Bed Bug Identification & Prevention In Alabama & Florida

Frequently Asked Questions About Bed Bugs

What are bed bugs?

One of the most well-known pests and a pest that home and business owners want to avoid at all costs is the bed bug. Bed bugs are small, oval, flattened insects that hitchhike into our homes and businesses where they breed, feed, and are challenging to eliminate.

Bed bugs only feed on blood as the sole source of nutrition and require blood meals to complete their life cycle. Feeding on the blood of warm-blooded animals, and with people being their favorite hosts, bed bugs are common pests inside residential and commercial properties.

Wingless and unable to jump, bed bugs have adapted to moving from place to place by hitchhiking on people and our belongings. The ease and affordability of travel are among the biggest reasons bed bugs move easily across cities and countries.

Are bed bugs dangerous?

Bed bugs don't spread diseases, but they do cause a lack of sleep. Who could sleep soundly knowing they are soon to become a meal for biting bed bugs? Though they don't spread disease, people allergic to bed bug saliva may experience swelling and redness around the bite sites, and they become very itchy. Itching at the bites can create a secondary infection.

It is also important to note that between 30 and 60 percent of people do not react to bed bugs bites; this means that just because you aren't noticing bites on your body doesn't mean they aren't biting you. People who don't react to bed bug bites simply aren't allergic to their saliva.

Why do I have a bed bug problem?

You have a bed bug problem because they are a pest that is difficult to avoid. Bed bugs live wherever there are people and can end up in any of our homes at any time of year. They don't care what type of home they end up in (cluttered or immaculate); they only care that food is available.

When bed bugs find a way into our homes, these nocturnal insects squeeze their flat bodies inside tiny cracks and crevices to hide. After finding a way into a home, they initially hide near their food source in bedrooms, but as the infestation grows, they will travel throughout your house hiding in many different areas.

Some favorite hideouts include:

Where will I find bed bugs?

It is easy to know where you will find bed bugs because they live wherever people are. You have the chance to come into contact with bed bugs doing a variety of things, including traveling, going to work or school, running daily errands, or going out for a day of family fun.

Some of the many places people run into bed bugs include: