As We Welcome in Spring, Are We Also Welcoming Bed Bugs?
After a long, stressful day at work, the only thing you want to do is take a long, hot shower. As you lather up your loofah and begin to soap up your legs, you notice something rather odd…
Red, raised bumps all over your thigh. Do you have a rash? What about razor burn? Have you had these bumps for a while? As you move your loofah to your shoulders and then to your back you notice them again—they’re everywhere…and they definitely look like bites!
As panic begins to set in and a creepy-crawly sensation emerges, you think back to the vacation you recently took…and that questionable hotel you stayed in.
You don’t want to do it, but as you scroll through the reviews of that hotel one common keyword sticks out—BED BUGS!
Uh-oh.
Try not to panic—AAA Exterminating, a pest control company in Indianapolis, Indiana, is here to answer your bed bug questions…and help you get rid of them
What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like—Better Yet, What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Though bed bug bites can be hard to decipher from other factors like rashes, mosquito bites, etc., here are some ways to tell.
The bites will commonly be located on your:
- Legs
- Hands
- Arms
- Shoulders
- Neck
- Face
These bites typically surface on areas of skin that are exposed when you sleep, and other areas where the skin is delicate and more easily penetrable.
What Do the Bites Look Like?
The bites appear as a red, raised bump with a clear center that can cause itchiness and swollen skin. These bites are normally seen in a straight or zigzag line.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Adult bed bugs are fairly easy to spot, yet they are often mistaken for other household pests.
Bed bug characteristics include:
- An oval-shaped body
- They are typically 5-7 millimeters in length
- They have a reddish-brown body that will typically appear darker in color if they have recently fed
- They have an antenna, short yellow hairs, and wings that do not function
- Bed bug eggs appear as tiny, white specs that resemble pearls
Now that we know what bed bugs look like, we need to know where they tend to live!
Do Bed Bugs Just Live in My Bed?
As horrifying as living in your bed sounds, bed bugs live in other highly trafficked areas in your home as well.
Within your bed, bed bugs tend to cluster along the seam, within the tufts and folds of the mattress, and in bed frames and box springs.
Bed bugs can also live in:
- Wallpaper
- Couches
- Baseboards
- Upholstery
- Electrical switch plates
- Clothing
Now on to the Million Dollar Question—How Do I Get Rid of Them?
With bed bugs, heat treatments are proven as the most effective way to eliminate them from your home.
Heaters are placed within your home and then the house is heated to 140 degrees. This heat then circulates throughout the home with the help of high-temperature fans to reach every crack and crevice where bed bugs may be hiding.
This heat kills bed bugs in all life stages and is environmentally friendly—not causing damage to anything in the home!
Who Provides Heat Treatments?
Though some pest control companies still use chemicals to exterminate bed bugs, many have moved to heat treatments. Be sure to ask which treatment method is used when calling pest companies.
For a pest control company in Indianapolis, Indiana with more than 65 years of experience, call AAA Exterminating. We provide expert, timely service and provide heat treatments for bed bugs. Call (317) 773-3797 for more information and a free quote!