Bed bugs are more than just a pest, and are one of the most difficult pests to properly eradicate. Conditions that are found in are homes are perfect for sustaining a bed bug colony. As uncomfortable as it is to think about, we provide warmth in our home and food from the blood in our bodies. That’s really all bed bugs need to survive. Preventing bed bugs requires very careful attention paid to what comes into the home.

Bed bugs can often go unnoticed as they are mostly nocturnal, active during nighttime, and can feed without being noticed. They are very small, flat insects that bunker down in the crevices of your bed, pillows, and furniture, leaving them difficult to see with the naked eye.

The first sign of a bed bug infestation is when people begin displaying skin irritations or rashes left by bed bug bites. Bites from bed bugs typically occur in a cluster or line of 3 or so red bite marks. If you cannot identify another source of the bite, like from mosquitoes, flies, or spiders, you may have a bed bug infestation at your home.

Bed bugs can enter a house, aparment, or hotel room in many ways, often arriving as hitchhikers on clothing, luggage, or used furniture. Bed bugs travel easily through air ducts and cracks in the walls, so they can spread easily throughout hotels or apartment complexes.

Bed bugs do not have a preference for a dirty or a clean home, they simply seek out shelter, food, and heat, which humans are excellent at providing. Bed bugs just need a way in.

1. When traveling, keep dirty clothes in a plastic bag and wash immediately in hot water when you get home
2. Keep your luggage out of reach of bed bugs, like in the bathtub, off the floor, and off the furniture
3. Undress from clothing worn while traveling on a hard floor to prevent bed bugs from spreading to other fabrics around your home

Once in your home, bed bugs need to be completely removed, and that’s why it’s recommended that you contact a professional bed bug removal specialist in order to eradicate the entire colony. If a few are left behind, the colony will surely spring back, which is often the result of DIY attempts at bed bug cleanup.