How To Identify & Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Reno Home

If there's one thing you shouldn't have to share your bed with, it's a bed bug. These pests cause far more harm than good, so here's what Reno homeowners should know about identifying bed bugs, why bites are usually the first sign of a bed bug problem, how bed bugs get into homes, and the best way to get rid of bed bugs with pest control in Reno.

While there are multiple signs of bed bugs, most homeowners don't realize they've got a problem until they start finding itchy, red welts across their skin. Bed bugs are nocturnal and don't make their presence known until the infestation has really grown, but here are some of the telltale signs of bed bugs: 

• Stains in their hiding places: Bed bugs are extremely tiny, and like to hide in the cracks and crevices of furniture, appliances, or other items in your home. When you sit or lay down near their hiding spots, you may accidentally crush a bed bug's body, which can leave a dark stain behind. If you're finding tiny blood spots or dark stains on your sheets, pillows, couches, or other furniture, it could be crushed bed bugs or fecal matter stains.
• Discarded skin: Bed bugs shed their skin as they grow, and they may leave their discarded skin lying around your sheets, pillows, or mattresses. This discarded skin looks like the shell of an empty bed bug. 
• Bite marks: One of the most obvious signs of an infestation is unexplainable bite marks. These bites may be mistaken for other types of bug bites, which is why it's important to be on the lookout for other signs of an infestation. 
• Eggs: Like many pests, bed bugs lay eggs, which are shiny and translucent. You may find these pin-sized eggs around bed bug hiding spots such as furniture, cabinets, or baseboards. 

If you are finding signs of bed bugs in your home, it's vital to take action quickly before the infestation has time to grow.

How Bed Bugs Hitchhike Their Way Into Your Home

Often called parasitical hitchhikers, it's no surprise that bed bugs make their way into your home by catching a ride. If you visit somewhere that already has a bed bug infestation, like a hotel room, airport, or even a bus, these critters will latch onto your luggage or other personal belongings. 

These places, and anywhere else where there's plenty of regular human activity, tend to be hot spots for bed bugs. And there's always the chance that you could even pick them up at a friend's house too. Once they've made it into your home, any bed bugs you've picked up can climb off your luggage and begin finding a well-hidden spot to continue growing their colony.

Even if you're careful about spending time in hot spots, bed bugs can still enter your home through secondhand clothing or used furniture and appliances. Used appliances, furniture, and sometimes even clothing could hold small colonies of bed bugs if these items were in a place with an existing infestation.

The Best Way To Completely Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Home

Once you've realized that you have bite marks or found dead or live bed bugs in your house, the next step is getting rid of them – and that starts by working with those of us at Celtic Pest Control.

Not only do we use effective treatments that will get rid of bed bugs in your home permanently, but we also perform inspections and free lab evaluations if you're not completely sure which pest is leaving bite marks behind. To learn more about how our bed bug control program works in Reno, contact us today at Celtic Pest Control.