Can Bed Bugs Live Outside?

Bed bugs are frustrating pests known to take up residence inside homes. However, a little-known fact is that they can also live outside. However, this is rare.

Bed bugs prefer to live inside where they are close to a host that can provide them with a blood meal and hiding spots. They can only live outside for a short period, and they must live somewhere with a high level of human activity.

For example, you may see outdoor bed bugs in these locations:

• On public transportation
• At outdoor gathering spaces, such as concert venues
• In high-trafficked parks and recreation areas
• At trash dumps that are full of furniture and mattresses

Bed bugs must be near a host to stay alive, so it’s riskier for them to live outdoors, but not impossible.

Indoor Bed Bug Hiding Places

Finding bed bugs inside homes with easier access to a host and shelter is much more common. These pests are also drawn to the indoors because of the warmth and carbon dioxide that humans give off.

Indoor dwellings offer bed bugs several places to hide. For example, they often hide in mattress seams, bedding, clothing, curtains and upholstered furniture. Bed bugs often stay close to a bed to easily access their host at night.

While they prefer hiding in fabric because the seams and folds make it easy for them to be discreet, bed bugs have also been found behind pictures, inside electrical outlets and crevices in walls and floors.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

As a homeowner, it’s important to know what to look for when it comes to bed bugs. These unwanted pests can reproduce rapidly and become a major annoyance, so catching an infestation early on is important.

A common sign of a bed bug infestation is reddish brown stains on your mattress, bedding or furniture. These are fecal stains that bed bugs leave behind, and they often look like rust.

Next, bed bugs give off a musty odor. If something smells off in your home, investigating the scent may lead you to a bed bug population.

Bed bugs are small pests. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. However, seeing bed bugs around your home is still one of the top signs of an infestation. Remember that they are nocturnal, so it is more common to see them at night. In addition to seeing bed bugs, you may find their tiny, pearl-shaped white eggs around your mattress.

Finally, waking up with itchy bites is the most common sign of a bed bug infestation. Their bites are red and raised and can resemble a rash or welts. If you continually wake up with unexplained bites, it’s time to inspect your home for a bed bug infestation.

However, like many bugs, everyone will react differently to bed bug bites. Some people may not even notice a reaction for up to 14 days after they have been bit. In addition, some people might incorrectly think their bed bug problem has resolved itself when really the person has stopped reacting to the bites.

Bed bugs are hard to control on your own. Many at-home treatments are not powerful enough to control the entire population. The best way to control bed bugs and sleep soundly again is to bring in an expert pest control service. They can even show you how to inspect for bed bugs.

Everything You Need to Know About a Bed Bug With Antenna

All bed bugs have a pair of two antennae on their heads, and they play a crucial role in the behavior of these pests. The segmented antennae are made up of four parts: the scape, pedicel and two flagellum. Bed bug antennae protrude from the top of the bed bug head, and they are typically half the length of the bed bug’s body.

As with several types of insects, bed bug antennae are sensory devices that help with navigation. For example, they are used to sense changes in the environment. They can tell when a host is nearby because they sense heat, moisture and carbon dioxide. Using these sensory cues, bed bug antennae guide the bed bugs to their host.

Another interesting feature of bed bug antennae is their ability to communicate. Using pheromones, their antennae send signals to other bed bugs in their colony so that they can communicate about potential hosts and hiding spots.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like

Along with their antennae, bed bugs have other distinguishing features that set them apart from other pests. For example, they are small insects that only measure four to five millimeters in length. Young bed bugs are even smaller, and they are translucent.

Their reddish-brown bodies are oval and flat; however, they puff up for a short time after a blood meal. Lastly, bed bugs have six legs.

How To Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home

A bed bug infestation is frustrating because these biting bugs disturb the place in your home that should be the most peaceful: your bedroom. Luckily, there are some ways that you can avoid bringing them home in the first place.

It’s important to be careful about what you bring into your home. Inspect and wash all second-hand items before bringing them inside. When you travel, inspect your accommodations for signs of bed bugs, as these pests like to hitch rides on suitcases.

If you’re currently dealing with a bed bug problem, there are also ways to help complement professional pest control services. Keeping a clutter-free home can make life more difficult for these pests. Bed bugs like to be discreet during the day, and piles of clothes and other clutter offer them the perfect hiding spot.

Along with keeping a clear floor, it can help to vacuum your floor on a regular basis, especially if you have carpet. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach spots, such as cracks and crevices behind furniture. Invest in a vacuum with a detachable arm that can get into tight spaces.

Put bed bug infested items in the dryer at the highest setting to target pests living in these items. This may include sheets, curtains and pillow covers.

Whether or not you already have bed bugs, covering your mattress in a bed bug-proof plastic cover can prevent them from hiding in their favorite spot.

If you have a bed bug infestation on your hands, contact a pest control specialist. They have the tools and expertise to control these pests.

Where Do Bed Bugs Normally Bite?

Bed bugs feed off hosts at night, and their bites can leave behind painful and itchy welts. The most common areas of the body for bed bugs to bite are the hands, neck, face, shoulders, legs and arms. These areas are the most likely to be exposed during the night, which gives bed bugs easy access to them.

How to Distinguish Bed Bugs Bites From Other Insect Bites

Waking up with unexplained bites is one of the most common indicators of a bed bug problem. However, bed bug bites can be hard to distinguish from other insect bites. They can also look similar to a rash, so it can take some detective work to figure out whether or not your bites are actually from bed bugs.

Luckily, bed bug bites do have some distinguishing factors. For example, bed bug bites often appear in a linear pattern or cluster. Bed bugs will feed multiple times in the same area, so it’s uncommon to only have one bite at a time.

Next, bed bug bites often start as red and itchy welts that can turn into blisters. Lastly, bed bug bites may have a delayed reaction. It’s possible not to see the bites or experience symptoms until hours or days after the bite actually happened.

If you wake up with painful and itchy bites, contact a pest control expert to inspect your home for bed bugs.

Kick Bed Bugs Out With Professional Help

Bed bugs disturb your peace and get in the way of a solid night of sleep. However, these creatures are stealthy and can hide in plain sight. The best way to deal with a bed bug problem is to call in a pest control professional. An expert will use top-of-the-line solutions and treatments to kick bed bugs out of your home and give you your peace back.