Bed Bugs

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are insects that survive by feeding on the blood of people and animals. They have become common household pests because they prefer to feed on people's blood.

To help you identify whether bed bugs have found a way into your home, we have put together a general overview of what they look like, both before and after feeding.

Bed bugs are small insects (about 1/5 of an inch in length) and have a flattened oval shape (think lentil), six legs, short antennae, lack wings, and are a reddish-brown color. After feeding, their body swells and elongates into a cigar-like shape and turns a deep reddish, purple color.

Since bed bugs are wingless, they rely on people to move them from place to place. These pests are so difficult to keep out of our homes because we are the ones unintentionally introducing them!

Are bed bugs dangerous?

When bed bugs find a way into your Tampa, FL home, they don't pose an immediate danger to you and your family. However, over time, and as the infestation grows, their presence will cause issues for you and your family. Some of the biggest threats that bed bugs pose are listed below:

Bed bug bites cause openings in your skin that can lead to secondary infections.
Those allergic to bed bug saliva will develop red itchy rashes around the bite sites.
Bed bugs stain bedding, mattresses, walls, and upholstered furniture with their excrement and drops of blood.
Knowing that bed bugs live in your home with you and your family, feeding on your blood as you sleep, causes sleepless nights.

Though bed bugs aren't the most dangerous pests to find their way into our homes, they are certainly some of the most unwelcome. No one wants to share a home with blood-feeding bed bugs; at the first notice of a problem with these pests, please reach out to us for help!

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs have become a problem in your home because they were introduced by you, a family member, or a visitor. They also could have hitchhiked inside on a secondhand piece of furniture, mattresses, rug, or electronic device.

Whenever there are large populations of people moving in and out of an area, there is the possibility bed bugs will be introduced. Places there is a high possibility of coming into contact with bed bugs include airports, hotels, schools, office buildings, and laundry mats.

Once bed bugs find a way into a home, they make quick work of finding a dark, inconspicuous place to hide. They like to hide in areas that put them near their hosts. Bed bugs are prolific breeders and can establish large difficult-to-control populations in any structure they are introduced to.

Where will I find bed bugs?

Unfortunately, bed bugs love our beds just as much as we do, but our beds are not the only places they hide in our homes. Bed bugs can easily travel through walls, floors, and ceilings and into other areas of your home.

Bed bugs can squeeze their body into a space that is only as wide as a toothpick. In addition to hiding in the seams of mattresses, bed bugs regularly hang out in wall voids behind electrical outlets, behind the cushions of upholstered furniture, behind baseboards, and under piles of clutter.

Bed bugs are professionals at hiding, which along with being nocturnal, is why their presence in your home can go unnoticed for so long.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

Don't let bed bugs affect your family's sound sleep for one more night; reach out to Haskell Termite & Pest Control to eliminate them from your home. By partnering with us, you will have peace of mind knowing the job has been done correctly! To start the process, our team will perform a thorough inspection. After the inspection, we will go over our treatment options and choose the best option based on the needs of your home. Since 1992 we have provided customers with effective home pest control treatments. We have the experience, dedication, and advanced pest control methods necessary to solve even the most challenging bed bug infestation.

Call today if you are a home or business owner in the Tampa Bay area and want to learn more about our bed bug treatment options!

How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?

Implement the following strategies to prevent bed bugs from entering your home.

Always inspect secondhand furniture for hitchhiking bed bugs.
If possible, never buy secondhand mattresses for use in your home.
When traveling or spending time in public places, keep your belongings up off the ground.
Use caution in public places like laundry mats, libraries, and movie theaters.
When traveling, be vigilant and always inspect hotel rooms for bed bugs before bringing luggage inside.

With the help of the above pest prevention tips and our effective bed bug control services in the Tampa Bay area, we can work together to ensure you aren't sharing your home with these unsavory pets. Call today to learn more!