How Did Bed Bugs Get in My Home?

Bed bugs – those tiny, tenacious health hazards can cause anxiety with the mere mention of their name. But what happens when you have your own bed bug battle on your grounds? You may be wondering how they got there and what you can do to kick them to the curb for good. Maine Bed Bugs and Pest Control can help you narrow down their likely journey, so that you can try to avoid crossing paths in the future, as well as get rid of the unwanted house guests.

How Do I Know I Have Bed Bugs?

People often think that waking up to a several little red bumps or big bites on their skin is a sure sign of bed bugs. That’s simply not the case. Many different bugs leave bite marks similar to bed bugs and some people have no reaction at all to the bites. If you suspect bed bugs, check the corners of your mattress, mattress pad and pillow cases. Tiny, rust-colored dots (dried blood) may indicate bed bugs. Also check bed frames, nearby end tables and under hanging pictures. These are all places that the tiny brown bugs like to hide. The bugs themselves are about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny.

Where Did the Bed Bugs Come From?

Bed bugs are fantastic hitch hikers and hiders. If you have found bed bugs in your home, they could have rode in on a number of hosts. Luggage and hand bags are the most common mode of transportation. If you travel and bed bugs were present anywhere you stayed, they could have hopped on your luggage and hid in the seams. You could even pick up the bed bugs if you visited a friend or family member’s house who unknowingly had an infestation. Just setting your hand bag down gives them enough time to get in. The little blood suckers are sly, so it’s hard to prevent what you can’t see.

If you travel a lot or suspect anywhere you are going may have bed bugs, one form of protection is to carry with you a giant plastic bag, like a vacuum storage bag. When you arrive at your destination, place your luggage in the bag and seal it, only opening it to get your items out and put them back in.

How do I Get Rid of Them?

One of the trickiest and most frustrating aspects of bed bugs is how tough they can be to eradicate. Because they can lie dormant for months, their eggs can go months before hatching, and they hide in tiny crevices like electrical outlets and baseboards, traditional pest control sprays and treatments don’t affect them. They’ll just wait it out and emerge when the coast is clear. Experienced professionals like Maine Bed Bug and Pest Control have discovered the most effective treatment on bed bugs is a chemical-free heat treatment. Heat will kill both bugs and their eggs without any dangerous fumes and no residue left behind.

At Maine Bed Bugs and Pest Control, bed bugs are literally our business. We know how to find them and eliminate them. Owner Dale Carlson got to know the pesky critters when he had his own personal encounter with them, which inspired him to find and use the most effective processes available. You can rest assured that with Dale and Maine Bed Bugs on the case, the bed bugs have hit the road! Call (207) 650-8654 today for an estimate!

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