Plenty of people have an irrational fear of creepy crawlies, especially when it comes to the prospect of sharing their home with them. However, with the threat of bedbugs becoming more and more prevalent in homes across the world, many of us might have cause to be paranoid about sharing our space with such small yet dangerous creatures. After all, these little bugs can bring about a whole host of issues for homeowners, and could potentially be a sign that your home is infested with other pests as well as bedbugs. Keeping bedbugs away from your home is also essential if you’re renting out a property and want to make sure they won’t come back! So how can you keep them at bay? Read on to find out everything you need to know about preventing and getting rid of bedbugs forever…
What is a Bed Bug?
Bed bugs are small flying insects that are usually found in beds, but will sometimes live in furniture, behind walls, and within carpets and rugs. They feed by piercing the skin of their host with their hooked mouthparts and sucking out their blood. These pests are not known to spread disease but may cause their host discomfort with the itching and irritation caused by their bites. It’s important to note that bedbugs have not been on the planet for very long at all; their evolution is thought to have happened within the last 100 years.
These pests are believed to have been transported around the world via the shipping industry, meaning that anyone can be at risk of bedbugs regardless of where they live. What are the signs of bedbugs in your home? Bedbugs are tiny, wingless insects that feed on blood. They are reddish-brown and are not bigger than an apple seed. They can survive up to a year without feeding on blood. As they are not known to bite in cold weather, many people mistake the bites for flea bites.
These pests can feed on the blood of any warm-blooded animal and will usually bite humans at night when they are sleeping. The bites commonly occur on the arms and legs. Most people don’t realize they have a bedbug infestation until the problem is quite severe, as these pests can hide themselves away in cracks, crevices, and other hard-to-spot places. Bedbugs prefer to feed on humans over other animals, and it’s this that makes them such a threat to the human population. They are also known to be highly contagious, so it’s vital to take action as soon as you suspect an infestation.
How do you know if you have bedbugs?
If you notice a lot of unexplained bites appearing on your skin, particularly around your feet and ankles, bedbugs could be to blame. These pests are known to bite humans and animals, but they will typically focus on feeding on humans, particularly at night when they are sleeping. Bedbugs are also known to cause itching where the insect has scurried across the skin, and their bites may look like a rash. These pests may also leave a dark red stain where they have been feeding, which could be mistaken for a blood stain.
Another telltale sign that there are bedbugs in your home is the presence of their elusive eggs, which can be hard to spot as they are often hidden in hard-to-reach places. The eggs are tiny, about the size of a speck of dust, and have a shiny brown-red shell. If you have bedbugs in your home, you may also notice tiny black dots on your sheets and pillowcases, which are thought to be either their droppings or the cast-off skins of the growing nymphs.
How to prevent bedbugs
Although bedbugs have become more common in recent years, there are several steps you can take to prevent them from invading your home. These include:
– Keeping your home clean and tidy – Keeping your home clean and tidy is essential in the prevention of bedbugs, as it will make it harder for them to find a place to live and feed. Keeping surfaces clean, vacuuming regularly, and storing items in sealed containers will reduce the risk of a bedbug infestation.
– Reducing clutter around your home – Clutter is another way that bedbugs could find a home in your home, particularly in areas like the basement, where items like paper and cardboard could provide them with a safe hiding place.
– Using insecticides when necessary – Insecticides can be extremely effective if you already have a bedbug problem. However, it’s important to remember that spraying insecticides indoors can pose a risk to human health, particularly if they are applied incorrectly. It’s best to contact a pest control company if you feel you need help eradicating bedbugs from your home.
How to get rid of bedbugs
If you suspect that there are bedbugs in your home, you must act quickly to get rid of them! Bedbugs can spread extremely quickly and will quickly become a major problem if you don’t take steps to eradicate them. Here are some of the best ways to deal with a bedbug infestation:
– Spot treating bedbugs with insecticides – Spot treating your home with insecticides will help kill off any bedbugs that are already present, but it won’t get rid of the eggs or any bedbugs that are living in other places. You may need to use a combination of methods to fully eradicate a bedbug infestation.
– Hiring a professional pest control company – If you’ve tried to tackle the bedbug problem yourself and it hasn’t worked, it’s best to call in the experts. A professional pest control company will be able to tailor a bedbug treatment program to your home, using methods that will eradicate the infestation as quickly and effectively as possible.
How to get rid of bedbugs forever
If your home has become infested with bedbugs, the best way to get rid of them is to work with a professional pest control company. These companies will be able to tailor a bedbug treatment program to your home that will kill off all of the pests as quickly and effectively as possible. To ensure that the bedbugs don’t come back, you must follow the cleaning and maintenance advice offered by the professionals. It’s also worth investing in some anti-bedbug equipment, such as a bedbug detector. These can be fitted under your mattress and can detect if there are bedbugs in your bed, helping you to catch an infestation early and deal with it before it becomes unmanageable.
