How Do People Get Bed Bugs? Common Causes and How They Spread
Bed bug control starts with understanding how these pests get into your home. Most infestations begin with a simple trip, an overnight guest, or a used furniture purchase. Bed bugs do not come from dirty homes, so any household can pick them up. For families across the North Shore of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, busy travel seasons, college move-in days, and coastal vacation rentals can bring these hitchhikers home with you. Continue reading to learn what bed bugs are, how people get them, how they spread, and how Absolut Pest Control can help with our bed bug treatment services in Amesbury, MA, and the surrounding MA and NH border communities.
What Is a Bed Bug and Why Is Bed Bug Control Important?
A bed bug is a small, flat, reddish-brown insect that feeds on human blood, usually at night while you sleep. During the day, these pests hide in mattress seams, box springs, headboards, and cracks in nearby furniture. Their bites often appear in clusters or rows and can leave you with itchy skin and restless nights. Because they multiply quickly and stay hidden, early action keeps a minor issue from becoming a widespread problem. Knowing what they look like also makes it easier to understand how they get into your home.
How Do You Get Bed Bugs in Your Home?
You get bed bugs by carrying them in from a place where they already live. These insects cannot fly or jump, so they rely on people and belongings to travel. A single bag or piece of furniture can start an infestation.
- Hotels and vacation rentals: Bed bugs crawl into suitcases left on beds or floors. They often ride home unnoticed after a weekend away.
- Secondhand furniture: Used couches, mattresses, and bed frames can hide eggs deep in seams and joints.
- Shared living spaces: Apartments, condos, and dorms let pests move through walls, outlets, and hallways.
- Visitors and public transit: Buses, trains, and houseguests can introduce bugs on coats, backpacks, and bags.
Knowing these common sources helps you stay alert whenever you travel or bring new items inside.
How Do Bed Bugs Spread, and How Can Bed Bug Control Stop Them?
Bed bugs spread by crawling along floors, walls, and wiring, and by riding on items you carry from room to room. Once they settle into a bedroom, they often expand to couches, closets, and nearby electrical outlets. Moving laundry, pillows, or furniture carelessly can carry them into new areas of your house. Store-bought sprays tend to scatter them deeper into walls instead of wiping them out.
A few smart habits help limit their reach:
- Inspect luggage after travel: Unpack outside the bedroom and closely check seams and pockets.
- Use high heat on fabrics: Wash and dry clothing and bedding on the hottest setting your fabrics allow.
- Examine used items first: Look over secondhand furniture carefully before it comes through your door.
These steps reduce risk, but an active infestation calls for professional help.
When Should You Call a Pest Exterminator for Bed Bug Treatment?
Call a pest exterminator as soon as you notice bites, small blood spots on sheets, shed skins, or a musty odor near your bed. Bed bugs rarely disappear on their own, and waiting lets the population grow. A trusted pest control company can confirm the problem and treat every life stage at once. Our process follows clear steps:
- Inspection: We check beds, furniture, and hidden spots to confirm the infestation and how far it has spread.
- Targeted treatment: We apply methods designed to reach eggs, young nymphs, and adults in hard-to-reach areas.
- Follow-up care: We return to confirm results and share tips to keep your home protected.
This thorough approach gives you lasting relief and restful nights again.
Get Expert Bed Bug Control From Absolut Pest Control in Amesbury, MA
Absolut Pest Control understands how bed bugs travel, where they hide, and what it takes to remove them for good. From the first inspection through final follow-up, we tailor every treatment plan to your home and your family’s needs. We proudly serve homeowners and business owners in Amesbury, across the North Shore of Massachusetts, and throughout southern New Hampshire with dependable pest control you can trust. To learn more about bed bug treatment and get started today, contact Absolut Pest Control by calling 978-388-4589 or by filling out our contact form.
How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a nuisance! They are little pesky insects that feed off the blood of animals and humans. You can tell the difference between adult ones and younger ones by the color. Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, whereas the younger ones are translucent or yellowish, making them very difficult to locate. Bed bugs can be found almost anywhere, including homes, apartments, hotels, dorm rooms, cruise ships, buses, and other public places. Continue reading as we delve into further details about these tiny pests and how to recognize the early signs of an infestation. Learn more about Absolut Pest Control’s bed bug services here!
How are Bed Bugs Caused?
Bed bugs enter homes and properties through other infested areas. For instance, if you live in an apartment, bed bugs can travel from one unit to another throughout the entire building. They are prone to latching onto furniture and other objects. Keep in mind that these insects are tiny and can easily enter homes without your knowledge, as they are very adept at hiding.
Can Bed Bugs Harm My Health?
To clarify, bed bugs are not considered a danger. There is no clear evidence that they can spread diseases, but their bites are itchy and very uncomfortable. Try not to scratch a bed bug bite, despite how itchy it may be, because it can lead to a severe infection. If you are allergic to bites, it can escalate to hives, blisters, and increased itching.
What are the Signs of Bed Bugs?
