Blog

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!