Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, wingless insects that have the same shape as an apple seed. Blood is their sole source of nutrition, with people being their preferred hosts. They also regularly feed on the blood of cats, dogs, and birds. Bed bugs have become common household pests hitchhiking their way into any Texas home or business on people or our belongings. 

Bed bugs are indoor pests meaning the weather doesn't affect when they are more or less active. However, increases in bed bug infestations typically occur in the summer and fall when people tend to travel the most. The more people move around, the easier it is for bed bugs to move from place to place.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

Though bed bugs feed on our blood, they do not transmit diseases like mosquitoes and other blood-feeding pests. The biggest cause for concern is their bites and the allergic reactions some people have to their saliva. 

When bed bugs bite us, they create an opening in the skin, leading to a possible secondary infection developing. Those people allergic to their saliva may develop a red itchy rash that is uncomfortable. 

Bed bugs are also problematic because it is hard for people to sleep soundly, knowing that they are being bitten and used as a food source.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

Bed bugs are pests that can get into our homes in various ways, making them tricky to avoid. Bed bugs move most efficiently by hitchhiking. They crawl onto people’s clothing or inside things like pieces of luggage, furniture, mattresses, and rugs. Wherever we go, or our belongings are taken, bed bugs will go as well. In multi-unit buildings, bed bugs move from unit to unit by traveling along wires and pipes and through vents. They also move through walls and floors through cracks and other openings they discover.

Bed bugs can enter into any of our homes by hitchhiking. Bed bugs aren’t attracted by your family’s food, moisture, or clutter. They simply move wherever we take them. However, it is important to note that once inside our homes, a lot of clutter can allow these pests to remain unnoticed. The longer bed bugs remain hidden, the larger the infestation will become.