What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are apple seed-shaped insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded mammals. Their bodies are reddish-brown to mahogany in color, they have six legs, and are wingless. Adult bed bugs and their nymphs (young bed bugs) also have piercing, sucking mouthparts that they use for feeding.
After enjoying a blood meal, adult bed bugs’ bodies swell, elongate, and turn a deep, reddish-purple color. Young bed bugs (nymphs) change from translucent or whitish-yellow in color to bright red in color. Bed bugs move from place to place by hitchhiking their way inside on people’s clothing or belongings. They can find their way into and become a problem in any home or business. Bed bugs hide during the day in cracks and crevices, emerging from their hiding spots at night to feed on the blood of their sleeping victims.
Are bed bugs dangerous?
Despite their invasive nature and the fact that they feed on our blood, bed bugs are not usually considered to be dangerous pests. They aren’t known to transmit a wide range of diseases, and in fact, most people don’t even react to their bites. However, some people are allergic to their saliva and develop an itchy rash that may become infected and require medical attention. Having bed bugs in your home or business is a stressful event. They are difficult to eliminate and can cause a loss of sleep. To completely eliminate bed bugs from your home in the quickest manner possible, contact a professional as soon as you notice their presence.
Why do I have a bed bug problem?
You have a problem with bed bugs because you, your family, customers, and employees are their favorite food source. The simple fact is that bed bugs live and breed wherever there are people. Bed bugs inhabit almost any public place, crawling onto a person’s clothing, bags, or other personal belongs and hitchhiking their way into a new environment. Bed bugs are also commonly introduced into homes through used furniture, mattresses, box springs, or in newly purchased clothing items.
Where will I find bed bugs?
Bed bugs are found in a variety of places such as homes, apartments, hotels, health care facilities, dormitories, shelters, schools, movie theaters, laundry facilities, office buildings, and airports. After finding their way inside homes, they usually initially take up residence where people sleep. Over time they will travel throughout the home, hiding in wall and floor crevices, behind wooden door and window trim, in upholstered furniture, inside wall voids, behind outlets, in electronics, and under piles of dirty laundry.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
To eliminate invasive and biting bed bugs from your home or business, partner with a professional pest control company. At Proven Pest Management, we offer customizable and flexible pest management services that will completely solve your bed bug problem. Our highly trained professionals offer property owners personable and personalized bed bug control services at an affordable price. To learn more about the bed bug control services we provide throughout Tennessee and Mississippi, call Proven today!
How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?
Keeping bed bugs out of your Collierville home or business can be difficult, but there are things you can do to help prevent an infestation:
- When traveling, inspect hotel or motel rooms for signs of bed bugs before bringing luggage and personal belongings inside.
- Keep bags, purses, coats, and other items up off the floor of public places.
- After returning home from a trip, immediately wash and dry all clothing that you took with you on a high heat cycle.
- Inside your home, regularly vacuum floors, upholstered furniture, and the seams of mattresses and box springs.
- Wash and dry all bedding on a weekly basis, inspecting mattresses and box springs for signs of bed bugs.
- Never purchase used furniture, mattresses, or box springs for use inside your home.
