How To Keep Bed Bugs In Louisville Outside Where They Belong

Ugh. Bed bugs! There are few insects that creep people out as much as these sneaky pests that hide in beds and bite you while you sleep. But they are a little less creepy when you know more about them. Today, we're going to shine a light on bed bugs. We'll tell you how to find bed bugs during the day. We'll answer the question, "Are bed bug bites dangerous?" And, most of all, we'll tell you how to keep bed bugs out of your Louisville home. If you already have a bed bug problem, click on our contact page and drop us a line. Action Pest Control provides leading solutions for bed bug pest control in Louisville. You don't have to let the bed bugs bite. Take action and get Action.

How To Tell If There Are Bed Bugs In Your Home

Bed bugs are in your bed, right? Not necessarily. Some people throw their beds out only to discover that the bed bugs were in another place—or more than one place. That is a costly mistake we hope you don't make. While bed bugs can certainly hide in your bed, there are many other places they commonly hide. Throwing your bed out may do nothing to correct your bed bug infestation. Plus, there are ways to address bed bugs that are hiding in your bed. You don't have to throw it out. Here are a few of the common places where bed bugs hide, outside of beds:

They hide underneath the feet of furniture. It may seem like heavy furniture would crush bed bugs, but they tuck right in there, particularly if furniture feet are sitting on a carpet.
They hide behind baseboards and crown molding. Bed bugs can scale walls and are fond of tight spaces and structural voids.
They hide inside gaps in wood furniture. Use a flashlight to check every gap and recess.
They hide in the creases of duffel bags, bookbags, luggage, and pocketbooks. These objects are often what bed bugs use to hitchhike into homes.
They hide underneath heavy clutter, such as a pile of hardback books. If you have a stack near your bed, there is even more reasons for bed bugs to want to hide underneath them.
They hide inside computers, alarm clocks, and other electronics. They'll also hide in computer chairs and inside couches near computers.
They hide in any object that has a void and is positioned near where people sleep, sit, or lounge. A piano is a good example. The reason they do this is that they can bite people who are fully awake.

Now that we've looked at where bed bugs hide outside your bed, let's talk about some of the places they hide inside your bed. You can have dozens of bed bugs in your bed and not see a single bug if you don't know where to look.

Bed bugs tuck themselves in the seams of mattresses and box springs. You may need to drag something along your seems to bring bed bugs to the surface.
Bed bugs hide in the gaps around mattress grommets.
Bed bugs get underneath mattress and box spring labels. You'll need a flashlight to peek under.
Bed bugs hide between mattresses and box springs. You'll have to look closely because a dozen bed bugs can tuck themselves into a space the size of your thumbnail.
Bed bugs get inside mattresses and box springs if they find a tear or hole. You may detect them by looking for black excrement and fecal spotting.
Bed bugs get under the feet of your bed frame.
Bed bugs can hide in any gap or recess within your bed frame.

Do you see the magnitude of the problem? Bed bugs squish into tight spaces and hide in inaccessible voids. These are the reasons why they're often so hard to track, and why they make people uneasy by lurking in hiding places throughout Louisville homes. We hope these tips help you find bed bugs and remove the mystery. When you look for bed bugs in these locations, keep a vacuum at hand. If bed bugs recently got into your home, they may only be located in one tight space. Bed bug control may be as simple as vacuuming those bugs up.

Are Bed Bugs In My House Harmful To My Health?

Another way bed bugs make people uneasy is that most don't realize that bed bugs are not known to spread diseases. They aren't like mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, kissing bugs, and other disease-spreading pests. One reason for this is that bed bugs rarely bite animals, and most pest-borne diseases are zoonotic. We hope this brings some comfort.

But, while bed bugs aren't considered harmful pests, they do present issues. Each bed bug typically bites three times. It only takes a handful of bed bugs to cause a lot of bite wounds. Bed bug bites are usually slight at first and look like rashy bumps. Some people mistake early bites for an allergic reaction to food or fabrics. Over time, the bites worsen. When adult bed bugs bite you repeatedly, they can start to create numerous welts. Bed bugs aren't harmless. It is best to contact a licensed professional when you see early signs of bed bugs in your home. But you don't have to fear those bugs while waiting for help to arrive.

How To Prevent Bringing Bed Bugs Into Your Home

One last way bed bugs make people uneasy is that most don't know how bed bugs get into their homes in the first place. If you've heard rumors about bed bugs, you're liable to think that bed bugs can come into your home at any time on anybody. Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal insects. They aren't typically active during the day. They also have an aversion to light. They need specific conditions to pass from one person to another, or from the belongings of one person to the belongings of another. For example, two book bags from two different homes, placed in a locker at school, can provide the necessary conditions for bed bugs to spread. Bed bugs need the cover of darkness. If you understand this, you can deter bed bugs by preventing this kind of contact. But, in general, you don't need to worry about the cable guy entering your home and setting up your internet. Bed bugs aren't that aggressive. Most infestations occur when bed bugs are provided ample opportunity to spread passively to items that are mobile. Here are some examples:

When you spend the night somewhere away from home, bed bugs may get into your luggage, or lay eggs in your clothing. You may prevent this by keeping your luggage in a sealed bag, storing laundry in a sealed bag, and laundering all your clothes when you get home. Some travelers have success using a lavender spray to keep bed bugs out of their luggage.
When you spend the night somewhere away from home, always perform a quick inspection. Look for black streaks and black fecal spotting. Inspect bedspreads, sheets, and pillowcases for dried brown bloodstains. Drag a credit card along seams to find shed insect skins.
When your kids do a sleepover, make sure they know to keep watch for bed bug signs. After the sleepover, everything goes in the wash.
When you are away from home and find yourself in a dark space, such as a movie theater or taxi cab, use the light on your phone to quickly check for bed bug warning signs. You can also use your nose. Bed bugs produce pheromones that some compare to the scent of a musty towel mixed with coriander.

Simple steps like this can keep bed bugs out of your home. It takes some effort, but it is a whole lot less effort than dealing with a bed bug treatment.

How Can I Get Bed Bugs Out Of My Home For Good?

Since bed bugs are hitchhiking pests, there is no way to keep them out of your home for good. Routine perimeter pest control around your home will not impact bed bugs. The best you can do is have a pest professional perform routine inspections of your home and quickly address bed bugs when warning signs are seen, or establish a relationship with a pest control service provider so that you have quick access to someone who knows your home and your family.

Are you in Louisville? If so, keep Action Pest Control in mind. While our year-round pest control service won't prevent bed bug infestations in your home, routine visits from our friendly and helpful technicians will keep you up to speed on ways you can guard against bed bug problems, and they will provide you with fast and effective bed bug control in Louisville should you ever have the misfortune of acquiring bed bugs. Connect with us today. We're here to help you with all your pest concerns.

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