Bed Bugs

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic pests that feed on the blood of mammals, with human blood being their favorite food source. Bed bugs typically feed at night, as they are attracted to the carbon dioxide that their sleeping hosts produce as they breathe. During the day, bed bugs hide out in tight cracks and crevices near their food source.

What exactly a bed bugs look like depends on its current life stage:

• Adult bed bugs grow to about ¼ of an inch in length, have oval-shaped bodies that are flattened from top to bottom, have six legs, and are wingless.
• Before feeding, adult bed bugs are a reddish-brown color. After feeding they turn a deeper, purplish-red color, and their bodies swell and elongate.
• Bed bugs nymphs are smaller than adults, but look similar. Before feeding, their bodies are nearly transparent but turn bright red after consuming a blood meal.
• Eggs are the size of a pinhead, white in color, sticky, and are difficult to spot without a trained eye.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

A bed bug infestation is a stressful problem to deal with, despite the fact that bed bugs are not considered to be dangerous and don’t pose a lot of health threats. Despite not being a significant danger, finding them in your home will cause you and your family sleepless nights. In addition, some people are allergic to bed bug saliva and can develop an itchy rash which may become infected and require medical attention. Bed bugs should not be allowed to live in any home for any amount of time. Professional help should be sought as soon as a bed bug presence is discovered.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs live where people are, because like most pests they want to be near their food source. Bed bug populations are found in a wide variety of public places. They crawl into bags, clothing, personal belongings, and are accidentally brought into homes by you or visitors. Bed bugs can also be introduced into homes through used items such as furniture, mattresses, and box springs. They may find their way inside in newly purchased clothing, either from second-hand stores or retail stores.

Where will I find bed bugs?

Homes, apartments, 5-star hotels, motels, health care facilities, dormitories, shelters, schools, museums, movie theaters, laundry facilities, fitness centers, office buildings, airports, bus stations, and train stations are all places where bed bugs can be found living and feeding.

Bed bugs first hide out in the areas of a home where people sleep. However, if the infestation is allowed to grow, they will move throughout the entire home. Inside homes, their most common hiding spots include tight cracks and crevices in wooden head and foot boards, dressers, walls, floors, upholstered and wooden furniture, cabinets, closets, electronics, wall voids and behind switch plates, outlets, and wooden molding.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

The only way to quickly and completely rid your residential and commercial property of a bed bug infestation is to partner with a professional pest control company. At M.A.D. Exterminators, Inc. we offer the responsive services needed to eliminate bed bugs from any residential or commercial property. Our experienced and highly trained technicians utilize chemical treatments to ensure complete bed bug control in Montgomery & Chester Counties.

To learn more about pest control services in Montgomery & Chester Counties for homes or businesses reach out to us at M.A.D. Exterminators, Inc. today!