The end of summer often means moves, whether it’s back to school or across town. Thousands of people will load up their belongings in cars and moving trucks for moving day, but there might be an unaccounted for guest: bed bugs are known to cling to your belongings and travel with you. If you pay close enough attention and learn the signs, you can avoid taking these bugs with you and facing an infestation at home.
Bed bugs can have different appearance based on a few different factors. If they haven’t eaten, they are flat and oval, but after a blood meal appear bloated and look pill-like. They tend to be black with some red coloring along their body, and can range from being the size of a pencil tip to the size of a pea when fully grown. Bed bugs have six legs and leave traces when infesting an area. For example, there may be black streaks found on your bedding or in upholstery seams. You might also find their shells after their molting stage has past. These shells will be stuck to infested areas such as baseboards and outlet covers, and you may smell an odor reminiscent of a wet locker room towel. If you have been bitten, you will notice several bites that are red and look like a rash.
If you think your home has been infested by bed bugs, you can prevent them from accompanying you to your new home. Remove any unnecessary clutter in your home to take out potential burrowing spots for an infestation. Cover your mattress, box spring and any pillows with bug-proof covers, and put any washable belongings in plastic until they can be washed in hot water. When it comes time for professional intervention, contact Ultrafast Pest control for a home inspection and extermination. A highly qualified technician will come to your home to determine what the next step is to remove the bedbugs from your home. Call us at 781-894-7700 or fill out our online contact form to stop the bed bug infestation.
