Bed bugs are right up there with ticks and cockroaches on the scale of bugs that we never want to see or encounter.
They’re disgusting. They literally drink your blood and they’re a pain to kill.
Still, you shouldn’t ignore bed bugs. If you’re worried you may have a bug problem, here’s how to find bed bugs.
Check Common Hiding Spots
Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded mammals, such as humans.
They get their name because they prefer to feed when their host is asleep. As such, they like to hide in your mattress during the day and creep out at night to feed. Because of this, the first place you should check is your mattress.
That said, bed bugs will hide anywhere they might reasonably feed on a host, and a few unexpected places if you have a severe infestation.
They might hide in your furniture, between cushions and seams, in the folds of your curtains, at the junction where the wall and carpet meet, under loose wallpaper, and even in electrical receptacles and appliances.
Know the Signs of an Infestation
Ideally, you should catch an infestation before it gets that bad. So you should know the signs of an infestation before it gets severe.
The first place to look is your bed. When cleaning or changing the sheets, look for any rusty or reddish stains on the bed sheets or mattress (caused by crushed bed bugs).
You should also look for eggs, which are about 1 mm large. You may also see traces of eggshells and pale yellow skins shed as nymphs grow larger.
Check for Bed Bug Bites
The expression, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite!” never sounded less comforting.
Unfortunately, bites aren’t always a reliable way to identify an infestation. Bed bugs inject an anticoagulant and anesthetic to prevent their host from realizing they’ve been bitten. Most people don’t know they’ve been bitten until several days later when a bite similar to a mosquito or flea bite appears.
That said, bed bug bites effect everyone differently. Some people have no reaction and don’t show visible signs of bites. Others are allergic to bed bugs and can react adversely.
For those times you see any signs of bed bugs, whether it’s a bite or infestation, keep an exterminator’s contact information handy. You want to deal with the problem as soon as possible to prevent further infestation.
Figuring Out How to Find Bed Bugs
Look, we get it. No one actually wants to know how to find bed bugs. That would involve, you know, finding bed bugs. Which means there are bed bugs in your house and you might not ever sleep again until you kill them all with extreme aggression (and possibly fire).
The most important thing to remember about a bed bug infestation is that you shouldn’t panic. A good exterminator may be able to save your possessions, and you don’t want to spread the infestation to other places by disposing of your possessions poorly.
If you need more advice on how to deal with life’s nasty surprises (and even a few of the pleasant ones) check out our blog for more useful tips.
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