Bed Bugs and The Reason You Should Call in Professionals to Handle Them
What was once a silly rhyme that you probably learned as a child has become all too true for many people. “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” was something you never had to worry about before, but bed bugs have made a comeback in some areas and have infested many homes. If you are trying to get rid of the tiny critters, you need to call in pest control professionals to help you get rid of them once and for all.
Signs of an Infestation of Bed Bugs
The easiest way to tell if you have a bed bug infestation is by sighting the bugs or their casings. As the bugs grow, they shed their skins and their casings are left lying around. After they have a meal, they hide in their favorite areas and defecate in those same spots. Those areas will appear to be black or brown stains on porous materials, such as mattresses, or they appear as black or brown mounds if the material is non-porous.
What is a Bed Bug?
Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects that feast on blood, usually when the host is asleep. They are about the size of an apple seed, approximately four to five millimeters in length. Their bodies are flat and they are reddish brown in appearance. The bed bug likes to hide in mattresses, sheets, furniture, behind electrical plates and baseboards. They are often found in hotels where they can go from room to room searching for a meal.
How To Protect Yourself From Bed Bugs While Traveling
So there you are in that quaint little cottage by the riverbank. The air smells of jasmine. The toilet has that fresh, new paper seal that assures you no one else’s butt has touch the seat before yours after the last spritzing of Lysol. Room service brings in a beautiful silver tray. You can’t wait to get into the covers and try the eggs benedict…
But suddenly the all you can think about is what lies beneath. The covers instantly looking less like the comfy spot you sat your luggage and now you turn down the blanket half expecting to see blood stains and crisp white sheets teeming with life.
Oh, mainstream news… you’ve done such a fine job of making us paranoid! Unfortunately, the buzz about bed bugs is true. They DO bite. They are commonly found in beds – even clean ones.
But knowing this, how can you protect yourself from these icky little pests while you are supposed to be enjoying yourself?
First – the Facts
Contrary to popular belief, even though bed bug bites can be itchy and uncomfortable, they are not considered to be hazardous to your health. Gross – certainly. Dangerous – probably not. Secondly, bed bugs do not carry diseases. This means even if you find out a little too late that your hotel had bed bugs; you can feel safe even if you feel a little anxious about what lies beneath.
Google for Your Health
Amazingly, you really can do anything online. Sites such as TripAdvisor will have reviews. Rest assured… in our modern world if someone is hocked off about their hotel experience you will find it online. You can also check out bedbugregistry.com which pinpoints hotels with bedbug issues. While you can’t be sure that you won’t end up finding a bedbug… a good review can calm a thousand fears.
Rethink Your Luggage
Cloth duffle bags have become increasingly popular over the last few years. However, the same material on those darling duffels can create a cist pool for picking up bed bugs and bringing them back home! After all, nothing is worse than a hotel with white sheets and blood stains from bug bites at a hotel than white sheets and blood stains from bug bites at your own house!
Instead of carrying a cloth bag, carry a tote or old school luggage that you can wipe clean. If you must carry a cloth bag, place your items in plastic bags to help seal them off and ward off infestation.
A Growing Problem
Showing up on almost every news channel and social media feed, bed bugs have famously made a big comeback throughout five star hotels and even in new mattress stores over the past few years. This means that bed bugs and their bites don’t plague you because of the state of your house. However, if you want to tidy up – it could never hurt. A man’s home is his castle… and bed bugs aren’t invited.
Why Hire Professionals?
When you spot signs of a bed bug infestation, you should call in a professional pest control technician in Northern VA to help you get rid of the tiny parasites. These professionals are trained to spot areas where the bugs nest and they are knowledgeable about their behaviors, reproduction and how to properly eradicate them using pesticides. Many of the pesticides they use cannot be acquired without a license to handle them because they are dangerous if used incorrectly.
A professional will also show you how to detect the bugs and how to avoid a re-infestation by taking some simple precautions. Some of the precautions that you can take are to eliminate clutter, wash your bed linens on a regular basis, vacuum your mattress and box springs regularly, and don’t store items under your bed unless they are enclosed in plastic.
When you vacuum your mattress and box springs, try to use a vacuum that uses a vacuum bag rather than a filter. Bed bugs can infest a vacuum and end up living in it if it is the filter type. With a vacuum bag, you can remove the bugs and toss them out into the trash after you’ve finished vacuuming your home.
If you spot signs of a bed bug infestation in your Northern VA home, don’t hesitate to contact your local pest control professional to come and help you get rid of them. The sooner they are out of your home, the better for you and your family.