According to one survey, about 1 in 5 Americans have experienced bed bugs in their home, or they know someone who has dealt with the pest.
If you think that you’re struggling with bed bugs, you’re definitely not alone. But how do you know when to call pest control?
Keep reading to find out what things you should watch out for when you suspect you have bed bugs.
Table of Contents
1. Bites
One common sign that you have bed bugs is that you’re waking up with random bug bites. You could have all kinds of bugs biting you, but there are a few signs to watch for to hint that it’s a bed bug.
Bed bugs will normally bite any part of your skin that is exposed while you sleep. Because of this, you’ll normally find bites on the bottom of your legs, feet, your neck, shoulders, arms, or even your face.
The bites will normally show up in clusters and either looks like a straight line or a zigzag pattern. The bite itself isn’t painful, but you will feel some swelling, itchiness, and redness.
2. Spots on Your Mattress
You might also notice that there are some spots on your mattress when you wake up. These spots could look like white spots.
These white spots could be eggs or baby bed bugs. These spots will normally be really hard to see, so you might miss it when you first look. To find it better, you might need a flashlight.
You could also find spots of blood on your mattress in the morning. These small blood spots come from when they first bite you and you bleed into the mattress. You could also end up squishing a bed bug in your sleep, and all of the blood will leave a stain on your bed.
Another sign is finding rust or dark-brown stain. These stains are normally fecal stains, and if you end up touching them, they might smear very easily.
3. Weird Smells
You might also notice some weird smells throughout your home.
The bed bugs will sometimes release pheromones. These are scent trails that other bed bugs can follow so that they can all communicate. If there are a lot of bed bugs in your home, you’ll likely be able to smell all of these bugs.
Some people describe this smell as damp, dusty, or even musty.
4. Empty Bed Bug Shells
Another sign that you need to call pest control service is that you’re finding shells of the bed bugs.
After they feed on your blood, bed bugs will start to get too big, and they’ll have to shed their shell in order to grow. This molting process can happen at least five times as they start growing and maturing.
This will be easy to notice if you have an infestation in your house because there will be hundreds of molted skins left behind. The shells look like the outline of the bed bug, but they are see-through. They can also be different sizes.
5. Hiding Spots
If you’re wondering when to call pest control, check some of the bed bugs’ favorite hiding spots first.
If they’re not feeding, they’ll likely hide in a few common places. You should check the bed, piping, or the seams and tags of your linen. They could also hide in cracks that are in your bed frame.
They’re very small, and some of them are only about the width of a credit card. This lets them hide in small places that you might not think about checking.
6. You Traveled Recently
If you’ve recently traveled somewhere, you could’ve slept in a room where they had bed bugs. Even if you didn’t know about it, you might end up bringing it back with you on your clothes, suitcase, or even yourself!
In order to prevent having to call a pest control company, make sure you read the reviews of every place where you’re going to stay. You should also be vigilant wherever you are because any room can end up having bed bugs.
If you do stay somewhere where there are bed bugs, make sure you get rid of them before you go home. Get rid of whatever you can and then try and sanitize everything else.
7. Eggs or Live Bugs
One of the most obvious signs is if you’re lucky enough to find live bed bugs or even find some of the eggs.
If a female bed bug is pregnant, she can lay between one to seven eggs. They’re very small, circular, and white. You can normally find eggs embedded into the fabric or wood in your home.
You might also end up finding live bed bugs. They don’t normally move unless they’re looking for food. They normally try and find a good hiding space and then just stay there.
If you do find bed bugs, you should call the best pest control company as soon as possible. But how long can it take to get rid of them?
Click here to learn to find out: “How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?”
Learn More About When to Call Pest Control
These are only a few signs that it’s time to call pest control, but there are many more signs that you should watch out for.
We know that dealing with any type of infestation can be stressful, but we’re here to help you out!
