Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

One of the most undesirable pests to discover in our Maryland homes is the bed bug. Bed bugs are small, biting insects that solely feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. While bed bugs will feed on the blood of rodents, birds, cats, and dogs, people are by far their favorite hosts.

Bed bugs are similar in size and shape to apple seeds. They are wingless, have six legs, and have short antennae. Those they have just eaten are a dark purple color and are capsule-like in shape. Bed bugs that haven't fed for a while are flat and a mahogany color.

Though bed bugs do bite us and feed on our blood, the good news is that they aren't known vectors of diseases, unlike other blood-feeding insects. That is not to say that we should want to share our beds with these pests. While not everyone reacts to their bites, some people develop a red itchy rash around their bite sites. Excessive scratching at the bites can lead to secondary infections requiring treatment from a medical professional.

The biggest concern with a bed bug infestation tends to be that sharing a space with them is unsettling and causes worry and sleepless nights. Bed bugs often affect a person's mental health more than their physical health!

Bed bugs can become a problem in any of our Maryland homes. Our houses provide them with warmth, shelter, and access to reliable food sources; you and your sleeping family!

Bed bugs move from structure to structure by hitchhiking a ride on people, our clothing, or after crawling onto our personal belongings. Transporting secondhand items like mattresses, furniture, and electronics from one home to another is another way a bed bug infestation can begin.

Once inside a house, bed bugs make themselves at home. They won't hesitate to begin feeding, breeding, building their populations, and traveling throughout your structure.

Bed bugs are not pests that you will find outside crawling through your yard or grass; they live inside with people. Bed bugs like to hide in dark, tight spaces and emerge to feed on their sleeping hosts, attracted by a person's body heat and the carbon dioxide we produce as we breathe.

Regularly inspecting your home for bed bugs is the best way to identify an infestation before it takes over your entire home. Some of their most common hideouts include:

• Cracks in walls, floors, and wooden furniture.
• The seams of mattresses and box springs.
• Under clutter or piles of dirty laundry.
• Behind wood trim and baseboards.
• Inside electronics or outlets.
• Within pieces of upholstered furniture.

If you find bed bugs or signs of their presence in your home (piles of their exoskeletons, rusty spots or bloodstains on bedding, furniture, and mattresses, or a sweet, musty odor), immediately reach out to us for immediate help.

Get rid of bed bugs with the help of the professionals who have been providing pest control services in Montgomery County and throughout the greater Maryland area since 1943. At Womack Pest Control, we are committed to our customers and providing them with long-lasting peace of mind, knowing that their property is free of bed bugs and other pests.

To remove bed bugs from your home, our professionals will first perform an inspection to confirm the infestation. Then we develop a custom plan based on your needs and the severity of the infestation. For more information about our effective bed bug control services, reach out today and speak with one of our friendly and experienced professionals!

There are several steps you can take to avoid problems with bed bugs. Here are some of our top prevention tips:

• Encase your family's mattresses and box springs in bed bug-proof covers.
• Reduce the number of hiding places in your home by eliminating clutter and sealing crevices.
• Vacuum your home regularly.
• Thoroughly clean luggage and wash and dry all clothing on high heat cycles after returning home from travel.
• Check your mattresses regularly and routinely wash your family's bedding.

Please call today for more information about bed bugs or to learn about our home pest control and commercial pest control plans!