Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

Bed bugs are small insects, generally no larger than an apple seed. They have oval-shaped bodies and six legs and grow between 3/16 and 1/4 of an inch long. Bed bugs are notorious for their feeding habits, which involve biting unsuspecting humans and drinking their blood. Due to this pest’s preference for sleeping areas and their nocturnal feeding habits, they often invade beds, earning them their name.

While bed bug bites don’t introduce diseases to humans and don’t carry pathogens across the surfaces they crawl across, their bites can be problematic. Not only are bed bug bites itchy, but they can also become swollen and painful and develop into a secondary infection due to constant scratching. Furthermore, bed bug bites could trigger allergic reactions, and the presence of bed bugs around your property might cause long-term issues with stress, anxiety, and insomnia.

The larger a bed bug infestation is, the more of these dangerous problems you are likely to encounter.

Bed bug invasions often begin unnoticed due to the small size of these pests and their skill at hiding in the clothing or bags of unsuspecting individuals. You most likely have a bed bug problem because you picked up these pests when traveling through a school, library, airport, or another public transportation hub, or you stayed in an infected hotel or motel.

It helps to look out for bed bug signs when traveling or visiting new places, such as reddish staining, unpleasant odors, and sightings of the bugs themselves; don’t stay in places with these infestation indicators.

Bed bugs are often inside homes and businesses, hiding around beds, in the cracks and gaps of furniture, along the seams of upholstered items, inside the folds of fabrics and clothing, or even around utility areas like electrical outlets and light fixtures. You can check these spaces for bed bugs using a flashlight and gloved hands; shine a light on spaces and run your fingers along them for signs of staining to detect bed bugs.

Get rid of bed bugs by contacting the Atlanta pest control experts at Solstys Environmental the moment you suspect an invasion of these pests. Only pest professionals can help you identify your bed bug problem areas and provide you with effective bed bug control tailored to your property’s needs. Call us today to get started!

Prevent bed bug infestations in the future by following these easy tips that will help decrease your chances of an infestation:

• Check hotels and motels for signs of bed bugs like reddish or rust-colored staining, live or dead bed bugs, and unpleasant musty odors before staying in that space.
• Make sure all secondhand items that you purchase are bed bug-free before moving them into your home.
• Elevate your luggage when staying in hotels or traveling on trains and airplanes to make it more difficult for bed bugs to crawl into your bags overnight.
• Keep the interior areas of your property decluttered and clean so you can detect bed bugs the moment they invade your property. Faster treatment means faster relief from these pests.

Bed bugs are a nightmare for property owners, but you don’t have to combat these pests alone. Contact Solstys Environmental for home pest control and assistance in defeating bed bugs.