Fall Bed Bug Prevention For New England Homes

November 9, 2018

In: Bed Bugs

The long, humid summer months are over, bringing much needed cooler temperatures throughout the New England states. Many people enjoy traveling in the summer, but multiple overnights in hotels can mean bringing home unwanted stowaways - bed bugs. Here’s why you should be on the lookout for bed bugs this month, and what you can do to prevent them from taking up a permanent residence.

Peak season for bed bugs is June through October, but they are an indoor pest so they will continue to thrive during the winter months if they take root in your home. Bed bugs, like most insects, are most active during the summer, and frequent traveling during this time of year allows bed bugs to spread from place to place between hotel rooms and homes. Here are some things to look out for if you think you have an infestation:

One of the hardest parts about detecting bed bugs is that they look different depending on what life stage they are in and whether they have eaten recently or not. Adult bed bugs are the size of a small apple seed and have a long, brownish, flat oval body. Younger (nymph) bed bugs can be clear or white in color, and tiny in size, barely perceptible to the naked eye. They hide extremely well between mattresses, headboards, pillows, other bedding, inside luggage, cushions, and crevices. So you may have an infestation for months without ever seeing a single live bug.

Check your bedding for black or dark maroon dots, which are signs of bedbugs feeding and eliminating feces, or even blood stains from humans being bitten.

Bed bugs shed their skin each time they grow, so you may find these shed skins in your bedding as well without seeing actual bugs.

You may find unexplainable insect bites on your skin, but since bed bug bites can vary drastically from person to person, and some people don’t react to bed bug bites at all, this by itself isn’t always proof of an infestation. But when combined with the other signs listed above, there’s a pretty good chance you have a bed bug problem.

Always call a professional pest management company when dealing with bed bugs! Bed bugs are some of the most difficult pests to deal with on your own. Many do-it-yourself solutions are ineffective or can actually make the problem worse. At American Pest Solutions, we have the experience and the proper equipment necessary to eliminate bed bugs for good. Call us today to learn more about our residential pest control solutions or to schedule a free evaluation.