bed bugs, then the mere thought that these pests could be living amongst you is devastating. So, what are the tell-tale signs you have bed bugs in your home?
Here we take you through the different signs of bed bugs in your home you can’t overlook. Read on for more.
Contents
1Bites
Bites on your body are the surest signs that you have unwanted guests in your home. Most bed bugs can bite and will often target exposed skin. However, before jumping to a conclusion, you need to know how a bed bug bite looks.
A bed bug bite leads to a painful sensation and a raised itchy bump. The bump has a unique center, which can help you tell whether the culprit is a bed bug. Most times, the itchy spot is red with a dark center.
If the culprit is a bed bug, you should also expect to have small red bumps or welts. In some cases, the red spots may have blisters surrounding them. If you notice these kinds of blisters, then chances are you have bed bugs in your home.
2Droppings
Bed bugs have visible droppings. Even so, it takes a keen eye to realize the difference between bedbug droppings and any other particles on the bed. Bedbug droppings have a similar appearance to coffee grounds.
If the bedbug infestation in your home is high, then you might even think someone spilled coffee. The fecal spots are black with slightly raised bits. The droppings feel smooth to touch and often smear if you wet them.
It’s easy to differentiate between a cockroach’s dropping and that of bed bugs. In the case of bedbug droppings, you’ll notice traces of blood when you poke the poop. If you see such signs of droppings in your home, then you could be dealing with a pesky intruder.
3Dark Stains on Your Sheets
Bed bugs are messy creatures. If you have white or bright colors for bedsheets, you won’t miss the recurrence of an unexplainable stain on the sheets. These stains will increase as the population of bed bugs in your house increases.
Most times, these blood-sucking creatures smear reddish stain on your pillowcase or other parts of the bedsheet. If this has been happening in multiple instances in the recent past, it could be time to consider urgent intervention.
Other common places to check for such traces include the mattress. You must scrutinize your beds from time to time for any dark or reddish spots. This is among the signs you have bed bugs in your home.
4Flakes on Your Bed or Clothes
The presence of white flakes on your bed or clothes is the other prime indicator that you might have bed bugs in your house. Most times, bedbug shells appear as white, husk-like specks on the sheets, mattress, or clothes.
Did you know that bed bugs shed their skin as they grow? This unique process in their lifecycle can help you detect a bedbug infestation in your surroundings.
The flakes are small casings that are often white. If you realize that there have been recurrent instances of bits in your bedroom recently, then it could be time to crack the whip.
5Random Spotting of Bed bugs
Bed bugs are sneaky. Unless you get that one random spotting of these pesky parasites, you might never suspect an invasion. Once you notice these other signs, you might now pay more attention to finding their hiding places.
A flashlight in the dark, hidden corners of your home can help you smoke out bed bugs. If you have noticed these parasites’ flashes on more than one occasion, then the chances are that they could be more. The worst part is that bed bugs reproduce fast.
With such rapid reproduction, detecting one bedbug in the vicinity means that there could be more in hiding. At this point, calling in the Custom Bed Bug control team will help you treat and prevent a bedbug infestation in the future.
6Blood Stains on Pajamas
If you are fond of wearing pajamas or other fancy attires when sleeping, a recurrence of bloodstains on these clothing should worry you. Most times, when bed bugs infest your home and start to suck blood.
The stains result from bites, especially on the neck. If your pajamas are white or have other bright colors, detecting such red spots is easy. Unless you have other underlying skin-related issues, blood stains on your pajamas are amongst the signs you have bed bugs in your home.
7You Travel Regularly
Bed bugs are a common problem with people who travel regularly. Countries such as France continue to record a remarkable increase in the rates of bed bug infestation. As such, if you travel regularly, you may have come into contact with bed bugs.
Despite the attention on cleanliness in most hotel rooms. You’ll likely end up having one or two instances of contact with bed bugs. When this happens, your luggage and clothes become the prime transporter of these pesky parasites back to your house.
These Are the Signs You Have Bed bugs in Your Home
We all dread the mere thought that bed bugs could be living amongst us. Sometimes, bed bugs infest our homes due to the presence of favorable breeding grounds. In other cases, you might have come home from your international travels only to bring with you these pesky creatures.
If you notice any of these indicators, then they are signs you have bed bugs in your home. The best solution would be to take the necessary steps as soon as possible.
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