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How do you know if you have bed bugs?  It can be hard to know if the pest infesting your home is actually that of a bed bug.  While only a professional that looks at them closely will be able to tell you right off if they are bed bugs, it is pretty much sure that, if you have these signs, you are infested with bed bugs.


Signs You Have Bed Bugs

Here are some things to look at to consider if you do in fact have bed bugs in your home.

  • Obviously, if you see a bed bug then you would likely know that more than one is there.
  • You may see blood stains on your bedding which is usually caused by the bed bug being crushed while it is on the host.  For example, you may role over onto the bed bug while it is feeding.
  • Brown or reddish brown spots on the bedding or clothing can be signs as well.  These are the fecal matter of the bed bug.  Excrement can be found on the sheets, mattress, on the walls, or on other areas that they travel.
  • If you find things such as eggshells or shredded skin on your flooring, bedding or on your mattress, this can be a sign of bed bugs.  They are generally found on locations that are close to their hiding places.
  • If you have a very large infestation in your home, you may also have an unexplained odor in the home.  This have a sweet yet musty smell to it.  Usually, it is offensive and noticeable when you come into your home.
  • It is normal to just have one bite mark on the body, but a tell tale sign that you have bed bugs is the look of three bite marks in a row.  In fact, these are often caused by the movement of the bug in a line as it looks for the same blood vessel it had before it was disturbed.
  • A great way to notice them is to use a method that will allow you to detect their presence.  To do this, simply plan to turn on a light without moving much from your bed just a few hours or so before dawn.  At this time of the day, the bed bugs are most actively seeking their host.  Use a flashlight to catch them in the act or on the bedding.

Set A Trap!

If you really want to see for yourself that there are bed bugs in your home or in your bed, you can set a trap to do so.  Here are some things that you can do to see their presence in your home.

  • Place sticky tape, sticky side up on the area around your bed.  As the creature crawls over it, they will stick to it.
  • Place heating pads in an area that is dark.  This is especially effective when you have used the heating pad in the past.  Use tape to catch them or you can just watch for their presence.
  • You can use either of these methods and combine them by placing a balloon that has been filled by mouth in the area. Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon monoxide that people exhale.  This will help to lure them in.

A trap like these can help you to lure in bed bugs so you can actually see if you have an infestation.  Of course, there is no guarantee that bed bugs will in fact respond to these types of traps.
Store Bought Products

There are also products on the market that you can purchase that can help you.  These are generally marketed as products to help you to get rid of bed bugs.  Whether they work for that reason is another story.  But, they can definitely help you know if you have bed bugs in your home.

These products are quite like that of flea traps where they will lure the pests into the trap and are supposed to keep them there.  Unfortunately, most of these traps are really only good for determining if you have bed bugs in your home.  Most are not effective when it comes to ridding the home of the pests.


Other Signs

All of the things that we have talked about thus far are good signs that you have bed bugs.  If you notice them or think you notice marks on your skin or on your children’s skin, then you may have an infestation of bed bugs in your home.

Those that travel or have visited homes in which there are an infestation should take care as to determine if they too have brought the bed bugs into the home.

Beyond a doubt, the best way to know if there are bed bugs in your home is to use a professional service.  They will come out and look for the tell tale signs and, being experts, will be able to tell you for sure what they have found.

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