Have you recently encountered
bed bugs along your travels? If so, you are not alone. Travelers across the globe report
bed bug sightings, while staying in
hotels,
country inns, and other temporary rental facilities. If you have recently spent some time traveling, you could have encountered a bed bug(s). Such an encounter will put your family and home at risk as well.
If you encounter
bed bugs during your travels, your home will become at risk as well. The small size allows the
bed bug to remain undetected when encountering humans. This especially applies to people who are not aware of the risks of such an encounter.
Knowing there is a risk will put you one step ahead of the process. If prevention is impossible, it is best to be fully prepared.
One Vs A Dozen Bed Bugs
What is the difference between a
bed bug and a dozen bed bugs, besides number? When you consider a bed bug as a threat, whether alone or in a colony, there is not much comparison. In fact, experts tend to lean toward the idea, all bed bugs have risks.
Contrary to belief, a bed bug should never be ignored. Every adult bed bug develops from a tiny translucent egg. Once the egg is laid, it begins to mature. To reach full maturity, it will take at least five weeks. During these 5 weeks, the bed bug nymph molts or sheds its exoskeleton. The nymph undergoes the molting process 5 times before reaching full maturity.
Signs Of Bed Bugs
Before anyone can determine if their home is infiltrated by bed bugs, they need to know the signs. These signs include the following:
- Live bed bugs in the mattress, box springs, bed linen, carpet, and upholstery
- Dried blood on mattress, bed linen, and pajamas
- Exoskeletons on bed linen, pillows, and mattress
- Bed bug fecal material on bed linen and mattress
- Foul odor, permeating the entire infested area
Knowing these signs will play in your favor if ever, you are faced with the challenge of home infiltration.
A Bed Bug Draws Concern
When bed bugs are detected in a residential or commercial setting, there is room for concern. If the sighting was a bed bug or a dozen bed bugs, there is reason to be concerned. It is not unusual for sightings of a lone bed bug to be completely ignored. Any bed bug sighting warrants concern because of the risk of an infestation.
The bed bug colonizes, not in the same manner as the termite and ant, but colonizes, nonetheless. Bed bugs colonize to ensure longevity in some of the harshest conditions. Joining forces allows the insects to fight back against some pest control efforts.
An adult female bed bug is a threat because it opens the door for more infestation cases. This especially applies to a mature female bed bug that is pregnant. One female adult bed bug can lay up to 250 eggs within her lifetime. When the adult female has access to blood meals, she will continuously reproduce, laying between 1 and 5 eggs per day. As the female continues to lay eggs, the risk of an infestation increases.
What Part Of The Home Is Bed Bugs Drawn To?
Bed bugs are drawn to areas of the home, where the host sleeps. These are the areas that need to be frequently inspected, starting with the mattress. If bed bugs have infiltrated your home, there will be signs in the bedroom. Why the bedroom? This is where the host sleeps and feedings will take place. Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on blood from a living, breathing host – animal or human.
Is A Bed Bug A Sign Of An Infestation?
No, but it could be a sign of things to come. If the lone bed bug is a female, the odds of a future infestation are significantly higher than a male. Even worse if the mature female is pregnant. As the pregnant female continuously lays eggs, up to 250 in her lifetime, there will be a mixture of males and females for future procreation. So, it is easy to see how a lone bed bug could be a sign of an infestation. While the infestation is not at present, it could be the future.
Visual Bed Bug Infestation
If you are struggling to determine if your property is genuinely infested with bed bugs, it may be time to turn to the experts. A thorough visual inspection of your property is the only option. The process begins in high-risk areas like the host’s bedroom. The technician thoroughly inspects every inch of the bedroom. During the inspection, the technician is searching for signs of bed bugs. If the bedroom is deemed pest-free, the inspection will move into one of the nearby rooms.
Why Is One Or A Few Bed Bugs Of Concern?
As previously mentioned, bed bugs are concerning, regardless of if they are traveling alone or in colonies. Unlike household pests – the cockroach, ant, and spider – the bed bug infiltrates human habitats with the help of humans. After being picked up from hotels and other travel accommodations, the bed bug travels to the victim’s home in luggage and other items. Once the victim reaches the final destination, the bed bug will initiate a hiding place search. Here, the insect will stay until the victim falls asleep.
Bed bugs utilize their antennae to detect carbon dioxide and heat, both of which are generated by the sleeping human. This is how the insect locates the bedroom where it will spend the remainder of its life. However, if an infestation breaks out in the victim’s home, the bed bugs may begin to search for new hosts, which is how they ended up where they are now.
Professional Bed Bug Management
Our professional bed bug control helps reduce the number of new cases in Davenport. First, the process is utilized to fully eradicate the bed bug infestation inside your home. We base each custom treatment on evidence collected during the bed bug inspection. To learn more, contact our Davenport location.
Be sure to inquire about our free pest control services. We offer free consultation and pest inspection services for free of charge to all businesses, landlords, tenants, property management companies, and homeowners.
Our pest control experts are from local communities. They have completed accredited programs and annual pesticide safety classes. Our goal is to protect the environment and our clients from unnecessary chemical exposure during conventional pest control treatments.
Our prices are fair and competitive with other top Davenport extermination companies. Whether you are on a limited budget or unsure if professional bed bug management is the solution, we are here to help.
