3 Tips To Implement When Hunting For Bed Bugs

28 December 2016
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If you wake up every morning with red, itchy and painful bites, your house might be infested with bed bugs. This is especially true if you notice that the bites are in a line, and generally in a row of three. Most of the bites are usually found on the face, neck, arms and legs. To confirm that you do indeed have bed bugs and need to call an bed bug control service immediately before the situation worsens, hunt for bed bugs on your bed, couches and other furniture. Implement the following 3 tips to increase the chances of having a successful hunt.

Perform the Search at Night When the Bed Bugs Are Most Active

Bed bugs will normally feed on you when you are at your most vulnerable at night. They typically refine feeding times during nighttime hours, and others have normally noticed that the bed bugs are most active right before dawn. The bed bugs are attracted to both the release of carbon dioxide and to heat, so stay up if you plan on hunting for bed bugs, as you'll have a higher chance at finding them when they are most active.

Although bed bugs prefer feeding at night, they are not solely nocturnal. Some bed bugs do feed during daytime hours. This is particularly true for those who work grave night shifts. The bed bugs will basically adapt their schedule to fit yours in order to get a meal or two in. Keep in mind that bed bugs do not need to feed every day in order to survive.

Use Credit Cards or Cards to Flush Out Bugs Hiding Seams and Crevices

Surprisingly, there are plenty of crevices, nooks and crannies for bed bugs to hide in. It can be easy for them to conceal themselves within the environment, making it extremely difficult for you to find them. Make sure you're well equipped for the hunt by bringing a credit card or any other types of sturdy cards to the hunt. You want to swipe the credit card in the crevices of the furniture, like the seams. This will help flush the bed bugs out even if they're in hiding.

If you don't have a credit card lying around, you can also use a putty knife if you have one lying around instead. In addition, you should also consider using a blow dryer in high heat in conjunction with the credit cards in an attempt to force the bed bugs to come out of hiding.

Use a Magnifying Glass to Get a Better View

Bed bugs are incredibly difficult to find most of the time due to the fact that they are so small. Adult bed bugs are approximately 5 to 8 millimeters long, and the nymphs are significantly smaller. More often than not, the bed bugs are mistaken for specks of dirt and dust on the furniture. This is especially true if you happen to be a messy person. Due to the fact that bed bugs are so hard to identify, you want to use a magnifying glass if possible. The magnifying glass will help you identify legs and body parts, so that you don't mistake the bed bugs for something else.

Keep in mind that the color of the bed bugs will vary. Depending on whether they have been fed recently, the bed bugs can be anywhere from a pale yellow to a dark red-brown color.

Conclusion

Bed bugs are difficult to find, which is why it's important that you're prepared for the hunt. These crafty pests can easily hide in crevices and nooks and crannies. In the event that you find one, there's a good chance that there are many more hiding somewhere in your furniture. Contact an exterminator immediately to prevent the infestation from worsening.