No larger than an apple seed and with a narrow body, bedbugs can squeeze into practically any crevice inside your home.
As well, these pests enter with no clear sign. Often, because they’re active at night, they latch onto your clothing or go into your luggage while you’re traveling, and soon enough, you have bite marks, and your own property has a moderate infestation.
It’s ideal to catch these pests before they turn into a full-blown problem. And while they seem similar to other insects found in your home, from mosquitoes to carpet beetles, a handful of tell-tale signs indicate it’s time to contact an exterminator.
Stains, Droppings, and Casings in Your Sheets
Your bed often reveals the first signs of bedbugs. However, as these pests feed once a week, for about three to five minutes and anywhere from 5 to 20 feet away from its hosts, the indications are clear but sporadic.
You’ll likely see a combination of the following:
- Red stains: These come from the insects feeding on you, or when you crush them in your sleep.
- A dark trail of feces: Bedbugs leave their waste matter around your sheets and mattress. However, to tell that these are specifically their droppings, add water to them: Because the droppings are mostly blood, they’ll turn red.
- Their exoskeletons will be found: When bedbugs grow, they shed their outer casing, or exoskeleton, and then lay eggs – no more large than a particle of dust – within its habitat.
As well, a growing colony makes its home within any seams, cracks, crevices, pillows, or cushions around your bed. Spreading to the walls, ceiling, and curtains indicates their numbers are growing.
A Sweeter Aroma
While there’s no clear explanation for this happening, many describe their sleeping area as having a “sweet” smell when bedbugs are present. As such, the signs above may be accompanied by a scent reminiscent of raspberries, almonds, coriander, or granola.
Bite Marks
Although similar to bites from mosquitoes or fleas, bedbugs leave a distinct trail along your arm, usually with three or four red dots in a row.
Often, the host has a similar reaction: swelling or itching in the immediate area. But this isn’t always the case. Some have no reaction (and display no bite marks) from these pests, while others, because of an allergic reaction, develop a hive-like rash on the skin.
Catching One
The most obvious sign of an infestation? You catch one of these pests. That’s not always easy to do, but it’s not impossible:
- Wait until the night – even the early hours of the morning.
- Use an interception device to monitor their behavior.
Although there are ways to reduce the infestation, the simplest and most efficient is contacting a pest control expert like Eliminate ‘Em. If your Connecticut home displays any of the above signs, contact our team to speak with an experienced technician.
