Bed bugs are not only known for their innate hitchhiking abilities but are also known for their propensity for hiding. They can hide amongst everyday items and you likely won’t even know they are there. Heck, you probably won’t even suspect it, unless you’ve spotted some of the common signs. Without knowing and understanding the symptoms of a bed bug infestation, you might not even know that you have a problem. Whether you are dealing with a full-blown infestation or just the start of one, it is learning to spot the symptoms of an infestation that will get you ahead of the game.
The hard part about this is the bed bug’s propensity for hiding. This is why they only come out during the wee hours of the night and feed. They are lurking, hiding, and waiting during the day. Unfortunately, sometimes knowing the common hiding spots for bed bugs isn’t enough. Sometimes they can locate themselves in hard-to-access areas like electrical outlets, paintings, and electrical devices. This is why you might have to know how to force the bugs out of hiding.
Come Out! Come Out Wherever You Are!
Luckily, there are things that can be done to force them out of hiding or at the very least, increase your chances of spotting an infestation.
If you want to spot most bed bugs, you are going to need to do so at night. This is when they will be most active, trying to safely feed. Once you know where they are coming from, you can follow the lead right back to the source, so to speak.
If bed bugs aren’t hiding in your bed they are likely hiding in the room somewhere. They like to be close to their source. This is why it pays to isolate your bed. Move it away from the walls so that it will be harder for the bugs to access. In doing so, you’ll also want to place active CO2 at the feet of the bed. The traps will not only lure the bugs in but placing them in spots that the bugs will have to pass through before getting in bed with you will greatly enhance your chances of spotting an infestation. Glue-type traps also work really well, as they’ll trap the bug, allow you to procure a sample, and take it to a Buffalo professional for possible identification.
If you’ve been doing bed bug research recently, you’ve likely heard about people using steamers. These devices are pretty much what the name suggests and have grown to be one of the most effective methods for battling bed bugs. They are especially good for those hard to access areas like behind baseboards and in electrical devices. Bug bugs do not like heat. It dries them out and dehydrates them to death. Using steam to penetrate these areas will be an effective means of battling an infestation.
Heat traps are also effective for battling bed bugs. Bed bugs not only dislike heat, but they are attracted to it. They sense heat and sense that it is human heat. A heat trap will draw a bug right to it.
Speaking of heat, this is probably your number one resource when it comes to battling bed bugs. One of the best ways to use it to your advantage is by applying it to your clothes, especially your bedclothes. Strip your bed linens, wash them, and dry them on the highest heat setting possible for about ninety minutes. When exposed to specific amounts of heat for specific amounts of time bed bugs will die.
Additional Tools And Lures
If you want to approach a bed bug infestation in the most effective and productive way, you’ll employ several different detection methods and lures at one time. As any Buffalo pest specialist and they’ll tell you not all bed bug detection methods and lures are effective. This is why it pays to use several of them to your advantage at once/
In addition to this, some methods and lures have time limits on them. A heat trap of CO2-dispensing lure might only emit heat or CO2 for ninety days or less. Just keep in mind that some lure and detection methods do come along with refills and cartridges. It might be possible to just replace a less expensive cartridge than replacing the entire lure.
With the right tools, knowledge, and approach, you shouldn’t have a problem luring these critters out of hiding. Doing so will allow you to track them right back to their hiding spot, the source. It is then that you’ll be able to devise a well-thought-out approach. This is something that a professional can assist with if needed. In fact, consider a professional as one of your assets or resources. Consider a pest specialist company as one of your detection methods.