It is that Holiday Season time again! Preparation and plans are underway for a great time of getting together over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Many people will be planning a trip to go visit friends and relatives while others will plan to receive guests into their home. You can already feel the hustle and bustle of activities in the air.
However, this all means one thing—traveling and motels. Airports and bus terminals will be packed and motels will be filled with people from all over the country. Unfortunately, those hitchhiking bed bugs will also be looking for a free ride—to your home!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider bed bugs to be a public health pest. The only good news is that, unlike most public health pests, bed bugs do not transmit or spread disease. Albeit, the idea of these blood consuming pests is repulsive to people, not to mention the fact that they are terrible nuisances with their itchy bites.
Bed bugs are small, nocturnal bugs and not easily spotted unless one knows their appearance and habits. The adult bed bug is about the average size of an apple seed with a flat, oval-shaped body. The shape changes during feedings to a more balloon-like appearance. The young, immature bed bugs are called nymphs and have a translucent appearance and will be almost invisible to the naked eye. Bed bug eggs are even harder to find, being only the size of a pinhead and white in color.
Remembering that your Thanksgiving guests could have possibly transported them into your home, it is a good idea to do a thorough inspection for bed bugs as soon as the guests depart. Ironically, it only takes an egg stuck to the side of a suitcase to infest a room so spotting live bed bugs may take a few days.
Begin your inspection and preventive measures by stripping beds and washing and drying all bed clothing. Be on the lookout for reddish colored stains on bed sheets or mattresses. You may also see excrement in the form of a tiny black colored spot. Another thing to look for is pale yellow skins that growing nymphs have shed.
Bed bugs are very elusive and can hide in the tiniest of places. Once a room is heavily infested, you may find them inside electrical receptacles, behind loose wallpaper, behind pictures, and in ribbing and seams of furniture. They will also burrow in the carpet and hide in dresser drawers.
Removal of bed bugs is an extremely difficult task for homeowners. When you contact Thomas Pest Services, we will give you all the discreet, flexible bed bug solutions we provide. These services include the highly successful heat treatments, and bed bug prevention methods. Let Thomas Pest Services monitor your bed bug control while you enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday!