Bed Bugs

What are bed bugs?

A significant pest problem in homes and businesses across the country, bed bugs can find their way into any Connecticut home or business at any time. Bed bugs don’t fly or jump, so they move from place to place by hitchhiking on people or our belongings. When they crawl onto a person, they don’t know if they are moving across the street or across the country!

Bed bugs feed on warm-blooded animals; blood is their sole source of food and required for their survival. Adult bed bugs are the easiest life stage for most people to identify. Adults grow to about three-sixteenths of an inch in length, have six short legs, and are reddish-brown. The oval, flattened body allows bed bugs to hide in the cracks and crevices of homes and our personal belongings unnoticed.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

Bed bug bites affect everyone differently; some develop raised itchy rashes while other people have no physical symptoms. If severely allergic to bed bug saliva, people can have a serious allergic reaction that requires medical attention.

Bed bugs aren’t currently a serious threat in the spread of disease, but they are a threat to people's sleep. Knowing bed bugs are in your home causes interrupted sleep and increased stress levels.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs are a problem for us because they want to live where we spend a lot of time; after all, we are their favorite food source! A bed bug bite looks very similar to other insect bites so we sometimes tend to ignore them; this allows these pests to build large populations before we accurately identify them.

Bed bugs can also go unnoticed by people for long periods because they are nocturnal and move around and feed while we sleep. During the day, they hide out of sight in dark, tight spaces. A few unnoticed bed bugs finding their way into a home or other structure can quickly develop into a large-scale infestation.

Where will I find bed bugs?

Bed bugs live worldwide. As people travel, bed bugs move with them. Since our blood is the insect’s preferred food source, bed bugs live where there are people. Some of the most common places to come into contact with biting bed bugs include:

• Hotels, resorts, and motels
• Cruise ships, airports, bus stations
• Single family homes and apartment buildings
• Offices and shopping centers
• Movie theaters, museums, libraries
• Schools and dormitories
• Healthcare facilities

In our homes, bed bugs hide in and around mattresses and box springs because they like to live close to their food source. But, bed bugs don’t just hide in our beds and bedrooms; some of their other favorite hiding spots include outlets, behind door frames, behind wall hangings, in upholstered furniture, in rugs, in between floorboards, and inside cracks in walls.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

Bed bugs are pests that need to be treated by a professional to ensure their complete elimination. Just one or two adults, eggs, or nymphs left behind could lead to a re-infestation. At Rescue 1 Pest & Termite Control, we know how to accurately identify bed bugs, provide effective treatment, and perform any follow-up services needed to prevent a re-infestation from occurring. For more information about our comprehensive bed bug control services, contact Rescue 1 Pest & Termite today.

How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?

Prevent problems with bed bugs and other pests with the following prevention tips and the comprehensive pest control services at Rescue 1 Pest & Termite Control:

• Place bed bug-proof covers on mattresses and box springs to eliminate two of their favorite hiding spots.
• Regularly vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture to pick up stray bed bugs.
• While people are a bed bug’s favorite host, they also feed on our pets, so make sure to inspect and wash pet bedding regularly.
• Cover power outlets, bed bugs love to crawl inside of them to hide out of sight.
• Remove excess clutter from your home that allows bed bugs to evade detection.
• Always inspect used mattresses, furniture, and other items for bed bugs before bringing them into your home.
• Keep your personal belongings up off the floor in public places.
• Know the signs of bed bugs and call for immediate help to eliminate these pests from your Connecticut home.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control services.