Bed bug control services in Waterloo deal with insects on a daily basis that can cause damage to the structure of your home, your furniture, and your body. Bed bugs in particular are nuisances because they can burrow their way into your sheets, mattress, and box spring and live there for months to years; however, you’ll likely notice them before then due to the itchy bites they leave behind on your skin.

If you’re under the impression that you can simply get rid of your bug-infested items by shoving them out the door and into the trash can, think again! It’s time to learn more about the infamous bed bug behind the cute nighttime rhyme you tell your kids when you tuck them in. Below you will gain knowledge about bed bugs, learn why it’s a bad idea to relocate any object of infestation (including your mattress and sheets), and understand how you can fix your bed bug problem in a safe, efficient manner.

What Exactly Are Bed Bugs?

Consider yourself lucky if you’ve never had to deal with a bed bug infestation. Whether you’ve never had a bed bug encounter before now or you just haven’t cared to learn the details of the lives of these insects who can leave itchy, blistering bite marks during the night, it’s time to become better acquainted with these little guys. Bedbugs have the following traits:

• They do not fly, but they can scurry quickly through your room
• Females lay dozens to hundreds of eggs over their lifetime
• They do not typically transmit diseases
• They bite you while you sleep (hence the nursery rhyme) and live on blood — but they do not latch onto your body as ticks do

Why Would Anyone Live With Bed Bugs in Their Home?

If they knew what they were looking for, they wouldn’t. The problem with identifying bed bug bites is that because several insects leave bite marks that look similar to a bed bug bite, you must first find and identify the bed bugs to be sure what you’re dealing with. Their bites are clustered in the same area of your body, and there will be a group of several bites where the bugs have fed on your blood at nighttime. Not all bed bug bites hurt or itch, but they usually become itchy later on.

Why Should I Not Move Bed Bug-Infested Objects?

If you have bed bugs, the best thing you can do is get rid of your mattress and sheets, right? Wrong. Moving an object infested with bed bugs — even if you throw the entire mattress, box spring, and bed frame in the dumpster — may cause the bugs to become frightened and flee the scene. Remember, they can’t fly, but they can walk very fast. This means that they will spread throughout your room while attaching themselves to your furniture, your carpet, and even your clothes.

In a worst-case scenario, the bugs can even spread to a next-door apartment. Fortunately, there are ways to recover your items. To begin, wash your bedding in hot water and do not move your mattress, even if this inaction seems counterintuitive. Next, call your trusted exterminator to perform a comprehensive assessment of the problem and make a plan for extermination.

Call Truly Nolen for Bed Bug Control Services in Waterloo

Don’t let the bed bugs bite! These insects are nearly impossible to get rid of by yourself, so it’s best to act as quickly as possible if you’ve noticed an unwanted guest or two (or twenty) living in between your sheets. If you’re not sure they are bed bugs, we can help you identify them before taking action. Get in touch with Truly Nolen in Waterloo today to identify your bug infestation and take immediate steps to remove them from your home.