The What, Where and When of Bedbugs
What do bedbugs look like? They are reddish-brown, flat, oval insects with six legs and two antennae. They can be mistaken for a tiny beetle, so be sure to err on the side of caution if you see anything with their description in your home or vacation room.
Where do bedbugs live? Bedbugs tend to stay close to their food source so they will most likely live in and around mattresses, bedding, clothing, cloth furniture, carpets, and anywhere that is close to a sleeping human or pet.
What and when do bedbugs eat? Bedbugs live on the blood of humans and animals, typically feeding on their host or “meal” while the host is sleeping.
Learn more by calling No Bugs with all of your bedbug, and other bugs, questions, and concerns. Contact our office now!
Protecting Yourself from Bedbugs
If you are traveling, sleeping away from home, or are worried about bedbugs in your own home, there are ways to inspect for them before laying your head on your pillow. Knowing what to look for can help protect you and your family from a bedbug infestation.
- When you are traveling and arrive at a new location, be sure to keep luggage and other belongings off the floor and away from cloth surfaces until you have checked for bedbugs. Store them in the bathroom (on a hard surface) or on luggage racks, raised off of the floor.
- Pull back bedding, blankets, sheets, and mattress covers to inspect a bed for bedbugs. Check thoroughly at the head of the bed as this tends to be a congregation spot I bedbugs exist.
- Look for live bugs, eggs, and exoskeletons (use a flashlight if needed) along seams and around or under the mattress.
- Check all upholstered furniture along seams and at the headrest of couches or chairs.
- If you find any signs of bedbugs (see below), do not unpack or put away any of your belongings. When traveling, alert hotel, Airbnb, or host immediately and request to move to another location. (A room away from the original room, because bedbugs tend to infiltrate several rooms that are connected.)
- If you do not find signs of bedbugs but want to be extra cautious, do not unpack everything you bring and keep your belongings stored in your suitcase. Do not spread belonging out around the room or on the floor. This helps to prevent all pests, bedbugs, or otherwise, from coming home with you.
- To be extra cautious, you can also inspect along seams or connecting lines of wood furniture, nightstands, and carpeting/wall seams.
Signs of Bedbugs: What Will You See?
If you see any of the signs below, you may have a bedbug problem:
- Live bedbugs look like small (5-6mm) beetles with flat bodies.
- Eggs are laid in batches of 500-600, in groups of 10, and are a pearl white color.
- Shed skins, or exoskeletons, are signs of a well-developed bedbug infestation.
- Blood spots or smears are a sign of a bedbug being smashed shortly after feeding.
- Black spots or stains may be bedbug excrement.
What Next? Call No Bugs!
When you need pest control solutions right away, our team is here to help. We can inspect and treat for bedbug infestations in your home and can help you determine if the surrounding rooms (or apartments, condos, hotel rooms) are infested. We understand how stressful and disturbing bedbugs can be. Leave treatment of bedbugs to the experts at No Bugs in Santa Clarita so you can rest easy without fear of being eaten alive.
Contact No Bugs to discuss your bedbug and other pest control concerns today.
