If you wake up with red, itchy bug bites on your arms or legs, you may have a bed bug issue at home. This can even be the case if you notice tiny reddish-brown spots on your mattress or bed sheets. While bed bugs will not infect you or your family members with diseases, they are still a nuisance. And because of their small size, they can easily hide in the smallest places on earth. So, if you suspect you have these pesky bugs in your home, you should consider professional pest control in Hillsboro as soon as possible.
Identifying Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have an oval shape and look slightly flattened. They are as small as an apple seed. They can be present in the cleanest house and hotels. Everybody is at risk of bringing these bugs into homes, especially frequent travelers. Bed bugs are attracted to people and animals since they feed on blood. They tend to come out at night when they can perform their activity without being noticed by humans and hide during the day. Bed bugs can survive for months without consuming blood. They prefer dark places where their blood sources sleep. Since they hide in cloth folds, they can easily be transported from one place to another.
Preventing a Bed Bug Infestation
To prevent bed bugs from invading your home, especially the bedroom, ensure you regularly check for signs of an infestation. These signs include rusty-colored blood spots, bugs in sheet and mattress folds, a musty odor, and red, itchy bumps from their bites. They could be hiding in mattress seams or box springs, dresser tables, headboards, bed frames, behind wallpaper, or inside cracks or crevices.
When you take a trip, avoid putting your luggage on the bed. Consider using a luggage rack. Also, separate your travel clothes and wash them in hot water once you return home.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
When you notice signs of bed bugs or the bugs themselves, contact a bug exterminator immediately. Do not wait too long or you could be dealing with hundreds or even thousands of bed bugs in no time. When spot these bugs in your house, never try to eliminate them by yourself. Otherwise, you could spread them to other areas in your house. Professional exterminators will eliminate bed bugs with heat, pesticides, or cold steam. Once the infestation has been resolved, you must continue to check for them. These bugs tend to hatch eggs every seven days and it may take several treatments to completely get rid of them.
