If you can catch a bed bug infestation in the early stages, then you’ll have a better chance of stopping the infestation before it spread throughout the entire house. Although their name suggests they thrive in our beds or mattresses, that’s not the only place bed bugs will hide. Bed bugs will also inhabit wooden furniture, sofas, and more.
Knowing the early signs of bed bugs is one of the best ways to stop them in their tracks. Do you know what to look for? How will you be able to determine that it’s bed bugs rather than a different type of pest?
There are a few telltale signs of a bed bug infestation. Continue reading below to learn what are the early signs of bed bugs so you can take your home back from them as soon as possible!
- Small Bites That Itch
Have you been noticing small red bug bites on your skin that itch? Although these bites could be from a variety of insects, including mosquitoes, waking up to new clusters of itchy bites is an early sign of bed bugs. Bed bugs feed at night and are most active while you sleep.
They’ll bite you to feed on your blood while sleeping. Pay close attention to where the bites are located on your skin. Bed bugs will feed on areas of your body that are exposed while you sleep.
For this reason, you’ll generally find bites on your arms and neck. The bites will appear as small red raised spots. In most cases, you’ll see a line of these red marks, which may help you distinguish the bites from a different type of insect.
- Tiny Blood Stains on Sheets
Blood is a bed bug’s main source of food. When they come out at night to feed, they’ll feed until they’re no longer able to. As they feast, they may leave small blood drops on your sheets.
Another reason why you might find blood on your sheets is if you roll over in the middle of the night and crush one while it’s feeding. If you believe you might be dealing with bed bugs, then be sure to use a light-colored sheet. Switch out your dark sheets temporarily to see if you can find these small blood stains.
- Rust-Colored Spots on Mattress
Aside from blood stains, you might also find rust-colored spots on your mattress or on your walls. When you strip your bed to wash the sheets, take a few minutes to inspect the mattress. Look for these rust-colored spots, which are bed bug droppings.
If you start to see fecal matter stains on your mattress or walls, then this is a sign that their numbers are growing and you need to act fast.
- Shell Casing and Eggs
Bed bugs shed their exoskeletons throughout their life cycle. When they do this, they’ll leave behind a shell casing. You very well could find these shell casings on or around your bed.
Something else that might catch your eye is bed bug eggs. Their eggs will normally be left in clusters and are white in appearance. Because their eggs are so tiny, you may need to conduct a thorough inspection to find them.
Once you find them, you know it’s time to contact pest control services.
- A Strange Musty Scent
When you walk into your home or bedroom, do you notice a damp or musty odor? Check to see if the smell is coming from your bed or certain pieces of furniture in your home. The smell might remind you of moldy clothing or a wet dog smell.
Bed bugs release a musty odor that can be picked up on the most when the infestation is substantial.
- Lack of a Good Night’s Rest
Do you wake up in the morning feeling as though you didn’t get a good night’s rest? Has this been happening often? If you’ve been tossing and turning in your sleep or waking up in the middle of the night, feeling like you can’t sleep well, then bed bugs could be the cause of it.
There are many reasons why you might not be sleeping well, so going directly to bed bugs might not always be the right answer. However, if you’ve noticed any of these other signs along with not sleeping well, then there’s a good chance bed bugs are the cause of your restless nights. Because bed bugs feed on your blood while you sleep, it causes a disturbance.
As the bed bugs bite you, you may wake up to sudden pain or an itch. Itching throughout the night is a good sign that bed bugs are present.
- Live Bugs on Bed and Furniture
One of the most definite signs of bed bugs is seeing live bugs for yourself on the bed or in different furniture pieces. Even if you only see one bug, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of others hiding somewhere close by. In fact, if you do see one, then this is a sure sign that there are others.
The minute you see a live bed bug in your home, don’t hesitate to contact professional pest control services. Bed bugs can multiply rapidly and you’ll want to rid them from your home as quickly as possible.
When You Know the Early Signs of Bed Bugs, You Can Put a Stop to Them
Be sure to take note of all the early signs of bed bugs so you can always be on the lookout for suspicious activity. The moment you believe you might have a bed bug problem, contact a local pest control service near you who can use quality equipment to ensure your home is bed bug-free.
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