The first signs of bed bugs are usually itchy bites found on your skin, most likely on your arms or shoulders. They usually leave several bites, rather than just one or two, but in other instances, they don’t leave any bites at all. Stay on the lookout for:
- Blood spots on bed sheets
- Tiny yellow eggs or eggshells
- Tiny black dots, also known as bed bug poop
- Shedded skins
- White eggs the size of an appleseed
- Musty odors within your bedroom
How You Can Check for Bed Bugs
If you suspect that your home is infested with bed bugs, investigate your bed and mattress carefully, and don’t forget to check the crevices as well. They are prone to hiding in these areas, which grants them easy access to bite. They can also be found within the seams, piping of box springs, and within the cracks of bed frames and headboards. Other locations include:
- Between couches and chairs
- In curtains
- Drawers
- Electrical outlets
- Clothing
- Under loose wallpaper
- Under carpeting
- And more.
Contact Absolut Pest Control in Amesbury, MA for Bed Bug Control Services
Bed bugs are more common than you think! Our team of experts has been removing bed bugs for decades while ensuring that they do not return. If your home or property is infested with bed bugs, contact Absolut Pest Control in Amesbury, MA, today for an effective removal process. Don’t forget to ask for a free estimate! Contact us today at (978) 388-4589 or complete our contact form.
What is the Difference Between Bedbugs & Fleas?
Bed bugs and fleas are tiny pests that can make their way into your home unnoticed simply due to their size. Once these pests enter your home, they tend to reproduce and feed on human and animal blood. Bed bugs and fleas usually become unwanted guests in homes by latching on to various things like clothing, luggage, mattresses, pets, used furniture, and more! It’s in your best interest to keep a close eye on these tiny unwanted guests. Below, we have provided valuable information to help you tell the difference between bedbugs and fleas moving forward!
Appearance
Based on the first impression, it may be tricky to tell the difference between bed bugs and fleas because they are reddish brown and roughly around the same size. It’s essential to remember that bed bugs are oval-shaped, while fleas have long, narrow bodies with a flattened appearance from top to bottom.
Preferences
Both of these tiny pests tend to consume the blood of mammals. The bed bugs prefer to latch on to humans and rarely latch on to animals. Fleas are the opposite; they prefer to latch on to cats, dogs, and occasionally humans. Please remember that finding and understanding the different bite marks on humans may be difficult. Everyone reacts differently to being bitten by bed bugs and fleas, and not all bites are accurately the same!
Bed Bug Bite Symptoms
The symptoms range in several different types of skin reactions! Some people don’t obtain symptoms from bed bug bites except for the hole where they were bitten, whereas others may receive itchy skin bumps.
Flea Bite Symptoms
When fleas bite humans, their saliva can cause an allergic reaction to the skin. This causes tiny and itchy bumps to form where you were bitten!
Travel
The way bed bugs and fleas maneuver and travel heavily differentiates. Bed bugs crawl around fairly slowly and cannot jump or fly. In comparison, fleas have very strong legs and move around by leaping long distances.
Bed Bug & Flea Treatment
Keep a close eye on bed bugs and fleas because they tend to reside near their next victim, whether it’s a human or a pet! Since both of these pests are so small, it may be difficult to terminate them. Once either pest becomes comfortable in a home, it re-populates almost immediately!
Contact Absolut Pest Control for Extermination
When dealing with tiny pests, it’s in your best interest to leave it to the professionals at Absolut Pest Control. We have significant experience dealing with tiny pests and know how to effectively exterminate them, especially during infestations. Call 978-388-4589 today and receive a free consultation or fill out our contact form!
How Are Bed Bug Infestations Treated?
Bed bugs are some of the worst pests that you can face a problem with because they can be extremely difficult to get rid of once an infestation begins. Bed bugs often enter homes by hitching a ride on clothes, in suitcases, and on used furniture. Once in the home, bed bugs will find hiding spots in mattresses, couches, carpets, and clothing. When bed bugs bite, they leave raised red bumps in a line or zig zag pattern. If you’ve ever woken up with several itchy or burning bumps on your body, bed bugs could be the culprit. In this article, we’ll discuss how bed bug infestations are professionally treated, from inspection to extermination! If you believe that you have a bed bug infestation in your home in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, contact Absolut Pest Control today for a free bed bug extermination estimate!
Inspection
The first step in solving a bed bug infestation is an inspection to determine the severity of the problem. A pest control professional will thoroughly inspect your furniture, carpets, mattresses, and other areas where bed bugs may be hiding in order to determine what will be the most effective treatment method.
Preparation
Once the inspection has been completed and the extermination strategy has been determined, the next step is to prepare the home for the chosen bed bug treatment. Preparation typically includes washing clothes and linens, vacuuming, and moving items out of the house that don’t need to be treated.
