Avoiding Bed Bugs During Tourist Season In Lexington

August is a prime month for tourism in Lexington. The influx of visitors is great for the city and our local businesses, but can also bring with it the increased chance of another type of visitor, one that is far less welcome: bed bugs!

Contrary to what their name may lead you to believe, bed bugs do not simply stay on beds. In fact, they are expert hitchhikers, moving from place to place by catching rides on shoes, clothing, luggage, and other items which means they can be found not just in places with beds such as homes and hotels, but also wherever there are large groups of people, like office buildings, public transportation, and stores.

Avoiding Bed Bugs In Public Places

With the increased risk of bed bugs in public places, there is also an increased risk that you might inadvertently come in contact with these biting pests while out and about and take them home with you. By learning to recognize the signs of bed bug activity, you can minimize your risk of bringing them home.

Since prevention is the best way to deal with bed bugs, when traveling or visiting heavily-trafficked areas, check the areas where they are most likely to be found; bed bugs don’t typically come out during the day, but instead hide in the crevices of mattresses, picture frames, walls and windows, and furniture. They are small, brown, and oval-shaped, ranging from the size of a pencil point to the size of an apple seed.

Warning Signs Of Bed Bugs At Home

The same prevention tips you use in public places can also be used at home. Keep an eye out for any warning signs that indicate bed bugs might be present. Besides looking for the bugs themselves, there are other signs that bed bugs are present in your home — bed bugs sole food source is blood, so if you notice any small bug bites on yourself or family members after sleeping, you may be dealing with a bed bug infestation. These bites can sometimes go unnoticed at first and they’ll typically be in a line or cluster, unlike mosquito or flea bites which are more randomly placed. You may also notice small dots of red or brown blood on your sheets which is an indication that bed bugs are present.

Bed bugs go through five larval stages, shedding their skin between each stage; another sign of a bed bug infestation in your home is finding these shed skins where they feed, such as pillows and sheets, or where they nest.

They also leave signs of their presence with their urine and fecal matter, which will appear as light brown and black streaks. You can find these streaks of excrement wherever the bed bugs are invading, including sheets, pillows, baseboards, outlet covers, and even on the floor. You may find these signs in abundance where bed bugs most commonly hide, including the cracks and crevices of furniture and mattresses.

Finally, another warning sign of bed bugs is the odor they emit. If you notice an unusual musty odor and there are no other culprits such as wet towels or clothing, you will want to take a closer look in the areas where bed bugs are commonly found.

What To Do If You Find Bed Bugs In Your Home

While prevention in the form of careful inspection when in public places or while traveling is the best way to avoid bed bugs, once they have entered your home, your best line of defense is to bring in the professionals. Bed bugs are incredibly difficult to eliminate and multiply fast, which can quickly turn a small problem into a big problem.

Action Pest Control uses the most advanced bed bug control technology available in order to detect and eradicate your bed bug infestation as quickly as possible. Give us a call at Action Pest Control to get started!