Classic Insulation & Pest Control

Bed Bugs

Pest

Bed Bugs

Pest Category

Insect/Parasite

Do they carry disease?

Yes

Do they cause structural damage?

No

Other damage

The damage this insect causes is to the people or pets it bites.

Signs to look for

Bites on the body. Some people are very sensitive to the bed bug bite and some are not. The bites are recognized by the itching they produce and inflammation. These insects can leave blood spots from feeding on almost any surface (walls, linens etc...) and their fecal matter consists of digested blood, looking normally like a brown spot.

Where they are noticed?

Once in a home, bed bugs can be found in any crack or crevice. They are found in bed framing, along seams in mattresses, behind pictures and calenders, floor boards...you get the idea, almost anywhere.

Habits

Measuring approximately 1/8 of an inch, bed bugs have a red-brown color and a flat, oval shaped body. Nymphs resemble their parents but are smaller and slightly lighter in color. Active mostly during the night, bed bugs are ground travelers and are very agile climbers, easily able to move up and over obstacles such as walls and other surfaces. While they don't have nests, per se, bed bugs will congregate in dark places where they hide during daylight hours. Females can lay up to 500 eggs during their lifetime and seek out secluded places (in and around beds, in closets, under other furniture, etc.) for laying them. The nymphs, when they hatch, can live for months

If Untreated...

If left untreated the population will simply continue to grow...the larger the number of bed bugs, the more blood required for feeding.

Tips

Bed bugs prefer warmer temperatures, which makes today's homes an ideal environment.

photos of damage and/or infestations