Treatment
After inspecting and preparing the home, the pest control professional can begin treating the bed bug infestation using the method that has been chosen. Some of the most common bed bug infestation extermination methods include chemical treatment, heat treatment, and steam treatment. Chemical treatment involves the application of insecticides on infected areas like the cracks and crevices in furniture. Heat treatment involves raising the temperature in the home to a degree in which the bed bugs can not survive (113°F for 90 minutes). Finally, steam treatment involves the application of hot steam to infested areas, killing the bed bugs on contact.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about bed bugs or are currently experiencing a bed bug infestation at your Massachusetts or New Hampshire home, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control today! We provide home and business owners in MA & NH with a wide range of affordable pest removal & extermination services! Get a free pest control estimate today by calling us at (978) 388-4589 or by filling out the contact form on our website!
Bed Bugs Vs. Fleas: Identification, Prevention, & Treatment
Bed bugs and fleas are both hematophagous insects, meaning they feed on blood, with similar appearances, making them difficult to tell apart for the untrained eye. Both these insects are remarkably fast breeders, so it’s essential to be able to identify an infestation and solve it before the problem gets out of hand! In this article, we’ll offer some tips on how you can differentiate between these two types of blood-sucking insects and treat their infestations! If you’re a home or business owner in Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire that is currently dealing with a flea or bed bug problem, contact our team at Absolut Pest Control today for a free extermination estimate!
Flea Identification & Treatment
One of the factors that makes differentiating between fleas and bed bugs difficult is that their appearance is so similar. Fleas typically have a more ovular shape than bed bugs with lengths ranging from 1.5mm to 3mm. Fleas have six long legs, which is why they’re so good at jumping, and have a reddish-brown color when they have recently fed. When fleas bite, they leave marks that look like dots with a dark red center. Fleas typically bite your lower body, while bed bugs typically bite your upper body. Fleas are most often found attached to their hosts (humans, animals) or in upholstery, carpets, or pet beds. The best way to prevent flea infestations is to treat your pets with flea medicine, as these insects’ most common entry point into homes is via a ride from pets. As mentioned above, fleas breed & multiply extremely quickly, so it’s important to contact a local pest control company in your area to assist you with eradicating the problem as soon as you spot a potential infestation!
Bed Bug Identification & Treatment
Bed bugs can range in color from tannish-yellow to brownish-red. Bed bugs have a more apple seed shaped body, while fleas are longer and skinnier. Bed bugs are typically around 1.5 mm to 5 mm long, so they are slightly bigger on average than fleas. One key way to differentiate between beds bugs and fleas is to observe one after it has bitten you or your pet. Bed bugs will plump up after sucking blood and turn a bright red color, while fleas will keep their brownish hue. The best way to prevent bed bug infestations is to be extremely cautious with clothes, furniture, and upholstery that you’re bringing into your home, as these are typically the items that bed bugs use to hitch a ride into residences. If you have noticed bed bugs on or around your furniture, you should contact a pest control professional who can solve the problem as soon as possible!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about identifying, preventing, or treating a flea or bed bug infestation in your Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire home, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control! We provide various pest removal and extermination services at affordable prices throughout the region! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website!
Frequently Asked Questions About Bed Bugs
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects (often about the size of an apple seed) that feed on the blood of people and animals. These parasites have flat, brown bodies when they haven’t eaten recently, and balloon-like, reddish-brown bodies when they have been fed. When bed bugs bite, they leave several small red bumps in a line or zig-zag pattern. Female bed bugs lay hundreds of eggs in their lifetime (around 4 months to 1 year), so it’s important to deal with an infestation before it has the chance to get out of hand!
What Are The Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?
Bed bugs get their name from the fact that they are often found on beds and other furniture! Bed bugs are “hitchhikers”, meaning they often find their way into homes by catching a ride with pets, people, luggage, used furniture, and anything else that is brought into the house. Oftentimes, bed bug infestations are discovered after people notice that pattern of bed bug bites that are left on their bodies. Bed bugs also sometimes leave rust colored marks on mattresses, sheets, and carpets, which are the result of the insects’ feces. If you see the signs of a bed bug infestation in your home, you should contact a pest control professional right away before the infestation can get worse!
How Do You Treat A Bed Bug Infestation?
Although bed bugs typically do not present a serious threat to your health, it’s crucial to get rid of them as soon as they’re discovered. There are DIY methods that you can use to try to get rid of the bed bug infestation in your home, but they are typically not as effective as professional treatments. Some of these DIY treatments include:
- Washing clothes and bedding then drying them at a high heat
- Freezing clothes and bedding in a sealed bag for multiple days
- Using a steam cleaner to treat carpets, mattresses, and furniture
The best way to treat a bed bug infestation is to hire a professional. A professional pest control company will use a whole-room heat treatment using specially designed equipment that raises your home’s temperature above the limit that bed bugs & their eggs can survive (usually around 140 degrees). Using this professional heat treatment method is the only true way to get rid of every bed bug in your home!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
The best way to solve a bed bug infestation is to hire a local pest control professional! Absolut Pest Control provides the Greater Boston region with pest control & removal services for a wide variety of pests, including bed bugs, other insects, mice, rats, bats, birds, termites, small mammals, and much more! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!