Most people have heard of bed bugs, but most simply consider them the subject of a children’s nursery rhyme and not a pest that they need to be concerned about. Unfortunately, that isn’t the truth. Bed bugs are real pests that are a real problem for millions of homeowners throughout London and the United Kingdom.Because of the way they get around, anyone is susceptible to a bed bug infestation. It doesn't matter if your London property is big, small, clean, or dirty. You can determine whether you have a bed bug infestation by looking for the right signs, and like with all pest infestations, early detection helps make the elimination process less complicated. Below are the bed bug signs to watch for around your London possessions so that you can identify a bed bug infestation before it gets uncontrollable.What Are Bed Bugs?Bed bugs are small parasitic insects. About the size of an apple seed, adult bed bugs have broad, flat, oval-shaped bodies that are reddish-brown. During a feeding, their bodies puff up as they become engorged with blood, and they become redder in colour.Although they are small, adult bed bugs are not so small that they are difficult to see. Adult bed bugs are visible and can readily be seen by the naked eye. Bed bugs in the nymph stage are also visible, but due to their small size and pale colour, they are more difficult to spot. Unlike adults, nymphs easily blend in with their surroundings.Bed bug eggs are the hardest to spot of all because they are tiny, dust-sized specks. A whitish colour, they are very difficult to see and tend to be laid in places where you might not notice them, such as in the seams of your mattress, folds in upholstery, or in the headboard.As already indicated, bed bugs are parasites that require blood meals for survival. They get their name because they tend to spend time in beds where they have easy access to their host. Although they can eat and move around at any time, they are usually night-loving insects, which makes sleeping hosts an easy target.However, bed bugs are not only found in beds. They can also be found on furniture, in cracks and crevices on the floor, behind picture frames, in electrical outlets, and even inside your walls. Once a bed bug outbreak begins, it will escalate, and bed bugs can be found in any room of your London estate. In fact, a bed bug infestation can begin in a room of your house that is not a bedroom. How Do Bed Bugs Get Around?Bed bug invasions do not occur in the same way that other pest infestations occur. In the case of most infestations, the pests enter your property and make their way closer and closer to your house until they eventually make it all the way inside. This is not how bed bugs infest homes. In fact, you are unlikely to ever find bed bugs sneaking around your property.Bed bugs are indoor bugs, and they like to travel. They frequently climb into bags, boxes, or luggage, or onto shoes or clothing, and they use those items to hitchhike to new places. First Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?Often people begin to suspect bed bugs have gotten into their house when they discover bites on their skin. Bed bugs most often feed at night while you’re sleeping. Their bites are nearly painless, so they’re unlikely to wake you, but if you wake up in the morning with red, itchy bumps, or these bumps develop over time, they could be from bed bugs.Bed bug bites are commonly confused with flea bites because of their similarities in appearance. Even so, there are usually a couple of differences that can help you decide which pest is causing problems in your home. First, fleas tend to bite the extremities, especially around the ankles and feet, in spite of the fact bed bugs prefer the trunk of your body. Fleas will bite haphazardly, while bed bugs show a tendency to bite in a linear or zig-zag pattern.If you are finding bites on your body that are red, itchy, on your trunk, and in a linear pattern, it is highly likely that you have a bed bug infestation. To determine if you do, you’ll need to take further action to look for other signs of bed bug activity. Even if you don’t have bed bug bites, it’s wise to know the other signs of an infestation so that you can check regularly to see if any of the signs are present. Early detection is the best way to eliminate a bed bug infestation easily and thoroughly.What Are Other Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?Although a bed bug infestation is bad news, there is a bit of good news. Although bed bugs do tend to hide, they leave behind some fairly obvious signs of their presence if you know where to look and what to look for. Unlike some other pests, such as termites, that can be easily missed even when there are tens of thousands of them in your house, if you take a proactive role in looking for signs of bed bugs, you’ll usually be able to find them if they’re there.In case you have noticeable bed bug bites or not, one sign to look for is the blood they leave behind after a meal. Not everyone develops the red bump after being bitten, so it’s smart to look for this sign, even if you don’t have bug bites on your body. Check your sheets, blankets, and pillow for small red dots. These tiny drops of blood sometimes drip out as the bed bug makes its way back to its hiding spot.Similarly, sometimes bed bugs leave excrement behind as they travel over your bed. Look for small brown or tan streaks on your sheets, blankets, and pillows.Another sign of bed bug activity is seeing the bed bugs themselves. Since adult bed bugs are large enough to see without the aid of a magnifying glass, you simply have to know where to look for them. Start where they are most often found, and work your way out from there:Strip the bedsheets off your mattress and check along the seams of the mattress.Look between the mattress and boxspring.Check between the mattress and the headboard, as well as between the mattress and the footboard.Check along the edges of the room where the skirting boards are.What Should You Do If Your London Property is Infested?If during your search, you find any signs of bed bug activity, you’ll want to take action straight away to deal with the infestation. Bed bugs are breeding rapidly, and a small infestation will soon become a large infestation if it's not eliminated on time. Unfortunately, most DIY methods of bed bugs exterminators are not effective enough, so you should seek help from a licensed bed bug pest controller in your local London area.Instead, you’ll want to enlist the help of the professional pest control experts at Archers Pest Control. At Archers Pest Control, we have spent more than 34 years perfecting our bed bug control techniques, and we carefully train our pest control technicians to ensure they are experienced in the proper methods. For the best bed bug control provided by the most qualified pest control company available in London, contact Archers Pest Control today. We’ll fully eliminate your bed bug problem so that you can get a good night’s sleep without the worry of bed bugs. Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control options.
