There are few things worse than a bad night's sleep. Even missing a few hours is enough to seriously impact an individual. One thing that regularly disturbs sleep for homeowners here in Moline is bed bugs. These invasive, blood-feeding insects like to crawl into beds with people at night and bother them with bites. If you have questions about bed bugs or suspect you have an active infestation inside your home, you are in the right place. Here is everything you need to know about pest control in Moline and how to deal with bed bugs indoors.
The Lifecycle Of The Moline Bed Bug
It is common for people to have questions about bed bugs. Two common questions we often get include how long do bed bugs live and what do baby bed bugs look like? A bed bug's lifecycle varies quite a bit depending on a variety of factors. In optimal conditions, this pest can live for over a year. However, they are more likely to die off within four to six months. A bed bug's life starts as an egg. Females lay anywhere from 200 to 250 eggs in their lifetime. These eggs take six to ten days to hatch and go through five stages of development before reaching adulthood. One thing that makes bed bugs unique is how long they can survive without blood. Although this is their primary food source, this pest can survive over a year in cool conditions without feeding making them difficult to eliminate.
What's It Like To Live With A Bed Bug Infestation?
A bed bug bite is not initially painful, meaning you are unlikely to wake up when these pests are feeding on you at night. You may, however, notice bite marks on your skin after waking up. We say may because not everyone reacts the same to bed bug bites. Some people have no physical or visible symptoms. The two ways bed bugs affect people the most are psychological pressures and physical problems like anemia. Psychological pressures involve insomnia and come when people suspect or know they were bit during the night. Physical problems involve anemia due to a loss of red blood cells. Both of these things together can drastically impact a person's health.
Five Simple Ways To Keep The Bed Bugs Away
Bed bugs do not invade homes by crawling through gaps or flying through open windows. Instead, they find clever ways to travel indoors. How do bed bugs travel? By using items people carry. Here are five things you can do to reduce your chances of bringing home a bed bug infestation.
Do not set your backpack, purse, or other personal items down in public for more than 20 minutes.
Thoroughly check hotel rooms for things like live bed bugs, blood stains, and specs of reddish-brown fecal droppings before settling in.
Inspect used furniture and clothing for bed bugs before purchasing them.
Inform your family and friends about bed bugs before having them over for a visit.
Before bringing used or dirty clothing home, store it in an air-tight bag. When you get home, wash it on high heat.
Although these five tips can reduce your chances of bringing home bed bugs, the only true way to get rid of bed bugs is with help from professionals.
Permanent Bed Bug Removal
If you suspect your Moline home has a bed bug infestation, the best thing to do is have the professionals at Quick-Kill Pest Eliminators perform a detailed inspection. This service is absolutely free and offers you a chance to assess your risk. If we find bed bugs, your technician will walk you through our bed bug control options and help find one that best fits your individual needs.
Call today to learn more about our local pest control for bed bugs or to schedule your Moline home for a free inspection.