Facts vs. Myths: Bed Bugs In McKinney

1/15/2022

There's a lot of misinformation floating around about one of the most difficult pests to exterminate – bed bugs. With how easily they conceal themselves, bed bugs are shrouded in mystery, making them the perfect candidates for myths and tall tales. These pests may not cause any dangerous problems in your McKinney home, but they're certainly not ideal housemates, so it's important to get all the facts when you're battling an infestation.

Myth: Bed Bugs Are Too Small To See

Fact: bed bugs are clearly visible. If you can see an ant with the naked eye, you can see a bed bug. These insects are small, but at roughly ¼ of an inch long, they're still big enough to notice. They're reddish-brown, wingless, and have teardrop-shaped bodies, and while detection difficulty is partly to do with size, it also has to do with their nocturnal habits as well as mistaken identity. If you don't know what to look for, bed bugs can look like regular beetles, which is a common and unfortunate mistake to make.

Myth: Bed Bugs Only Infest Dirty Homes

Fact: cleanliness is not a deterrent for bed bugs. These pests don't care about how clean you keep your McKinney home, they only care about when they can get their next meal. More often than not, bed bugs can be found in places that are supposed to stay spotless – bed bugs regularly infest areas that are highly populated:

• Hotels and nursing homes

• Daycares, schools, and colleges

• Dormitories

• Hotels and motels

• Apartment complexes

• Malls

• Airports

• Bus stations

Myth: Bed Bugs Spread Diseases

Fact: there is no evidence of bed bugs carrying and spreading diseases. It may seem strange that a parasitic pest doesn't pass along dangerous pathogens, but scientists have done countless studies and they've found no evidence that bed bugs spread diseases. They can cause other minor health problems though, such as sleep deprivation and anemia. Their nocturnal habits make restful sleep difficult, and a large enough infestation in your McKinney home can leave you feeling pretty drained.

Myth: Bed Bugs Only Infest Beds

Fact: bed bugs can infest entire homes and even businesses. These pests may get their common name from the most likely place they infest, since nocturnal parasites will flock to areas their hosts inhabit after hours, but they aren't limited to that singular location. Bed Bugs will infest anything they can hide away within:

• Couches

• Recliners

• Bucket seats

• Bedside tables

• Carpeting

• Curtains

• Clothes hampers

• Luggage

• Electrical sockets and electronics

• Boxes

Myth: You Can Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own

Fact: bed bugs are resistant to most pesticides and are a nightmare to exterminate without help. The necessary equipment and products alone can cost over a thousand dollars out of pocket, and that's not including the time and energy you'll need to invest to successfully exterminate bed bugs, as well as an extended hotel stay while your home is under quarantine. DIY bed bug control requires constant deep cleaning, heat treatments, and fumigation, and all of the equipment you purchase to treat your home will eventually end up stored away somewhere to collect dust.

If you need effective bed bug control for your McKinney home, all you have to do is call your neighbors at Around The Block Pest Control. We have all the tools necessary to take care of your bed bug problems, and we always use the highest quality pest control products available. We offer both conventional and organic treatments for our customers to choose from, comprehensive plans to suit each customer's needs, and we don't stop until the pests are gone. You don't have to live in a nightmare anymore, so get in contact with us today to start discussing your options.

Tags: bed bugs in your home | bed bug control | bed bug prevention