Don’t Let Bed Bugs Ruin Your Summer

Do you know the warning signs of a bed bug infestation? If you do, you may be able to prevent a bed bug infestation and prevent these blood-eating pest from ruining your summer. Detection is key to prevention because bed bugs don’t come into your home from your yard; they hitchhike into your home. Here are some things you should know about bed bugs and how to detect them.

Keep these 5 Bed Bug Facts In Mind

1. Bed bugs can be picked up in many places, not just hotels and motels. You can even get them from the home of a friend or relative.
   Bed bugs don’t live in dirty homes. They can be in any home. They’re not drawn to filth; they’re drawn to blood.
2. Bed bugs don’t just spread at night. You can get them in the daytime. These insects have an aversion to the light but they will come out when they are in a dark environment.
3. Bed bugs don’t just get carried into your home on your belongings, they can be in furniture and electronics.
4. Bed bugs don’t just live in beds. They can live in furniture, under rugs, behind baseboards, inside outlets, in the cracks of crown molding, in wall voids, and more.

When looking for warning signs, pay close attention no matter where you are, no matter what time of day, and look in more than just beds for these signs.

• Bed bugs leave shed insects skins as they develop through their 5 instars. These will be littered about in areas of infestation and you can find them sticking to fabrics.
• Bed bug eggs are 1mm in length and pale in coloration. You may find individual eggs or you may see a bunch of eggs clinging together. Keep in mind that you can fit dozens of eggs on your thumbnail.
• Bed bugs leave brown stains on fabrics. This isn’t urine. It is dried blood. So these stains can range from red to light tan in color.
• Bed bugs excrete black feces. You may see small dots of black or you may see a patch of black staining due to many bed bugs in one location. If you see a black stain but no bed bugs, they may be on the inside of the item you are inspecting.
• If bed bugs are infesting a location, you may see them. They range in size from 1 to 4.5 millimeters in length. They may be pale in color, tan, or rusty brown. In certain light, they may appear black. They are insects, so they have 6 legs and two antennae.

If you find bed bugs in your home and you live in our Greater Knoxville service area, we can help you eliminate those bugs. We offer comprehensive bed bugs services for all types of infestation. Reach out to us for immediate assistance.