Back To School…Bed Bugs
August is here, vacations are coming to an end, and school is just around the corner. With those suitcases going from being stored under a plane to inside your closet, it is time to remind you about bed bugs!
Bed bugs are easily identifiable by their physical appearance and preferences, including:
- Have small, oval-shaped bodies
- Have reddish-brown coloring
- Found in small crevices, cracks, mattress seams and bed frame joints
- Like fabric and wood
- Like to hide near where you sleep (mattress edges, along headboard, under mattress, in blankets and sheets, etc.)
- Like carpet edges, behind mirrors, and the insides of smoke alarms
Bed bugs are often brought home in suitcases and clothes without the owner realizing it until they accidentally bring the pests home. A pesky insect, bed bugs often go unnoticed until you are either bitten or find the infestation. While bed bugs do not transmit diseases, they are still a huge nuisance!
The signs that you may have bed bugs include:
- Unexplained skin rash or itchy red bumps after being bitten on arms, face, hands, or neck
- Bites occurring in straight lines
- Black spots on your mattress and sheets
- Mottled shells on carpet or bed
Temporary and preventative measures (especially after a vacation) include washing clothes and bedding in cold water and then drying on hot for 30 minutes, as well as inspecting seams and crevices of furniture and carpet and vacuum thoroughly. Only a professional can fully remove bed bugs, so it’s best to call Pointe the minute you think you have an infestation. Our trained technicians know all of the signs of a bed bug problem, and we do not waste time in ending the infestation once and for all.
