Your Guide To Bed Bug Control & Prevention

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic pests that feed on the blood of mammals, with human blood being their favorite food source. In fact, bed bugs received their name from their habit of feeding on the blood of people at night while they are sleeping in their beds. Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal, hiding out during the day in tight cracks and crevices, and emerging at night to feed on their hosts. Before feeding, adult bed bugs are oval, reddish-brown colored insects and are flattened from top to bottom. 

After feeding, their appearance changes. Bed bug's bodies swell, elongate, and turn a deep reddish-purple color. Young bed bugs (nymphs) are translucent or light yellow, but after having their first blood meal they turn bright red. Nymphs look similar to adults but are smaller in size.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

While many people think bed bugs are dangerous, they are actually considered to be nuisance pests. Under normal circumstances, they are not known to transmit diseases to people. However, bed bugs should not be allowed to live inside your home for any period of time.

Remember, bed bugs bite us in order to feed on our blood. The initial bite is usually not noticed, but people who are allergic to their saliva will develop raised, red, itchy welts. The itching caused by their bites can create a secondary infection that requires medical attention. Additionally, knowing that bed bugs are living inside your home can cause stress and the inability to sleep.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs live where people live in order to be close to their favorite food source. Bed bugs can be found living in almost any public place. Bed bugs hitchhike from place to place, crawling onto a person’s clothing, bags, or other personal belongs. Bed bugs are also commonly introduced inside homes through used furniture, mattresses, and box springs, or in newly purchased clothing items.

Where will I find bed bugs?

Aside from being found in your home, bed bugs live successfully inside a variety of locations. Apartment buildings, hotels and motels, office buildings, nursing homes, hospitals, schools, daycares, college dormitories, shopping centers, movie theaters, and libraries are all common havens for these invasive pests. Bed bugs almost always initially infest sleeping areas, such as mattresses and box springs. However, if the infestation is allowed to continue, they will move throughout the home, hiding in furniture, wall voids behind switch plates, behind wooden molding, and inside electronics and keyboards.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

The easiest way to control and prevent bed bug infestations is with the help of the trusted Philadelphia bed bug control experts. At Resolution Pest, our board-trained, state-certified exterminators deliver the exceptional bed bug control services needed to rid your home of bed bugs. Resolution Pest is committed to using environmentally safe, ethical treatments to solve your bed bug problem and prevent their return. To learn more about implementing a residential or commercial pest control service in your Bucks, Chester, Delaware, or Montgomery County-area home or business, call Resolution Pest!

How can I prevent bed bugs in the future?

In addition to our professional services in the Philadelphia metro area, the following tips can help to prevent problems with bed bugs:

• After returning home from a trip, place all travel clothing in one area and immediately wash and dry them on a high heat setting.

• Know how to identify bed bugs and the signs of their presence so you can get professional help for an infestation in its infancy.

• When traveling, inspect your hotel or other rentals for signs of bed bugs before bringing luggage and other belongings into it.

• Regularly vacuum your home’s floors.

• Change and wash bedding, inspecting mattresses and box springs for bed bugs.

• Do not purchase used furniture, mattresses, and box springs for use within your home.

• When out and about in public places, such as at work or school, keep bags, coats, luggage, and purses up off the ground and away from other people’s belongings.