Bed Bugs

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic pests that feed on the blood of warm-blooded hosts, with human blood being their preferred food source. These pests feed using an elongated, sucking mouthpart called a proboscis. When not feeding, they store the proboscis underneath their bodies. Bed bugs typically hide out in tight cracks and crevices during the day, emerging at night to feed on their sleeping hosts. However, they may feed during the daylight hours in places like theaters, offices, libraries, and shopping centers.

Before consuming a blood meal, adult bed bugs are flat, oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown in color. However, after feeding, their bodies swell, elongate, and turn a deep reddish-purple color. Their nymphs look similar to adults, except they are smaller. Before feeding, these nymphs are translucent or whitish-yellow in color but turn bright red and are fairly easy to spot after feeding. Bed bug eggs are white or translucent in color, are commonly found clustered together, and resemble grains of rice.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

Under normal conditions, bed bugs are not known to transmit a wide variety of diseases and, in that sense, are not considered dangerous. However, there are some serious problems that these parasitic pests can cause for people. First of all, bed bugs bite, and though many have no reaction to these bites, for some people, these bites can become quite irritated and lead to secondary infections that may require medical attention. In addition, a bed bug infestation can also create emotional stress and cause sleepless nights.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs can become a problem inside any home, no matter how clean it is. And since their preferred food source is human blood, bed bugs want to be where the people are. The most common way that bed bugs are introduced into a home is accidentally after they have crawled onto you or your belongings when you came into contact with them while out in a public place but they can also be introduced inside on used furniture, mattresses, and box springs, by migrating between walls, or by family members or visitors.

Where are bed bugs commonly found?

As parasitic pests, bed bugs can be found wherever their preferred hosts are, and with bed bugs, their preferred hosts are people! Because of this, bed bugs can be found in homes, apartments, hotels, healthcare facilities, schools, movie theaters, laundry facilities, office buildings, airports, and bus and train stations. After finding their way inside homes, they typically take up residence in sleeping areas such as in the seams of mattresses or box springs. If the infestation is not discovered in its early stages, those bed bugs will spread throughout your home, hiding inside cracks in walls and floors, behind wooden door and window trim, in upholstered furniture, behind outlets, and in walls voids.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

The best way to find and eliminate all of the bed bugs that are living and nesting throughout your home is to contact a professional pest control company for assistance. At Reynolds Pest Management, our professionals will complete a thorough inspection of your home. Based on our findings, we'll then create a treatment plan to eliminate the infestation and prevent future problems with bed bugs. For premier bed bug control in Florida, reach out to the team here at Reynolds Pest Management!

How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?

Bed bugs can be found living in just about any public environment, which makes avoiding them quite a difficult and daunting task. However, the following tips can help you to minimize contact with bed bugs and prevent accidentally introducing these parasitic pests into your South Florida home:

• Be able to identify both bed bugs and the signs of their presence.

• Inspect hotel rooms for signs of bed bugs before bringing your belongings inside. 

• Keep suitcases, bags, and other personal belongings up off the floor while out in a public setting.

• After returning home from a trip, immediately wash and dry clothing on a high heat setting.

• Never purchase used furniture, mattresses, or box springs for use in your home. 

• Regularly vacuum floors and the seams of furniture, mattresses, and box springs. 

• Wash and dry all newly purchased clothing immediately after bringing it home.