Bed bugs are a pest that many people think of with dread and fear, and this makes a lot of sense, given that they bite humans to get a blood meal. While many people assume that bed bugs are only a problem for people who live in apartments, they can get into any home.
While you might know they are a bad pest, you might not realize how you can pick bed bugs up. The simplest way to understand how bed bugs get inside is to think of them as bloodsucking hitchhikers. They hitch a ride in two main ways; by being picked up during general travel, or by being brought in on secondhand items.
Before you understand the specific places you can pick up bed bugs, it's important to know what they look like. While one myth is that bed bugs are too small to see, they can be viewed with the human eye, even though they're tiny. This brief guide can help you identify them:
- They are reddish-brown.
- They are flat except after they've eaten.
- They only get to be about the size of an apple seed.
- Their heads are much smaller in proportion to their bodies.
- They have a somewhat ribbed look to them.
The Most Common Way Of Picking Up Bed Bugs
The main way that you could end up with a bed bug infestation is by picking these bloodsucking pests up while out and about during general travel. It's possible to pick up bed bugs while going about your regular errands or while on vacation.
While you could pick up bed bugs at almost any business, or even at another person's home, there are some bed bug hot spots where these pests thrive. Some of the most common places bed bugs you'll find bed bugs include:
- Hotels
- Buses and bus stops
- Laundromats
- Schools
- Ride and room shares
Because of the many places you can pick up bed bugs, it can be difficult to avoid them completely. There are some things you can do, however, to reduce the risk, such as not setting down luggage in public places, storing laundry in a plastic bag if you use shared facilities, and checking hotel rooms for signs of bed bugs before bringing your belongings inside.
The Second Way You Could Get Bed Bug
There is one other way that bed bugs often make their way into homes, and this is by bringing in secondhand items. While furniture such as mattresses and couches are the most likely to be infested, other items such as clothing could also have bed bugs on them.
To avoid bringing bed bugs home, here are some signs you should look for:
- Rust-colored stains on furniture or clothing that occur from squashed bugs
- Yellow stains from eggshells
- Dark red or brown stains from bed bug excrement
Get Help With Bed Bug Infestations
If you've noticed signs of bed bugs around your Auburn home, you might be wondering what to do next. The best and most effective way to remove bed bug infestations is by working with the professionals at Prewett Pest Control. Trying to remove bed bugs on your own is rarely effective since infestations can keep coming back if even a couple of bugs are left alive. Our expert technicians use modern, high-quality methods to remove every single bed bug. Call us today to find out more about our bed bug control options or to book an inspection.