Bed bugs can make any house a nightmare. These small creatures can transform your serene home into a stressful one. Thus, it’s important to know the signs of bed bug infestation in its early stages.
Let’s go through some common signs to look out for, where they commonly hide, how to inspect a room effectively, and when you will know that it’s time to get professional help.
Bites in Clusters
An initial sign that you might catch is bites on your skin. Bed bugs are nocturnal pests that feed on blood from sleeping people. They usually bite in clusters and or rows, always on exposed skin areas like arms, necks and legs.
Bites usually appear in clusters and resemble red, irritating molehills, much like mosquito bites. Think about bed bugs if you or any members of your family wake up with bites where none existed the previous night.
Blood Stains on Bedding
Another sign to watch for is bloodstains on your bedding. After feeding, bed bugs can leave tiny blood spots. These spots are usually very small and dark red, and you will frequently observe them on your sheets, pillowcases, even on your mattress.
If you see these stains often, more particularly combined with bites, then it’s time to take a closer look. Keep an eye out for any fresh stains, as they are an obvious indication of their presence.
Dark Spots of Bed Bug Feces
Bed bugs leave behind dark spots of faeces. These look black or dark brown and about the size of a pen tip. You will find them on your mattress seams, bed frame, headboard, and even on walls and furniture near your bed. The faeces are digested blood and are slightly sticky. It is a clear indication that there is an infestation. If you find these signs in several areas of the house, then bed bugs are in existence.
Live Bed Bugs or Shredded Skin
Live bed bugs or moulting skins indicate an active infestation. These small, brown insects resemble apple seeds and usually hide in cracks and crevices during the day, emerging to feed at night. Like many insects, as they mature, bed bugs moult and leave behind a clear exoskeleton that shows their presence.
Check common hiding spots, such as mattress seams, furniture joints, and electrical sockets, for live bugs or shed skins, especially at night when they are most active.
Musty Odour in Infested Areas
Areas infested with bed bugs often have a musty odour. Bed bugs communicate by scent; therefore, an established infestation emits a sweet, musty-smelling odour similar to coriander. In bedrooms and upholstered furniture, where there are many bed bugs, it is normally the strongest scent of this odour. If you detect a musty or sweet smell in your home, especially alongside other signs of bed bugs, conduct a thorough inspection to confirm an infestation.
Where Bed Bugs Hide
Most often, bed bugs stay in the seams and cracks of your mattress. Cramped, dark spots are what they love, especially for their day-long hideout. Carefully inspect your mattress, focusing on the seams and any attached tags. You may actually see bed bugs or their eggs, which are small and white. With a flashlight, you can look at these tiny areas even more easily. Evidence of an infestation is usually seen first in such places as mattress seams, so check these first.
Other than mattresses, these little creatures can find hideouts in many small gaps present within the furniture. Check the bed frame, especially at joints and screws. They can hide themselves in sofas, chairs, and other upholstery furniture. Examine seams, cushions, and the bottom of such furniture.
Bed bugs can squeeze into incredibly tight spaces, so look in every possible location. They can even be found on wood furniture, especially in gaps and joints. Checking these areas regularly can help you catch an infestation early.
Other tricky places bed bugs can hide are electrical outlets. They will slide into the crevices surrounding the outlets and switches. These spots are pretty hard to trace and examine and you may have to remove the covers over the outlets to check. If bed bugs are found inside your electrical outlets, it may be a sign that they are migrating and looking for new locations – the infestation could be spreading.
Doing a Complete Inspection
To do a good inspection, get together some basic tools and supplies. You will need a flashlight, a magnifying glass, and some gloves. A stiff brush can be used to dislodge bed bugs in seams. Sticky tape can be used to capture bed bugs that you find.
A vacuum cleaner can also be useful in cleaning up any bed bugs or eggs that are found. Having these tools at your disposal will make your inspection more efficient and productive.
Step-by-Step Inspection Guide
First, remove the bed covers and then inspect the mattress and box spring for bed bugs. Look into all the seams, tags, and crevices with the help of a flashlight. Next, give an inspection to your bed frame and headboard; also, check all joints and screws.
Additionally, have a look over furniture near the bed, particularly upholstered furniture. Use a magnifying glass to have a closer view of any suspicious spot. Peek behind picture frames, among curtains, and literally even inside bookshelves – bed bugs lurk anywhere in your room vicinity. Also, pay attention to electrical outlets and light switches.
When to Seek Professional Help
In cases of widespread infestation – wherever bed bugs have spread through multiple rooms or burrowed into hard-to-reach places – it is of importance that professional help should be enlisted. Extensive infestations are tricky and call for thorough measures. Professionals can do detailed examinations and apply proper bed bug pesticides to make sure everything is completely rid of the issue at hand.
It could be quite overwhelming and, most often, ineffectual to try to treat a full-blown infestation by yourself. Let the professionals deal with it and return your house to what it should be: a comfortable and pest-free haven.
Conclusion
Bed bugs can be such a pain, but being vigilant from the start can definitely make things very different. Knowing the signs of an infestation and the likely places bed bugs tend to hide can help you detect one early on.
Conduct full inspections regularly, but don’t hesitate to seek professional help when necessary. Keeping bed bugs out of your home translates to comfort and peace of mind for you. Keep vigil and act fast to send off those unwanted visitors.