Over the last few decades, bed bugs have become a more common problem in Cedar Hill. These tiny bugs can cause you a lot of stress and problems. If you think you have bed bugs in your home, don't worry, we are here to help.
At ProActive Pest Services, bed bug control is one of our specialties. Our experienced Cedar Hill pest control specialists use the latest technology and a multi-step process to ensure your home is bed bug-free. Here is everything you need to know about tackling a bed bug problem.
How To Be Sure It's Bed Bugs In Your Home
Bed bugs are small insects that are only about 1/4 of an inch long. When they are unfed, they have flat, oval-shaped bodies that are dark brown. Once they have taken a blood meal, their bodies swell into a rounder shape, turning a more reddish-brown color.
True to their name, bed bugs in Cedar Hill are commonly found inside the crevices of mattresses and on top of box springs. But they can also be found in any other part of your home. If you see these bugs around your bed, furniture, or some other area of your home, it is a telltale sign that you have a bed bug infestation. Other signs that indicate you could have bed bugs in your home include:
- Fecal marks: Because bed bugs only consume blood, their fecal matter is a dark reddish-brown color. If you see small, dark spots or smear marks, it could indicate that you have a bed bug problem.
- Bed bug eggs: The eggs of a bed bug are about one millimeter long, white, and shaped like an oval. Many people think that they look like small grains of rice.
- Egg shells and skin casings: Bed bugs will molt several times before they reach full maturity. If you see discarded skin casings or egg shells, it is a sure sign of bed bugs in your home.
As bed bugs eat, their bodies become larger and more susceptible to being crushed. If you roll over one while it is feeding in the middle of the night, you could wake up with small blood stains on your sheets and mattress.
How Bed Bug Infestations Spread
Bed bugs can be found in almost any public area. Some of the most common places to find bed bugs are hotels, nursing homes, airports, libraries, and second-hand stores. If you spend time in an infested location, bed bugs may crawl onto or into your belongings and hitch a ride back to your home. Because they are so small, bed bugs can be in your home for quite a while before you even realize it. Most people already have a full-blown bed bug infestation by the time they know there is even a single bed bug in their house.
Once a bed bug has found its way inside your home, it doesn't take long to become a full infestation. After a mated female has had a blood meal, she can lay between one and seven eggs daily for up to ten days. And once a bed bug hatches from the egg, it only takes about a month to reach full maturity and start reproducing.
How Extreme Temperatures Affect Bed Bugs
Bed bugs do not handle frigid temperatures very well. If the temperature reaches zero degrees Fahrenheit and stays there consistently, the bed bug will only be able to survive for about four days. Bed bugs can't tolerate extreme heat, either. If the temperature is consistently at or above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, a bed bug will die in about an hour and a half. The extreme heat can destroy the eggs as well. A bed bug egg left in 118-degree temperatures for 90 consecutive minutes will no longer be viable.
How Do I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In My Home?
Bed bugs can be challenging to get rid of. This is because many over-the-counter products do not work on bed bugs. If you have bed bugs in your Cedar Hill home, you will need the help of a professional home pest control specialist to get them out of your house completely.
At ProActive Pest Services, we have the right tools and expert knowledge to tackle a bed bug infestation of any size successfully. Call us today to schedule a thorough home inspection and become one step closer to living a pest-free life.
