How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Stafford Home Fast!

Bed bugs may be small, but they can cause many problems for Stafford homeowners.

These tiny pests, which measure just half a centimeter long, feed on warm-blooded mammals, including people and pets. When they do so, it causes irritation and skin rash, among other side effects. 

Having bed bugs isn’t necessarily a sign of a dirty home, which is merely a myth. Bed bugs are found in all conditions, from the cleanest to the most unsanitary homes, though it may be easier for them to flourish in unhygienic conditions.

Read on to learn more about bed bugs and what they look like, the telltale signs of an infestation, how bed bug infestations start, and why they’re so difficult for homeowners to prevent.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

Bed bugs are teeny insects with flat, oval-shaped bodies that range from brown to mahogany in color; their bodies appear darker and redder after they feed. Bed bug offspring, known as nymphs, measure one millimeter in length and range from translucent to whiteish-yellow in color. Because of their size, bed bug nymphs are nearly invisible to see by the naked eye. 

What Are Telltale Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?

Bed bugs are nocturnal, and during the day, they’ll remain hidden out of sight in areas with bedding or near places where people and pets sleep. For this reason, they may be difficult to detect at first. However, here are five telltale signs of a bed bug infestation to look for that can help with identifying these pests right away:

1. Blood stains left on bedding, sheets, pillowcases, pillows, or pajamas after feeding.
2. Bed bug debris, such as shed skins and egg casings or fecal matter concentrated in certain areas of the home.
3. Rust-colored stains are left behind on walls, furniture, bedding, or upholstery, which is the bed bugs’ excrement.
4. A musty odor, with a raspberry-like smell, is expelled by the bed bugs’ scent glands.
5. A rash or cluster of bites on the skin. Particularly on areas of the body left exposed during sleep, such as the hands, wrists, feet, ankles, arms, and legs.

How Do Bed Bug Infestations Start?

Bed bug infestations usually start when bed bugs are:

• Inadvertently carried indoors on clothing, personal items of people, or on pet fur. 
• Picked up from high-traffic places, such as public transportation, schools, hospitals, airports, and movie theaters. 
• Brought indoors on secondhand items, such as upholstered items or used furniture.

Why Are Bed Bug Infestations So Difficult To Prevent?

Bed bug infestations are difficult to prevent because there’s no single foolproof way to keep bed bugs at bay. When people work, go to school, and commute elsewhere, they are essentially at risk, at least somewhat, of accidentally picking up bed bugs. For this reason, year-round home pest control services in Stafford are the most effective way to safeguard against these pests.

Why Professional Pest Control Is Best For Tackling Bed Bugs

To get rid of bed bugs on your own, you’d need to find and eradicate every bed bug in the home, a challenging and practically impossible task, as they hide in hard-to-reach places. Instead of going through the hassle, please leave bed bug removal to the professionals at Viewpoint Pest Management Solutions. Family-owned and operated, Viewpoint Pest Management Solutions has been serving Stafford and the surrounding areas with pest control services since 2015—and they’ll get rid of bed bugs for you.