Bed bug infestations in Delray Beach are getting worse and worse each year. Warm, humid weather and a very high tourist turnover rate make it easy for bed bugs to thrive and spread from place to place. No matter what kind of property you have, bed bugs can easily find their way in by hitchhiking on luggage, used furniture, and even articles of clothing. To make matters worse, bed bugs will not go away on their own.
If you suspect that you have a bed bug infestation, the best thing to do is schedule a free, same-day professional bed bug inspection. Early detection makes bed bug elimination faster and less expensive.
Key Takeaways
- DIY methods offer temporary relief but rarely eliminate the entire colony.
- Professional heat and chemical treatments deliver complete eradication.
- Early detection and follow-up inspections prevent recurrence.
Recognizing a Bed Bug Problem
If you want to recognize a bed bug problem as early as possible so you can take action and solve the problem, you’ll want to look for the signs. Bed bugs leave several telltale signs behind that you can use to identify the infestation and where the bugs are hiding.
Visual Confirmation
Seeing live bed bugs and eggs is the most obvious sign that you have bed bugs. Seeing just one might indicate a solitary hitchhiker, but the more likely case is that you are dealing with more than just the one. If you see more than one, and you are seeing them during the day, it means the infestation has grown to be very large.
With a large population of these bugs, you’ll also be able to find eggs, shed skins, and immature bed bugs (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN297).
- Live bed bugs are small and very flat. They are often compared to apple seeds.
- The eggs are tiny (about 1 mm), white, and elongated (similar to a grain of rice)
- Shed skins are translucent, appearing as empty shells
- Nymphs are very small and pale. They stay hidden most of the time and can be found in seams and other tight spaces.
Physical Evidence
Other than seeing the bugs themselves, you can also find physical evidence that these elusive pests leave behind.
Bed bug dropping stains are an important clue as they mean that there is active feeding going on. These stains are small dark, rust-colored spots on sheets, pillowcases, furniture, and around mattress seams (https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/how-find-bed-bugs). When undisturbed, they can look a bit like pepper, but when smeared, the rusty color becomes easy to see.
Blood stains are another key sign of bed bug activity. These stains can be red or brown and can show up in many different patterns, sizes, and shapes. The sources for the blood are from your skin after the bugs feed or from crushed bed bugs.
Odor is another sign to pay attention to but if you smell bed bugs, the infestation is likely very large. Bed bugs emit a sweet, musty smell from their scent glands, which they use for communication. When there are enough of them gathered in one small place, the smell can become pretty easy to detect.
Bite Effects
Finding bites on your skin is often the first sign that you notice. Bed bug bites are small, red, and itchy, and they usually appear in patterns like clusters and lines known as “breakfast-lunch-dinner” patterns. The most likely places to find bite marks are areas that remain exposed while you sleep. The arms, legs, and neck are common targets.
Bite reactions can take a bit longer than you might expect to show up. They can become noticeable minutes to days after the initial bite takes place, but for most people, finding them on their skin in the morning is the norm.
If you keep waking up with bites on your skin, it is likely that you are dealing with a bed bug infestation. However, to confirm that it is actually bed bugs doing the biting, it is best to pair bites with other signs to confirm.
- Contact Nextgen Pest Solutions today to schedule a free, same-day inspection.
Why Bed Bugs Are So Hard to Eliminate
Bed bugs are hard to eliminate but in Delray Beach they can present even more of a challenge.
The first challenge comes from the general ineffectiveness of most over-the-counter sprays and foggers. Most of the bed bug strains that are common in Delray Beach have become resistant to the treatments that are readily available to the general public. When people attempt to use ineffective sprays, bed bugs are driven deeper into their hiding places and will sometimes even scatter to infest nearby areas.
It’s also hard to kill bed bugs because they are hard to find. These pests like to hide in very tight places, and it is not always possible to inspect for them without the right tools and enough experience. They hide in seams, cracks, outlets, behind baseboards, and even behind wallpaper.
Another thing that makes bed bug elimination difficult is that they reproduce very quickly. It only takes one bed bug to restart an entire colony. Because of that, reinfestations happen all the time, especially when people try to kill these bugs by themselves. The only way to ensure complete removal is to use methods and treatments that are designed to kill every single insect and egg, no matter where they are hiding.
Professional Bed Bug Control: Why It Works Better Than DIY Methods
When comparing professional and DIY bed bug removal methods, professional bed bug treatments always come out on top. Professionals bring expertise, specialized equipment, commercial-grade treatments, and guaranteed results you just can’t get with a DIY approach.
Thorough Inspections and Professional Action Plans
Professional pest control teams in Delray Beach always start with a comprehensive inspection to locate all of the bed bugs and bed bug hiding areas in your home or business. They work quickly and diligently to assess the size and spread factors of every infestation, and develop a custom treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs.
Targeted Treatment Options
Depending on the details in the service plan, a professional bed bug removal service can include many different types of targeted treatment options.
- Heat treatments are often used as a non-chemical method to kill bed bugs at every stage of their life cycle. This method is very effective and when done correctly it can kill an entire infestation in one day.
- Cryonite treatments use carbon dioxide snow to instantly freeze bed bugs and their eggs. Like heat treatments, this method is non-toxic and it doesn’t leave any residue behind after treatment.
- Residual insecticides may also be used if the situation calls for them. A good pest control company will apply these treatments strategically to baseboards, furniture seams, outlets, cracks, and vents to help prevent reinfestations (especially in cases when your bed bugs came from a neighboring unit).
Follow-Up and Monitoring
Other important benefits that come with professional services is that they come with follow-up inspections and ongoing maintenance plans. Because services are guaranteed, a good team will handle any reinfestations at no additional charge.
Don’t Wait for Bed Bugs to Spread
Whatever type of property you have in Delray Beach, you do not want to allow bed bug problems to persist. These pests do not go away on their own, and their numbers will continue to expand if left unchecked. Leaving the problem also increases the possibility of bed bug spread, which is something that nobody wants.
By calling a certified Delray Beach exterminator early, you can stop infestations before they affect your property or anyone else’s.
FAQs
Can you get bed bugs even if your home is clean?
It is a common misconception that bed bugs are only attracted to dirty spaces. These bugs can infest your home, no matter how clean it is.
Do bed bugs spread between apartments?
Yes, bed bugs can easily travel between apartments and it is something that they often do. They use walls, vents, and plumbing to travel.
Can bed bugs survive outside in Florida’s heat?
Not for very long. Bed bugs can easily die in the high heat common to Delray Beach, but they can survive for short periods while hitchhiking.
