A pest-free home is undoubtedly the dream of every homeowner. Nevertheless, pest infestations rarely have something to do with cleanliness, as some insects aren’t attracted by untidiness.
Bed bugs, as their name implies, take residence in the beds of household members and bite them during the night. The allergic reaction to their bite might develop even days later, which makes individuals suspect other insects.
Although these parasites are harmless to humans, homeowners should pay attention to the following signs.
Musty odor
The first sign that warns Oklahoma City homeowners of the presence of bed bugs is the musty odor they emit. These tiny insects are known to release a sweet yet musty smell, which household residents usually compare to raspberries or coriander. This specific scent originates from the pheromones bed bugs emit.
Nevertheless, this sign is probably the least useful since the smell produced by individuals insects is almost undetected by humans. Therefore, when you finally recognize such an odor, it means the infestation is more serious than you think.
Bites
Another more obvious sign of having uninvited guests in your house/apartment is the bite patterns in different parts of your body. These troublesome parasites feed on humans while they are sleeping by biting their exposed skin. What’s interesting about bed bugs is their bite pattern, which looks like a straight line consisted of three bites. Some people refer to these bites as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Find out everything there is to know about bed bug bites.
Nevertheless, this pattern isn’t present in every human bitten by such insects. If these parasites feed on enough blood at the first bite, they won’t proceed with further bites. The row of three bites is common when they cannot struggle to find the right spot.
The usual reaction of bed bug bites is itchiness triggered by their saliva. Anyhow, the allergic reaction doesn’t start at the same time in different people. It takes hours, even days, in some individuals to appear. Therefore, some people confuse them with mosquito bites. While most people develop red and itchy welts, others have either an exaggerated reaction or no reaction at all.
Stains and fecal marks
Stains and fecal marks are common indicators that Oklahoma City residents need bed bug treatment. These insects might leave a bloodstain on your bedsheet if you happen to crush some of them during your sleep.
Similar to bloodstains, these parasites can also leave fecal marks on your sheet. Such marks, however, are hard to spot due to their extremely small size, similar to a marker or pen dot. Fortunately, the majority of OKC bed bugs service professionals assist homeowners in recognizing the signs and eliminating these insects. They will immediately know whether you have such invaders in your household.
Eggs
Oklahoma City residents should be on the lookout for eggs if suspecting this type of infestation. Females who are pregnant lay between one and seven eggs per day, which are shorter than one millimeter. These eggs are ovular in shape and as white as pearls.
Since females wander around the house when pregnant, their eggs can be spread in every room of the house. The best chance for homeowners to spot such eggs is when they form a cluster, usually found underneath the bed frame.
Skin casings
Shell casings are an unmistakable sign of having such bugs in the house/apartment. These parasites have to go through five stages so as to reach adulthood by shedding their exoskeleton prior to the entrance in each stage. Such casings can be found anywhere, such as the mattress and in crevices, holes, and cracks of wooden furnishings.
Live bugs
Finding live insects is the most obvious indication of having an infestation problem. Anyhow, these creatures spend the largest part of their time hiding, only wandering around when looking for food. As mentioned before, pregnant females also tend to spend more time moving instead of hiding. This URL https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/how-find-bed-bugs.will help you find bed bugs.
Final word
These sneaky insects might be hard to find, but they aren’t impossible to eliminate.
Professional heat treatments are lethal for bed bugs, given their susceptibility to heat.
