Bed Bugs 101: Getting Rid Of The Little Pest In New Braunfels

Bed bugs have a way of escaping everyone's notice. These seemingly invisible pests flock to popular social locations to catch a ride back to your home. Bed bugs aren't considered the most dangerous pest, but they still register as a nuisance because they are tough to remove from homes. You can stay a step ahead of bed bugs with the help of a licensed and certified New Braunfels pest control company that is dedicated to ensuring your home's peace isn't disrupted by these cumbersome pests.

How To Identify A Bed Bug

It's challenging to detect bed bugs, given their small stature and pale coloring. They share a similar resemblance to apple seeds, only flatter. Once they've had a chance to feed, their appearance changes to match a pomegranate seed. They become elongated and turn dark red, making them easier to spot.

Signs of a bed bug infestation include:

• Swollen, itchy, red bites you wake up with
• Copper or red fecal spots on mattresses, furnishings, and clothing
• Broken egg capsules
• Discarded skins

Bed bugs have six legs and two antennae. They average a size of about 1/4 of an inch long. Nymphs are even smaller and the hardest to observe due to their opaque nature. Bed bugs cannot fly; even though mature bed bugs have wing pads, they do not possess wings.

How And Why Bed Bug Infestations Get Worse With Time

Bed bug infestations can grow quite quickly if you're unaware of their presence. Bed bugs are nocturnal and feed on their hosts during the night. They inject a numbing agent and an anticoagulant to draw blood without disturbing you. Bed bugs fill themselves up in five to ten minutes and scurry off to a secluded location to mate and reproduce. Bed bug bites are often confused with other pest bites, making identifying the issue challenging. On top of that, it could be three to five days before a bed bug bite appears on your skin, giving bed bugs an even greater head start in infesting your home.

One of the most alarming things about bed bugs is the rate they reproduce. All pests reproduce fairly quickly, but female bed bugs can lay one to five eggs per day. After that, it only takes 21 days for the nymphs to mature. A bed bug infestation is extremely challenging to get rid of from your home, which is why effective bed bug control services in New Braunfels is very helpful!

Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs That Actually Work

Bed bugs will latch onto bags, boxes, suitcases, and other items to travel to a new home. Once there, they spread out and hide in your walls, baseboards, wallpaper, and outlets. Follow these trusted tips to avoid picking up bed bugs:

• Be mindful of where you put your belongings in public places, and never put anything on the floor.
• Inspect hotel and motel rooms before your stay. 
• Look over and clean secondhand items before bringing them home.
• Use protective covers on mattresses and box springs.

Bed bugs are difficult to see, but a flashlight helps illuminate these little pests more clearly.

What You Should Do If You Find Bed Bugs In Your Home

If you find bed bugs in your New Braunfels home, pick up the phone and contact your local pest control experts at Gold Star Exterminators for a thorough inspection to determine the level of concern. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to remove, so the quicker you bring the problem to light, the faster we can work to restore your home to its natural pest-free state. Don't let the traumatic experience of bed bugs linger longer than necessary. Contact us today to request a free estimate and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in New Braunfels.