Bed bugs are a pest in Modesto, California that many people dread encountering. Given that bed bugs are small parasitic insects that bite people while they sleep, there’s good reason to not want them around. Along with feasting on human blood, they are also particularly difficult to prevent and control.
While you likely have heard many things about bed bugs, there are a lot of misconceptions and myths about these small insects. To help you protect your property from these nasty pests, we’ve put together a guide to common falsehoods about bed bugs so that you can know the truth from the lies.
Myth: Bed bugs are too small to see.
It’s true that bed bugs are a tiny pest, but they aren’t invisible to the human eye. They are around the size of an apple seed, but they can be seen if you know what to look for. You can identify bed bugs by their reddish-brown color and their flat, oval-shaped bodies. They do, however, look round after they’ve just eaten.
Myth: Bed bugs only infest dirty homes.
Many people assume that bed bugs are only a problem if you have a cluttered or dirty home or business, but this isn’t true at all. Bed bug infestations can happen to anyone, and these pests aren’t more attracted to messy areas.
Bed bug infestations usually begin when they are brought in after general travel. Bed bugs will hitch a ride on things like luggage, purses, and backpacks, and they can be inadvertently picked up in places like laundromats, buses, hotels, schools, and even hospitals. The other way infestations can start is by bringing in secondhand items that are already infested.
Myth: Bed bugs are only found near beds.
Bed bugs often infest mattresses and bedding because this gives them quick and easy access to bite humans while they sleep. However, bed bugs can also spread throughout many other areas of a home. They are often found in curtains and furniture and even inside of walls. So, while bed bugs commonly invade homes and apartments, they can even be found in places like offices and other businesses where there aren’t any beds at all.
To help you tell if you have bed bugs, here are a few of the most common signs of an infestation:
Bed bug bites: These bites are usually red and itchy and appear in a line or a zigzag pattern.
Stains: Another common sign of bed bugs is finding rusty brown stains from excrement. It’s common to find these stains around mattresses and bedding, but you should also check upholstered furniture. You may also find dried blood stains from the bites.
Smell: Bed bugs infestations are often accompanied by a strange, musty odor. If you start noticing a stale smell that wasn’t there before, try checking around the area for an infestation.
Myth: You can get rid of bed bugs on your own.
When property owners realize they have a bed bug infestation, it’s easy to assume that removing them without professional assistance is a good option. However, bed bugs are a notoriously difficult pest to eliminate. To ensure the infestation won’t come back, every single bed bug and bed bug egg needs to be removed, and this is difficult because they can hide in so many small areas including cracks in walls.
The only truly effective way to eradicate a bed bug infestation is with residential or commercial pest control assistance at Insect IQ, Inc. We have over 15 years of experience, and our technicians can remove the entire infestation in an affordable, efficient way. At the first sign of a bed bug infestation, give us a call at (209) 353-9073 to request your inspection.
