These are tiny bugs that cause big problems, problems that are on the rise. With the world becoming a smaller place, insects like bed bugs are finding it easier to spread. One day they can be in Zimbabwe, the next in Hartford. One day they can be in a hotel near Bradley International Airport, the next in a home across town. It happens quickly and without warning. That is why every home and business owner in Hartford should know how to identify bed bugs and the signs bed bugs leave behind.
Identification
Bed bugs begin life as tiny, 1 mm, pale insects. As they grow, their skin turns tan and eventually brownish red, and they become less transparent--though never fully opaque. At full size, these insects are still small at a mere 4.5 mm in length.
If you see a bed bug, you're most likely to notice it after a blood meal. The bright red blood held in the abdomen of a bed bug nymph will be like a shining beacon. And, since bed bug nymphs are more likely to be seen during the day, this is helpful to know.
An unfed bed bug will be flat and oval, like the pictures you may have seen on the news. But a fed bed bug, the kind you're probably going to see feeding on your arm, will be bloated instead of flat.
Bed Bug Signs
Wherever bed bugs infest, they leave the following signs:
- Black patches, streaks, and droppings. These insects leave their feces everywhere. Look for them in areas of infestation as well as pillowcases, sheets, bedspreads, mattress seams, backboards, baseboards, outlet covers, crown molding, and the stitching of upholstered furniture. This is not an exhaustive list. But definitely great locations to start looking.
- Blood stains. When bed bugs defecate, they excrete blood as well. This can lead to light to dark brown stains on fabrics and upholstery.
- Shed cuticles. As bed bugs develop through 5 instars, they shed their cuticles. These shed skins can be found in concentrated amounts where infestations have taken root or along paths bed bugs are traveling to feed.
- White eggs. Look in creases and other hiding places for single white eggs or batches of white eggs.
- Smells. If you have an infestation, you may begin to notice the smell before you see the bugs, or notice the other signs listed above. Some compare this smell to a moist, dirty, locker room towel.
When bed bugs appear in your Hartford home or business, contact American Pest Solutions for immediate assistance. We offer industry-leading bed bug control solutions for residential and commercial customers. You don't have to let those bed bugs bite.