What are bed bugs? Can bed bugs fly? We receive so many interesting questions about the pests that we deal with here in Los Angeles, that we decided to put together a guide of fast facts and first steps for reclaiming a home from these most unwelcome pests.
When it comes to removing bed bugs, we’re the number one solution for pest control in Los Angeles. We have the tools, the knowledge, and the training to tackle any infestation. If you think you might be dealing with a bed bug infestation of your own, read on to get started on identifying, and ultimately evicting these most unwelcome pests from your home.
Easy-To-Spot Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation
A bed bug infestation, while sometimes difficult to detect, can easily grow to the point where it’s nearly unmistakable and unmissable. Once a home reaches this point, there will be a number of telltale signs that homeowners should treat as a sign to call in the pros immediately.
Here are some of the signs of a bed bug infestation to be on the lookout for:
- Small brown spots on your bedding and/or carpeting. This is the bed bugs’ fecal matter, skin that has been shed, or eggshells that have been crushed.
- A musty, offensive, sometimes described as “sweet” odor near the bedding areas. This is from the bugs’ scent glands.
- Blood stains – these may be the remnants of bites from bed bugs on your skin. Be especially wary of this, as it’s a pretty good sign of bed bugs lurking nearby.
Bed bugs can avoid detection for a while, but their presence ultimately culminates in a number of signs that the average homeowner should be able to pick up on.
If you’ve noticed any of these signs in your home, don’t wait to get the pros involved. The average homeowner is simply unmatched when it comes to removing an infestation on their own!
What It's Like To Have A Bed Bug Infestation In Your Home
Bed bugs are unlike most pests in that their presence can actually be difficult to detect, at least at the beginning stages of an infestation. Some pests all but announce their arrival on a property. Not bed bugs.
Why is that? Ask yourself, “where do bed bugs hide?” You probably know already that they can make themselves at home in your bedding and carpeting, but they can also hide inside other hard-to-reach areas. Even piles of clothing and clutter will do the trick. That makes the beginning stages of a bed bug infestation potentially no different than life in an uninfested home.
It may take some active observation and a little bit of luck to find them at this stage. However, left to their own devices, bed bugs will continue to expand their influence and numbers to the point where homeowners will begin to notice the obvious signs of infestation.
Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs That Actually Work
When it comes to avoiding bed bugs, there’s a lot of bad information out there. Bed bugs are great at hitching rides into our property. They can do this on clothing, luggage, and on us.
Avoiding bed bugs realistically comes down to good laundry and hygiene discipline in the home. If you are frequently removing sources of clutter, particularly involving clothing, and changing your bedding regularly, you’re getting a good head start on tackling an infestation.
Any good cleaning efforts in the home will serve to at least deter bed bugs from establishing a foothold on your property.
It’s probably worth making note of the fact that these tips are more of a deterrent than a solution for an infestation that’s already taken hold. Once bed bugs have made their way inside and started reproducing, the options for removing them narrow a little bit. Thankfully, the best and most effective option is still on the table.
The Trick To Completely Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs
If you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs, you’re in luck. While it’s certainly a respectable aim for homeowners to want to tackle an infestation of bed bugs on their own, there’s no victory in going that route.
Only a professional solution can fully eradicate a bed bug infestation, owing to the excellent hiding and reproductive skills that bed bugs possess. A Step Above Pest Control knows how to find bed bugs, eliminate them at their source, and keep them out of your home once and for all.