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BED BUGS

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Bed Bugs - Do I have them? How do I get rid of them?

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood. They are usually active at night when people are sleeping.

Adult bed bugs have flat, rusty-red colored oval bodies, no wings and are about the size of an apple seed. They are big enough to be easily seen, but hide in mattresses, box springs, bedding, cracks in furniture, floors, or walls. When bed bugs feed, they swell and become brighter red. They can live for several months to over a year without feeding. They don’t jump or fly, and they crawl and move about the same speed as an ant.

How do I know if my home has bed bugs?

Look for signs of an infestation that may include:

  • Itchy skin welts on your body
  • Small blood smears on bedding from crushed insects
  • Tiny dark spots on your sheets which are their fecal droppings
  • Dried remains of shed bed bug skins

Be aware other insects, such as fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, can leave bites that look like bed bug bites. Bites alone cannot prove you have a bed bug infestation.

Important note: The only way to be sure you have a bed bug infestation is to find and positively identify a live bed bug.

If you suspect your have bed bugs, you will have to conduct a thorough search of your home. Bed bugs are hard to find because they hide in, under, and around beds. They also hide inside, under and behind furniture, and in small cracks or corners in furniture, floors or walls or in carpeting close to where they feed at night.

Newly hatched bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed, almost transparent, and very difficult to see. Once they feed, they become larger and red or brown in color which makes them easier to see. The eggs are white and about the size of two grains of salt. When laid, they are cemented to surfaces making them difficult to remove.

What do bed bug bites feel and look like?

A bed bug bite is painless and some people have no reaction to the bites. Most people have itchiness, red spots, or welts that look like mosquito or flea bites hours later. These usually fade after several days. A few people have severe allergic reactions.

Remember: Bites are only a clue that you may have bed bugs, but you can’t tell from bites alone that you have a bed bug problem.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

Bed bug bites are a nuisance and annoying, but bed bugs are not known to spread diseases. Try not to scratch bites because it increases the risk of skin infections. If you have a severe reaction to a bed bug bite, see your doctor.

How do bed bugs get into homes?

Bed bugs are not a result of poor housekeeping; anyone can have bed bugs. People bring bed bugs into their homes unknowingly in infested luggage, backpacks, purses, furniture, bedding, shoes or clothing. They can also travel between apartments through cracks in walls and floors.

Total release pesticide foggers or ‘bug bombs’ can force bed bugs in to adjacent apartments. Do not use ‘Bug bombs’. They do not control bed bugs and using bug bombs improperly can be dangerous and spreads pesticide throughout your home.

If you have bed bugs and live in a rental property, notify the property manager immediately. Do not use pesticides to treat for bed bugs yourself. General use pesticides are not effective against bed bugs and their use may cause the bed bugs to spread to adjacent units.