How To Tell If Your Salt Lake City Home Has A Bed Bug Problem

Bed bugs can be difficult to find. They're so good at hiding, some people think that bed bugs are microscopic pests. We're happy to say that they aren't. When a bed bug first hatches, it is about 1 mm long. That's pretty small, but not invisible. An adult bed bug is about 4.5 mm. If you lift your mattress and do an inspection for bed bugs, you could find several of these bugs huddled together in a spot the size of your thumbnail. While certainly easy to miss, you can see them. But most of the time, bed bugs aren't hiding in places where they can be easily detected. Oftentimes, they hide in even tighter spaces than the compressed area between your mattress and box spring. As an example, they can be hiding inside the seam of your mattress, and you may not see any bugs when you tear your bed apart looking for them. So, how do you know your Salt Lake City home has bed bugs when they're so good at hiding? We have some tips!

Bites

The first and most obvious sign of a bed bug infestation is numerous bites on your skin. Each individual bed bug bites multiple times—often three. If several bed bugs feed on you, that can result in a lot of bites. When you start to see bites, it can have you wondering whether or not you have a bed bug infestation. This may even be why you've come to this article. The first step in determining that your home is infested with bed bugs, and not some other pests, is to examine the characteristics of the bite wounds:

One bed bug is likely to leave three bites that are near each other. This may appear in a line or a zig-zag, and there may be a rash associated with the bites.
Several bed bugs will leave many bites on your skin. This will look like a path on your skin, as bed bugs will move across the surface in a group, with each bed bug feeding multiple times.
Bed bugs tend to feed on the upper body. They are attracted to carbon dioxide. If you have lots of bites on your feet and ankles, they are more likely to be flea bites than bed bug bites.
Bed bugs tend to feed on skin that is exposed during sleep, especially the shoulders and neck.
Bed bug bites can look like a bumpy rash. Rashes from other sources are often mistaken for bed bug bites, such as carpet beetle allergies or allergies to certain foods.

Feces

Bed bugs leave their excrement in many places. This waste is black. If you do an inspection and find specks of black or black stains, it can be a strong indication of a bed bug infestation. But other insects, such as cockroaches, can leave similar evidence. Look for bed bug feces on:

Pillowcases, sheets, and bedding.
Mattresses, box springs, and furniture that is near beds, couches, and chairs.
Upholstered furniture.
Baseboards, and the covers of wall outlets.

Blood Stains

Bed bugs often excrete blood. If you find brown stains during the inspection of your bedding and linens, these could be dried bloodstains. If they are, they could be a warning sign of a bed bug infestation.

Shed Skins

Bed bugs pass through five instars as they develop into adult bed bugs. Each time they move from one instar to the next, they shed their skins. These skins can be found in areas where bed bugs are congregated together. Use a debit card to check the seams of your mattress, box spring, and upholstered furniture to lift these skins to the surface. You may also lift bed bugs or bed bug eggs to the surface during this process.

Pheromones

Bed bugs excrete chemicals to communicate with each other. These smell unpleasant to humans. If you do an inspection and you detect a scent that smells like a musty locker room towel, you probably have a bed bug infestation.

How To Know For Sure

If you live in Salt Lake City, remember that the team at White Knight Pest Control can assist you with bed bug detection and elimination. You don't have to wonder if you have bed bugs and you certainly don't have to live with bed bugs. Get relief today!

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