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06/10/2020
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In our blogs, we give many tips for preventing pest infestations from taking root in Maryland homes. A common tip we offer is guidance on pest identification. It is important to know what pest you're dealing with or what bug is biting you if you hope to win the battle, especially when it comes to bed bug infestations.
Are you waking up with bites? Those may be a warning sign that you have bed bugs. But they may not. There are many bugs that can bite you.
4 Ways to Tell You Have Bed Bug Bites
- What the bites look like. If you look at pictures on the internet you're going to be really confused about what a bed bug bite looks like. One reason is that many of the pictures that claim to be pictures of bed bug bites aren't. This isn't surprising. Bed bug bites are hard to identify because they don't always look the same. Sometimes they are just a rashy splotch. Sometimes they're tiny red dots with little to no rash. Sometimes they're big welts with red inflammation around each bite. But there are a few characteristics that you will not find in a bed bug bite. You won't find a pustule at the center. You won't find an ulcer at the center. And those bites won't be puffy like a mosquito bite can sometimes look. The bump of a bed bug bite, if there is one, will be firm.
- How many bites you have. If you have lots of bites, it is because you are being bitten by lots of bugs. It might be fleas, chiggers, mosquitoes, bed bugs, etc. But an individual bite is not likely to be from any of these. If you wake up with one bite on you, it is probably a spider bite. Spiders don't feed on blood. When they bite it is by accident. So it isn't likely that you'll have numerous spider bites. Understanding this can narrow down the possibilities of what bit you.
- Whether or not the bites create a path. While fleas, chiggers and other blood-eating pests bite one time, bed bugs feed multiples times (often 3 times). This can cause the bites to appear in a pattern or path across the skin. If it looks like bugs bit you as they traveled across your body, it is likely that you have a bed bug problem.]
- Where the bites are found. Some bugs have particular areas of the body they are most likely to attack. Fleas usually bite the feet, ankles, and lower legs. Chiggars can bite in these places but also all over the body from the feet up to the neck. While chiggers can bite under clothing, mosquitoes usually don't. They bite exposed skin. Bed bugs tend to bite skin that is exposed while sleeping (not areas where clothing didn't cover properly) and areas of the body toward the face because they are drawn to carbon dioxide.
Bed Bug Detection
If you're finding bites and they match the criteria listed above, there are a few ways you can confirm your suspicions that bed bugs have invaded your Fulton home.
- Look for tiny black specks, black streaks, or black patches. Bed bugs leave their feces in many places. Inspect mattresses and box springs, bed frames, bed stands, alarm clocks, baseboards, carpet edges, upholstered furniture, crown molding and any crease or crevice you can find.
- Look for shed skins. As bed bugs develop, they shed their skins. These skins can be found scattered in areas of infestation. They may appear off white, tan or brown.
- Look for tiny white eggs. Bed bug eggs can be in a batch or scattered about individually. These eggs will be about 1mm long, so they aren't very big.
- Look for bugs. When bed bugs first hatch, they are about 1 mm long, pale in color, and have six legs. As they develop, they become tan and eventually brown. The abdomen of a bed bug has horizontal crease lines and is transparent. If there is blood inside the bed bug, you will see red coloration.
What to Do If You Have Bed Bugs in Fulton
If you're dealing with bed bugs in Fulton, or elsewhere in Maryland, reach out to us. At American Pest, our QualityPro-Certified team uses field-tested methods and products that are known to effectively track and eliminate bed bugs. You won't have to wonder if the bugs are gone. That is real peace of mind.
