Signs of Bed Bugs - Do You Know What To Look For?

With the recent news that bed bugs have become a big problem in the US, many people want to know what the signs of bed bugs are.
Of course, if you have them the first thing you will probably notice are odd, itchy bites on your skin.
One or two of these bites you might just pass of as an itchy rash or cluster of pimples.
If these patches start getting worse by the day, then take a good look at the area and you may see small, red raised lumps on the skin.
It isn't always that easy to diagnose quickly though, as different people have different reactions to bites, sometimes the bites can all join together and look more like a large nettle rash.
The tip is, if you go to bed one night and wake up with itchy patches on your skin, then get more after the next night's sleep, you probably have an infestation.
But you keep your house and bedding spotless - you can't possibly have bed bugs! Wrong.
Bed bugs are like roaches, they don't care about how dirty you house is, but the difference is that these bugs are out for your blood, and when they're really hungry can suck up six times their own size in blood.
You probably came into contact with someone that had a bed bug on them.
These little pests can't fly or jump, so they get around by hitching rides on things that they are in close proximity to.
If that happens to be a human, or animal, then all the better for them.
Yes they will bite your pets too.
So if Fido is scratching a lot, check him to see if he has a case and isolate him until he can be bathed and treated.
If you see some tiny creatures that look similar to a tick, flea or small cockroach then this is one of the signs of bed bugs.
Adult bed bugs reach up to 7mm and can be seen with the naked eye, which helps.
They don't always live in beds but it's one of their favorite places, because there is a regular supply of food for them - you.
When they're not sharing your bed, they may crawl around the bed and find small crevices in the structure of your bed frame to live, or if the bed touches a wall, they could live in tiny crevices there.
They do tend to stay close to where their food supply is though, and get into mattresses and box springs to hide until you come back to bed.
They can go for weeks without anything to eat, so even if you're not home for a few days - they'll be back biting again.
They have even been found infesting houses that have been unoccupied for months.
One sign of bed bugs if you have a major infestation, is you will see colonies of them group together on your mattress or bed frame.
Time to get the exterminator in so you can sleep tight - and not let the bed bugs bite.