How To Tell If It's Bed Bugs In Your McKinney Home

7/15/2021

Waking up with itchy welts all over your body is never fun, but how can you know what the culprit is? Fleas are easy to pinpoint since they're active all day, and everyone knows the siren call of the house mosquito, but what about bed bugs? Often called the hitchhikers of the pest world, these parasitic insects regularly go undetected for months because they hide so effortlessly during the daylight hours, and they're usually mistaken for other insects as well.

Bed Bug Appearance In All Stages Of Life

Bed bugs are flat, oval-shaped, reddish-brown insects that only grow up to ¼ of an inch long. Their eggs are incredibly small, roughly 1mm big, and bed bug nymphs are just as difficult to spot. Nymphs can be white, pale yellow, and even partially translucent. If you've discovered bed bugs in your McKinney home, it's probably because you've seen the adults; but because of their size, shape, and color, they're often mistaken for apple seeds, miscellaneous debris, or even beetles.

Do Bed Bugs Only Infest Beds?

These insects gained their common name because of their more common area of habitation – the bed. It may come as a surprise that bed bugs don't exclusively infest beds, though; they can be found all over the home, including areas such as:

• Furniture

• Carpets

• Behind wallpaper

• Clinging to curtains

• Dirty and clean clothes hampers

• Within electrical sockets

Bed bugs are nocturnal by nature, so of course, they prefer infesting beds. If an infestation is large enough, though, they will spread throughout the house. After all, bed bugs can go for months without feeding, and if you have animals, they can feed whenever one of your furry companions takes a nap on the sofa.

Signs Of Bed Bugs In Your McKinney Home

Other than the raised welts they leave behind, evidence of bed bugs can be really tricky to discover if you're not looking for it. Most of their remains can be mistaken for everyday messes and smudges, but it really helps if you know what you're looking for:

• Excessive grime, debris, and shed skin between the seams of beds and furniture

• Welts and bite marks left in a line or zig-zag pattern

• Brown smudges and stains on bedding linens and furniture upholstery

• Fecal spots in areas they may nest, including carpet seams, laundry, mattresses and bedding, under wallpaper, and around electrical sockets

• Other physical afflictions such as not feeling rested after sleep, and even anemia

There are numerous ways to protect your home against bed bug infestations. These insects don't seek out homes on their own and instead, hitchhike on their newfound host to their next destination. They can be found where large amounts of people congregate, so it's important to thoroughly wash all of your clothes after going on vacation for an extended period, and also to check over any secondhand items before purchasing them.

How To Exterminate A Bed Bug Infestation In Your McKinney Home

Even though bed bugs aren't technically classified as dangerous pests, since they haven't been proven to transmit any pathogens, they're still incredibly resilient against pesticides and treatments. The number of products, equipment, and disposable items necessary to eliminate a bed bug infestation can cost over two thousand dollars combined, and that's not even including the months you'll need to stay in a hotel. Struggling with bed bugs, but don't want to break the bank? Call in the pros instead.

Around The Block Pest Control has been just around the block for nearly a decade now, and we're dedicated to providing effective, affordable services to all of our neighbors. Our highly trained pest experts provide both conventional and organic pest control treatments to resolve all of your needs, and we know the importance of a thorough job well done. So when you're itching for some relief from those bed bugs, get in contact with us to start discussing your options.

Tags: bed bugs | bed bug control | bed bug prevention