Bed Bugs: The Christmas Gift Nobody Wants

When we are younger, one of the hardest parts of the holiday season was not picking up those perfectly wrapped gifts and shaking them, looking for even the slightest clue as to what they were. I can recall a time where I was certain that I was to open one of the few things on my wishlist, ultimately opening up what would turn into a yearly tradition of gag gifts full of confetti, rocks, and the all feared chunk of coal, among other things that were never what you assumed they would be. As we grow older and have children of our own, our curiosity seems to change. I now find myself using the same line my parents did, “If you open those before Christmas you won’t have anything come Christmas morning.” Maybe after all of these years, I understand now that my parents were not worried about me ruining my own Christmas, but maybe they were worried about me ruining theirs. After all, nothing makes us happier than watching our children open their gifts with the look of surprise and happiness on their faces. So happy in fact that we likely have lost the habit of even searching under the tree for anything with our name on it and being plenty content in not doing so. At a certain age, we might find our priorities changing. Simply being able to provide a nice holiday dinner, have a warm home, providing the gifts, or climbing into clean sheets at night is enough for a lot of us. Being content with a little less, we are happy looking forward to such things as clean sheets when we get home. Which is something many folks would cherish after discovering a bed bug infestation.

Many people might think…. “My house is clean, I don't have to worry about bed bugs!” They could not be more wrong. Bed bugs are not attracted to filth at all, in fact, are known to live in any environment so long as there is a food source. That begs the question, “Where do bed bugs come from?” The answer is simple, US! Lexington is home to many major corporations, colleges and universities as well as cultural events that attract people from all over! Bed bugs are pretty good at hitching a ride, and they certainly don’t stand on the side of the road waiting for you to pick them up. As the holiday season continues we find ourselves not only hosting guests, but becoming guests ourselves, coming and going as the travels commence, to and from a variety of places. Any of which could have bed bugs. Here are a few tips to spot bed bugs:

• Visual Identification: Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color. They range in size from about the size of a tip of a ballpoint pen to the size of a pea. They will have six legs, two antennae and horizontal shiny lines on their abdomen.
• Odor: A strong musty odor in a room or bed can signify bed bugs. A clean room with a dirty smell can often be pheromones from bed bugs. A potent smell can signify a large infestation.
• Bites: Oftentimes bites will be found in a line or cluster due to the need for multiple feedings. As bed bugs pass through their five stages of life, they will need to feed on blood in order to molt. Bites will often show up prior to any other signs of infestation.
• Urine and Feces: If bed bugs travel across cloth, they may leave light brown and yellow feces and urine stains to warn you of their passage. These stains are most often found near sites of infestation and are easiest to see on white fabrics... When searching, make sure to check places such as the stitching, corners, and seams of upholstery.
• Blood: As bed bugs feast they dribble a bit. If the blood is fresh naturally it will appear red in color though more often it will appear a brownish color due to it being dried.
• Shed casings: As bed bugs pass through their 5 stages in life they will shed their skins. These will often be found in abundance around nesting and feeding spots.

Action Pest Control offers some of the most advanced bed bug eradication and detection available. From trained professionals to bed bug detection canines, Action Pest Control specializes in taking care of the problem so that you don’t have to. If you know it’s there, we can get rid of it, and if you don’t, we can find it! Have questions? Call Action Pest Control today to see how our bed bug services will assure that your Christmas will be merry and bright.