Are you worried that your home has a bed bug infestation in its midst? Do you cringe at the idea of bed bugs ever making their way into your home? If so, then you need to learn all that you can about the bed bug signs you should be looking out for.
Doing so can help you reach out for help before the situation worsens. If you wait too long or ignore the signs, you’ll have an infestation on your hands.
See below for an in-depth guide on the early signs of bed bugs and what you should do when you notice them.
1. Blood Marks on Your Mattress
Don’t worry, when we say “blood marks”, we don’t mean that your mattress will look like one of those crime scenes that you see on CSI shows. In fact, these blood marks are so tiny and minuscule that, to the untrained eye, they don’t look like blood at all.
You might be surprised to find out that bed bugs are blood-sucking bugs. They’re also sloppy eaters, so they’ll leave traces of the blood they eat behind, mainly on your mattress and sheets, but it could be located on other furniture as well.
The blood that you’ll find on your furnishings isn’t red at all. It has a brown or black color to it, since it’s blood that the bed bug has digested and—yes, you’re correct—defecated onto your fabrics, mattress, couch, etc.
If you suspect that you have bed bugs in your home, here’s an exercise to help you determine that. Simply walk up to your mattress and undo the sheets at the foot of the bed. Scan the top of the mattress, then lift it to look at the underside of the foot of your mattress.
If you notice any signs, it’s time to get the bed bug protection that you need. Hire a professional bed bug control service for both preventative and reactive services.
2. Strange Smells
This explanation is a little disgusting, but hear us out! Some of the bloodstains you’ll find from bed bugs on your mattress are the result of you crushing and killing them while you sleep.
Although infestations are common, bed bugs actually don’t travel in colonies as ants do. That said, they’re happy to alarm their fellow bed bugs to any threats against their well-being.
If you’ve noticed strange odors inside your home, commercial offices, etc, then it might be coming from an infestation, not the leftover pasta in your refrigerator.
One of the scents that you might pick up on may have a strong, yet sweet scent to it. This is what’s known as an alarm pheromone. It’s a defense mechanism that all bed bugs have. As the name would suggest, the scent is used to alert other bed bugs to the threats of your home.
Here’s the thing: bed bugs don’t just have one scent for their alarm pheromones. Even though these odors are meant to warn their fellow pests, humans can pick up on the smell as well. If you notice any unrecognizable odor with a sweet scent to it, contact a bed bug control service right away.
3. You Have Bite Marks
Surprisingly, many homeowners are quick to shrug off bug bites they find on their skin. If they wake up with a bite from the night before, they’ll chalk it up to a mosquito that somehow found its way indoors or a spider that found its way onto your bed.
However, that bite mark might be a sign that you have bed bugs in your home. They look very similar to mosquito bites and have a lot of the same effects as well. They are painless at first, but become itchy and swell up when you come into contact with them.
So how can you tell whether it’s a bed bug bite or mosquito bite? Take note of the location. If the bite marks are around exposed skin, such as your neck, arms, and ankles, it’s likely a bed bug bite.
4. Discomfort Among Your Entire Family
One of the biggest telltale signs that you have a bed bug problem is when several members of your family are experiencing the same discomfort at night.
If you and your loved ones are all waking up with bug bites that are painful and itchy, take it as a sign of a much larger issue.
Once bed bugs get into your home, they rise at an alarming rate. Contact a professional right away to prevent the problem from getting any worse.
5. Exoskeletons and Eggs
Unfortunately, blood stains aren’t the only signs that you have bed bugs. They can also leave behind enormous traces of eggs as well as their old exoskeletons that they’ve shed.
Bed bugs have skins with a yellowish tint to them, which might be left behind on your furnishings or fabrics. The eggs have a milky appearance.
The good news (for lack of a better term) is that the blood, eggs, and exoskeletons are often found in the same location. If you notice a mixture of the three, contact a professional right away.
Don’t Ignore the Bed Bug Signs
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide to bed bug signs and how they can alert you to a growing infestation, be sure to use this information to your advantage.
Be sure to read this article for more information on the 7 tips for successful bed bug elimination in your home.
For more inquiries, please be sure to reach out to us via phone at 208-957-5511 and we will be happy to assist you further.