Here's How To Prevent Bringing Bed Bugs Into Your Jacksonville Home
Sep 21, 2020
When you live in Jacksonville, you’ve already got plenty to worry about. Between hurricanes, humidity, heat waves…and saving the manatees, do you really have time to worry about bed bugs? Well, if you knew how easily a bed bug infestation could lead to insomnia, you might pay a little bit more attention. If you knew how easily these pests can get into your home with you knowing, you’d sit up straight and take notes. The more you know about bed bugs, the more you’ll realize that preventing an infestation should be a priority. But this might not be as easy as it sounds.
Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation
Since bed bugs are only 5mm long from end to end, they’re not easily seen. Even after they fill up on human blood (yes, they suck your blood as you sleep), they’re still not all that noticeable. You really won’t really notice the actual pest unless you’re looking very closely.
A few more easily recognized signs of infestation include:
- Bloodstains on sheets left from feeding.
- Rust-colored excrement.
- Musty odors (in severe cases).
- Straight-lined or zig-zagged bite patterns on your skin. These are usually red bumps.
The unfortunate thing is, even if you’re aware of an infestation, it can be very difficult to get rid of bed bugs. Understanding how and where you pick up bed bugs is, therefore, key to preventing potential problems.
Bed Bug Hot Spots
Bed bugs don’t just walk into your home to cause an infestation like other pests. They’re “stage 5 clingers”. They’ll hang on to anything if it’s taking them towards a potential food source. That’s why you can easily pick up bed bugs in high foot-traffic areas like airport terminals, train stations, and bus stations.
These pests love crawling into luggage. When you stow your bag below an airplane or even in the carry-on storage area, bed bugs on other bags can get to yours. If you leave your bag lying near some other bags as you’re waiting to board, that’s also a high-risk situation.
As risky as traveling is, buying used furniture (or even appliances) might be an even easier way to incur an infestation. Bed bugs will live in any sort of furniture (they’re even active in office settings where there aren’t even beds), so no used furniture is safe. Make sure you check everything for signs of an infestation before bringing it into your home.
Bed Bug Prevention Methods
Checking your stuff after traveling or before bringing used furniture into your home is the most effective way to prevent an infestation. Other than that, home remedies will rarely eradicate a bed bug problem. You see, bed bugs will lay eggs within your mattresses and cushions, so vacuums or sprays will only kill the surface layer. A few weeks later, they’ll be right back to cause you sleepless nights.
If you want to get rid of an infestation before suffering from health effects, you need to find a pest control company that has guaranteed results. As soon as you notice an infestation, don’t wait until it’s too late. And don’t waste your money on home remedies.
Contact the professionals at Lindsey Pest Services right away. We have the equipment and expertise to get these pests out of your home without causing you any headache (or hurting your wallet). When it comes to your sleep and your general health, why take a chance? Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control options.
