Frequently Asked Questions about Bed Bugs
The most likely way to encounter bed bugs is through travel. They can easily hitch a ride in your luggage back to your home. You can avoid bed bugs in your holiday travels when you are armed with a little knowledge.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects that mostly are found in beds, but may also be found in other furniture and draperies. They typically hide during the day and come out at night to feast on human blood.
Why are bed bugs such a big deal?
Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to eliminate. They can live for a year without feeding, they multiply quickly, and they can’t be killed with store-bought bug sprays.
What do bed bugs look like?
Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, oval, flat, and roughly the size of an apple seed. They have six legs and move quite fast. Bed bug eggs are translucent and smaller than the head of a straight pin.
Are bed bug bites dangerous?
Although the bites are itchy, irritating, and carry a huge ick factor, they are not dangerous. Unlike other blood-sucking insects, such as mosquitoes, bed bugs don’t carry diseases.
How will I know if I have bed bugs?
The signs of bed bugs are easy to notice – if you wake up with a row or cluster of itchy bites on your skin, then your bed is infested. It’s also possible to spot the insects with the naked eye. Check the seams of your mattress and crevices in your bed frame and headboard using a flashlight.
How can I prevent infestation?
Avoid bringing second-hand furniture, mattresses, or bed sheets into your home. Also, protect yourself during travel. Never place your luggage on the bed. Always inspect the hotel mattress for bed bugs, and inspect your luggage before you return home.
Do bed bugs only live in my bed?
No. Bed bugs can also live in upholstered furniture, behind headboards, baseboards, and even behind pictures on the wall.
If I keep my home clean, will that prevent bed bugs?
No. Bed bugs only care about food and shelter. Even if your house is spotless, they can breed and thrive with the shelter of your bed and your blood for food.
If I have bed bugs, does that mean trouble for my pet too?
Pets are known to carry bed bugs inside people’s homes. However, bed bugs cannot live on pets the way fleas can. They also cannot attach themselves or their eggs on animal fur.
How can I avoid bed bugs when traveling?
Inspect the hotel bed as soon as you check in. Using a flashlight, examine the mattress, headboard, sheets, and pillows for spots. Look around the bed and around the bedside tables and drawers. If there’s nothing suspicious, you can rest easy.
What do I do, if I suspect I brought home bed bugs?
Open your luggage on the floor, where you would be able to see bed bugs (light colored tiles for example). Don’t unpack on a carpet. Wash your clothes in hot water and put them in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Place your luggage in a sealed trash bag and place it in a freezer set at zero degrees for at least four days.
What should I never do?
There are many “natural” ways to deal with bed bugs posted online, such as using petroleum jelly or thyme oil. None of them work. Also, don’t spray the bed with insecticide. It’s a health hazard, and it won’t kill the bed bugs anyway, because they are immune to commercial insecticides. In addition, don’t throw out your mattress and get a new one. The new mattress will get infested with bed bugs that were living in the frame, headboard, and other areas.
We can help
The best solution for bed bugs is to hire a pest control company with experience successfully controlling bed bugs. No matter how intimidating or pervasive your pest problem, you can trust that Amco Ranger knows exactly how to handle it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Give us a call today if you need help getting rid of bed bugs in your home or business in Cottleville, St. Peters, O’Fallon, St. Charles, and surrounding communities.
