Bed Bug Survival Guide For Louisville Homeowners
Bed bug infestations, long thought to be a problem from a less hygienic past, are back with a vengeance. In Louisville, hundreds of homeowners struggle with bed bugs every year. The increased mobility of our age and increased use of public spaces is helping spread these little hitchhikers from home to home.
Bed bugs are tiny, elusive insects, usually less than 1/2 an inch in size. They have mahogany-colored, flat, oval-shaped bodies that swell to almost triple their size as they feed. They feed on, well, you and me for our blood. Bed bugs spend most of their time hiding within a few yards of their victim, coming out to feed between 12 and 5 a.m., when we're hard asleep.
Let's look at how you can spot a bed bug infestation, how to get rid of bed bugs in your home, and, if the DIY approach fails, how to find reliable pest control in Louisville.
Warning Signs Bed Bugs Leave Behind
The earliest sign of bed bug infestation is bed bug bites. You'll often see a pattern of bites arranged in lines or clusters as bed bugs bite, probing for a capillary. Unfortunately, they often go unnoticed for days, if not weeks. Bed bug saliva contains anti-coagulants and analgesics that ensure you don't feel them bite until the bug finishes feeding and is back to its hiding place. Some of the other signs of bed bug infestation to watch for are:
- Bed bug eggs or shed skins
- Brownish-red fecal spots
- Blood spots on the bedding
- The musty odor of bed bug pheromones
If you're starting to spot signs of bed bugs in your home, the infestation is likely past the early stages. With each female bed bug capable of laying up to 7 eggs each day, it's important to take care of the problem before it gets out of hand with effective bed bug control services in Louisville from Urbanex.
Problems Bed Bugs Cause In Your Louisville Home
Bed bugs in Louisville don't carry infectious diseases or damage your property, but the effect bed bug infestations have on the people forced to deal with them can not be underestimated. Bed bug bites can get infected, and people predisposed to allergies will often have allergic reactions when exposed to bed bug feces and molted skins. Lack of sleep is another common symptom of bed bug infestation.
Three Things Everyone Can Do To Avoid Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can hitchhike unnoticed into your home on used furniture, library books, or even your clothes. Stopping bed bugs from getting into your Louisville home is not an easy task, but sticking to the following guidelines will help:
- When traveling, make sure to check the hotel room you're staying in for bugs, and don't set your luggage down on public transportation.
- Inspect used furniture before bringing it into your home, and check library books for hitchhiking insects.
- Wash and dry with a high heat setting any clothes that might have had exposure to a bed bug infestation, and vacuum your luggage after returning from a trip.
Old beliefs that bed bugs infest dirty homes are not true; a bed bug infestation is a matter of bad luck more than anything else.
How To Pick The Right Bed Bug Control Professional
At Urbanex, we've been helping residents of Louisville get rid of pests in their homes for over 25 years. We have the tools, training, and experience in bed bug control to clear out bed bugs and plenty of tips on ensuring they do not come back.
If you can't sleep thanks to a bed bug infestation in your Louisville home, get in touch with us for a free inspection today and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Louisville.
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