Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Alexandria Home The Right Way
February 15, 2023 - Bed Bugs
Bed bug removal is a painstaking process to manage without experience, tools, and knowledge of these pests' habits. Bed bugs are tiny insects that easily evade human notice and latch onto your belongings in eager anticipation of arriving at your home. Unlike other pests that invade your kitchen and bathroom in search of food, bed bugs opt for furniture, upholstery, and of course, beds. If you suspect a bed bug invasion, professional pest control in Alexandria is closer than you think. Matar Termite & Pest Control is Alexandria's number one choice for effective bed bug removal. Continue reading to learn where to find bed bugs and why they're next to impossible to remove on your own.
How To Properly Check For Bed Bugs
Preventing bed bugs from entering your home begins with you. Bed bugs are parasitic and feed off warm-blooded creatures such as humans and animals. Due to that, they're drawn to places crowded with people, such as movie theaters, schools, libraries, and hotels. They're transferred from one place to another by hitchhiking onto clothes, bags, and shoes. The best way to check for bed bugs around your home is to grab a flashlight and begin checking your mattress seams, in between folds, and underneath lining.
Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed with six little legs and are brownish in color before they've had a chance to feed. Once they have consumed blood, they turn a dark red color and become more visible to the human eye. Your bed won't be the only spot to find bed bugs; depending on their cycle, bed bugs will move to tiny cracks or crevices around your home to mate and reproduce. Contact a professional pest control company to completely remove bed bugs from your Alexandria home.
Do Bed Bugs In My Home Mean It's Dirty?
Although people often think that bed bugs only show up in dirty homes, this couldn't be further from the truth. Bed bugs only care about finding people to feed off of, and are just as easily brought into immaculately clean homes as dirty ones. Surprisingly, bed bugs are some of the more sanitary pests to invade your home. Since they feed on blood, they don't typically roam areas that lack a constant source of people. Bed bugs may seem like they're capable of spreading diseases like mosquitoes do, but there have been no reports linking bed bugs to spreading diseases.
A bed bug bite can usually take days to appear on your skin. The bites are generally small, with some swelling and itchiness. You can purchase anti-inch creams to treat bites from your local store. Contact Matar Termite & Pest Control to determine the extent of your bed bug infestation and to begin the removal process.
Why It's Impossible To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
Bed bugs operate on a cycle that consists of feeding, mating, and reproducing. Once fed, they relocate from your bed and move into headboards and cracks and crevices in walls and baseboards, seeking out a mate and a spot to reproduce. A female bed bug can lay one to five eggs per day, about 550 for its life's duration. These eggs take 21 days to become full adults, restarting the process and expanding the infestation. Bed bugs are among the hardest pests to remove from homes.
Some signs of bed bugs include:
- Red or brown fecal matter on sheets, clothes, and upholstery
- Bed bug bites
- Eggs or broken eggshells
- Discarded skins
If you see any of these signs, the best thing to do is immediately contact us for relief from bed bugs so you can get back to a peaceful night's sleep.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your House
As gratifying as it is to accomplish a task by yourself, bed bug control in Alexandria isn't something you can do on your own. Store-bought products that promise fast results will leave you dissatisfied and allow the infestation to spread. While you may never feel a bed bug bite while you're sleeping, just knowing their presence is invading your space is enough to rob you of your security. At Matar Termite & Pest Control, we focus on long-term solutions that incorporate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods for residential and commercial properties in northern Virginia. We believe in creating healthy, safe environments for families and businesses that restore pests back to their natural habitats and out of your home. Contact us today to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Alexandria and request a no-obligation estimate and inspection for your property.
