Introduction
Bed bugs are a common household pest, but they can be difficult to detect and to treat. If you suspect that your home may be infested with bed bugs, it is important to contact a licensed pest control professional for an inspection.
During the inspection, the pest control technician will look for signs of bed bug activity, such as shed skins, dead bugs, feces, and eggs. They will also use specialized equipment to locate any hiding places or nesting sites. After the inspection is complete, they can recommend an appropriate course of action to treat any infestations they may find.
In preparation for an inspection and treatment of bed bugs, there are certain steps you can take to make the process easier and more effective. In this blog post we’ll discuss what a bed bug inspection looks like and how you can prepare your home before a visit from a pest control technician.
Understanding Bed Bugs
Before you can prepare for the possibility of bed bugs in your home, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the pests. Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on human blood, usually while we sleep. Though they don’t carry diseases, their bites can cause intense itching and swelling and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.
These insects are also resilient – they’re highly mobile, they reproduce quickly and they’re notoriously hard to get rid of. This is why it’s important to catch any possible signs of an infestation early and take the right steps towards treating them.
Inspections are a great way to do this because when done properly, they can help you identify whether or not your home is at risk of an infestation. So let’s go over what typically takes place during a bedbug inspection, what you need to do beforehand and how you should care for your home afterward.
The Signs of Bed Bugs in Your Home
Bedbugs are notoriously difficult to spot with the naked eye, as they usually go out at night in search of food. There are, however, some telltale signs that you may have bedbugs in your home.
These include:
- Rusty or reddish spots of bedbug excrement on bed sheets, mattresses, or furniture.
- Small, dark fecal spots or blood stains from crushed bugs on linens and mattresses.
- Egg casings and shed skins from growing bedbugs in the crevices of furniture and mattress seams.
- An offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands.
If you notice any of these signs in your home, it’s important to contact a pest control service right away to prevent the infestation from spreading. An experienced technician will inspect the full extent of your home and can recommend the best course of action for treating any infestations.
Bed Bug Detection Methods
When it comes to spotting bed bugs, a trained professional is your best bet. During a bed bug inspection, they will use a combination of visual and chemical detection to locate any insects or eggs.
Visual inspection will be conducted first, and involve going through every inch of the property from top to bottom – this includes furniture, baseboards, and even electrical outlets. Specialized tools such as flashlights and mirrors will aid in their search for evidence of bedbugs.
The next step is chemical detection which involves looking for chemical markers called pheromones emitted by the bugs. An experienced technician will use highly sensitive chemical detectors that pick up these markers from even tiny traces left behind by bedbugs.
Together with visual inspection, these techniques can help an experienced technician quickly identify any areas where bedbugs may be hiding. Once they’ve pinpointed the affected areas, they can then proceed with treatment methods to get rid of the bedbugs once and for all!
Preparing for a Bed Bugs Inspection
When it comes to bedbug inspections, preparation is key. An inspection should go smoothly when conducted in a clean, tidy and well-maintained environment. Here are some of the things you can do to help prepare:
Clear Paths and Entryways
Make sure that windowsills and entry points are clear and free of clutter, clothing or bedding to give inspectors an unobstructed view when they arrive.
Clean Your Home
Regularly vacuum floors, dust furniture, launder bedding and curtains, inspect clothing and wash walls with a strong jet spray. Make sure mattresses are flipped regularly, paying close attention to hidden crevices or seams. This will help reduce the number of bedbugs present in your home when it comes time for the inspection.
Unclutter and Declutter
Ideally, you want as much clear space as possible so inspectors can see all surfaces easily – including walls, shelves, window frames and other areas that can be difficult to reach otherwise. Consider where bedbugs may be hiding – such as behind door frames or inside furnishings – so these areas can also be examined more thoroughly.
By taking these extra steps before an inspection takes place, you’ll have a much better chance at getting rid of any pesky pests present in your home quickly and effectively – with the right pest control service.
What to Expect During a Bed Bug Inspection
The inspection portion of the process is a key part of the bed bug control process. An experienced bedbug inspector will come to your home and start with a thorough visual inspection. This will include looking for:
Bedbugs
The inspector will look for bed bugs and signs of them—such as fecal matter, eggs, and casings—in all areas of your home, including beds, furniture, carpets and other fabrics.
Entry Points
The inspector will look for potential points of entry in your home to identify any weaknesses that could be exploited by bedbugs. This can include checking windows, vents, cracks in walls or floors and even lighting fixtures.
Potential Food Sources
Bedbugs feed on blood – including yours! The inspector will look for potential sources of food such as any open food packages or spilled crumbs on the floor.
During the inspection, you may be asked to help move items stored in drawers or closets so they can be thoroughly inspected. Your cooperation during this step is key to making sure that the whole process runs smoothly and efficiently.
Treating for Bed Bugs and After Care
Once you have had a bedbug inspection, the next step is to determine how to treat the infestation. The most effective way is to bring in a pest control service that is experienced in treating bedbugs. They will be able to inspect your home and create a customized treatment plan that fits your needs.
Here are some tips to help prepare for the treatment:
- Vacuum all areas of the affected rooms and dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag after each use.
- Make sure all bedding, clothing and curtains/window treatments are dry cleaned or washed in extremely hot water (40°c+).
- Remove all clutter from affected floors and spaces and wipe down bookshelves, counters, dressers, nightstands, etc. with hot soapy water.
- Seal up any cracks or crevices where bedbugs might be hiding, such as inside electrical outlets or behind baseboards.
- Make sure furniture is off the floor by an inch or two (this will help prevent any remaining bugs from entering new areas).
Once the pest control service has completed their treatment, they may recommend an after care program to help ensure that there are no more bedbugs in your home. This could include ongoing inspections of your home as well as reapplication of certain chemicals if necessary.
Conclusion
An infestation of bed bugs can cause significant stress and disruption to your life. If you are concerned that you have bed bugs, it is important to contact a qualified pest control technician to get a thorough bed bug inspection and treatment. A professional will be able to assess the size of the infestation, identify critical areas in your home, and recommend the best course of action. After the inspection process, you may need to thoroughly clean your home, seal any cracks and crevices, and replace items that may have been contaminated to eradicate the pests completely. With the help of a qualified pest control technician, you can get rid of bed bugs and take the necessary steps to prevent a future outbreak.
