What Everybody In Roanoke Ought To Know About Bed Bugs 

Have you had a conversation with someone about bed bugs? It wouldn't be surprising. These conversations are happening more often because bed bug infestations are popping up everywhere. Before the turn of the century, you would not have been able to find a bed bug infestation in Roanoke. Now it is getting to the point where everyone knows someone who's dealt with these bugs. This has created unnecessary fear. Let's talk about why people fear bed bugs and what you can do to quiet those fears.

The Nature of Bed Bugs

You probably know that bed bugs feed on blood, and they come out at night to feed on sleeping people. That is pretty disturbing. But, if you think about it, many bugs bite us and leave itchy welts. If you understand that bed bug infestations begin with only one or a few bed bugs, it can be less disturbing to find out you have these bugs in your home. You may find three bites on you when you wake up, but those three bites came from one insect, not three. So six or nine bites can make you think you have nearly a dozen bed bugs in your home. This is not the case. Hopefully, that will help you relax a little as you wait for a licensed pest professional to come over and take care of your problem.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

An immature bed bug nymph may leave a bite on you that you will hardly notice. As bed bugs grow, bites become a little worse. Bites from adult bed bugs can range from small red bumps to medium-sized welts. How bad your bites are will depend on how allergic you are to the anticoagulant in bed bugs' saliva. You can differentiate bed bug bites from other insects by determining what did not bite you.

• Bed bug bites do not have pustules or ulcers in the center.

• They are not puffy like mosquito bites.

• They do not usually have scabs because they aren't nearly as itchy as flea bites.

• They will not look random on your skin. Bed bugs feed multiple times, and this creates a path-like appearance.

How Do Bed Bugs Get In

These insects hitchhike into Roanoke homes in all stages of development. Here's what to look for in each stage:

Eggs:
Bed bugs lay single eggs or small batches of eggs in cracks and creases of carriable items. These eggs are pale white and about 1mm long.

Immature Nymphs:
When bed bugs first hatch, they are about 1mm in length and pale-colored. If an immature nymph has had a blood meal, its abdomen will be bright red because they are very transparent. These little nymphs have six legs and three body parts.

Nymphs:
As bed bugs grow, they become tan in color. You should see black excrement inside their internals, and you may also see red blood in the abdomen because they are slightly transparent.

Adults:
When a bed bug reaches its adult stage, it looks like the pictures you've probably seen on the news. They are oval-shaped, rusty brown, and somewhat flat.

If you keep an eye out for bed bugs in all stages of development, you can catch them before they make you miserable.

Bed Bug Prevention

If you find an item with bed bugs or their eggs, you may be able to stop an infestation before it starts. Put the item in the dryer for 30 minutes. This kills bed bugs in all stages of development. If an item can't be put in the dryer, put it outside of your home.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

They don't just hide in beds. They can be under carpets, behind baseboards, under crown molding, in furniture, inside your walls, and more. This makes them difficult to control once they've taken root. But a licensed professional uses field-tested methods to locate and eliminate them in all the places they hide.

Bed Bug Extermination in Roanoke

If you need assistance with bed bug control in Roanoke, remember that the All Pest Control & Solutions team is standing by to help. You don't need to fear these bugs. We can help you get rid of them before things get out of hand.