During the 19th century and near the beginning of the 20th, it has been said that bed bugs were the most infamous and exasperating pests.
After the 2nd World War, it was believed that the United States was free of the bed bug parasite.
Unfortunately, bed bugs hitch hiked back to the U.S. in the baggage of tourists and travelers and the notorious bed bugs returned.
So, if you think you have a problem with bed bugs in your home, you first have to be able to identify them.
Baby bed bugs are almost microscopic insects and are very difficult to see without magnification.
When bed bugs become full grown they can grow to be as large as a quarter of an inch in length and look very similar to other common wingless insects.
Bed bugs have a flat body and when they are newly hatched are smaller than a poppy seed.
The color of bed bugs can vary but they are usually a dark brown color. There are some bed bugs that resemble fire ants and have an orange color and there are even some bed bugs that are have an off white or tan shell.
Many bed bugs are mistaken for ants or termites but when you look more closely you can distinguish the differences.
Bed bugs can change color depending on whether they have an empty or full stomach.
Bed bugs eat blood so when their stomachs are full of blood it will cause a dark red spot or blackened area in the stomach area. Their abdomen may also appear to be balloon shaped when it is full.
When bed bugs expel waste they let out tiny bits of a liquid that may look like blood. Therefore any bed, pillow, or surface that bed bugs live on can have stains with many red or dark black looking minuscule spots.
Bed bugs are nocturnal and hide out during the day.
So, how can you ever detect bed bugs if they are so tiny, they only come out at night and are easily mixed up with other insects?
You need to keep an eye out for the tiny spots they leave behind when they excrete waste. If you are very observant you may even see them creeping around on your bed or in crevices in your floors and
walls.
If you determine you have a bed bug problem, how do you exterminate them? Bed bugs, like many insect pests, are relentless and can be hard to get rid of.
To guarantee success in ridding your home of bed bugs you will probably need the help of a professional pest control technician.
Professionals know the best way to exterminate bed bugs and it is usually wise to have them do the job so you can know the bed bugs are really gone forever.
