Vero Beach is a beautiful place to visit and an ideal area in which to settle down. The blue-green ocean water provides many opportunities for recreation and relaxing views. But amidst the beauty of Vero Beach lies tiny yet formidable foes that can disrupt your recreation and ruin your relaxation. They're called bed bugs. Today, we're going to look at how you can detect these insects early and prevent them from infesting your home. We'll also tell you the best way to eliminate bed bugs if they find a way past your defenses. If you are currently dealing with these miserable bugs and you're looking for a fast and effective solution, contact HomeShield Pest Control for bed bug pest control in Vero Beach. We use the most trusted products and control methods to get rid of these irritating insects. Call or text for service.

a bed bug on human skin

Unwanted Guests: Common Causes Of Bed Bug Infestations

Step one is understanding how bed bugs in Vero Beach find their way into your home. The most important fact you should know is that bed bugs don't live in your yard. That means your year-round pest control service plan will not keep these pests out. You need to take steps to stop them on your own.

Here are a few common ways bed bugs spread from one location to another, and a few tips to help you prevent an infestation:

  • Spending The Night: When you go on a vacation or even spend the night at a friend's house, you have the chance of getting bed bugs. These pests can infest a location for weeks before they're detected. The secret to stopping them from getting into your stuff and coming home with you is to perform a quick inspection and guard your luggage and laundry during your stay.
  • Work And School: When you go out for the day, you can get bed bugs. They climb into duffel bags, bookbags, briefcases, and other items. If someone has an infestation, they can bring it to work or school, and bed bugs can move from item to item. You can prevent this by keeping your items away from the items of your coworkers or fellow students. 
  • Used Items: When you buy a used item from someone who has an infestation in their home, you may get bed bugs along with your purchase. All it takes is one female bed bug or a small batch of eggs for an infestation to start. Always perform an inspection of used items before you bring them into your home.
  • Through Walls: Do you have neighbors just on the other side of your walls? If so, their infestation can become your infestation. Bed bugs often get into walls as they grow a population. If they find a route into your living spaces, you could acquire an infestation. You can prevent this by applying exclusions, such as caulk or expanding foam. Or you could contact a licensed pest management professional for an indoor preventative treatment.

Whether you use natural pest control for bed bugs or you contact a professional, it is critical to act quickly. When bed bugs aren't dealt with fast, they reproduce and cause more trouble. Inside your home, they can spread to several areas, making it harder for your pest control service provider to eliminate them, and this can increase your costs. If you live in Vero Beach, contact HomeShield Pest Control for bed bug control in Vero Beach at the first sign of trouble. We'll give you appropriate and cost-effective bed bug solutions.

Bed Bug Detection: How To Spot And Confirm An Infestation

We touched on bed bug detection as a way to prevent a bed bug infestation, but how do you do this? Let's look at some bed bug signs you can watch out for and some simple tips to help you find them, even at a glance. Look for these warning signs in your home, when you travel, and anytime you go somewhere away from home.

  • Stains: Bed bugs stain fabrics with their fecal matter. Tiny black spots are often a warning sign of bed bug activity. But bed bugs aren't the only insects that leave fecal spots, so look for brown stains as well. Bed bugs often excrete blood along with fecal matter. The blood stains turn brown over time.
  • Streaks: Sometimes bed bugs leave fecal matter on hard surfaces, such as wood bed frames or baseboards. Look for these tiny black streaks to tell if bed bugs are near.
  • Bugs: You might see bed bugs. While these pests are incredibly elusive and prone to avoiding the light, you may catch one. If you do, it is important to note that bed bugs are between 1/26 and 1/5 of an inch in length and may appear white, tan, or rusty brown. If fed, a bed bug can look bright red. If unfed, it may have black fecal matter visible in its abdomen. While called bugs, these are insects, which means they have six legs and two antennae. Keep this in mind.
  • Skins: Bed bugs shed their skins. If you use a debit card to drag along seams and stitching, you may bring these skins to the surface. They are white or yellowish.
  • Eggs: Bed bug eggs are white and about 1/26 of an inch in length. You'll find these in tight spaces or recesses.
  • Odor: Bed bugs smell a bit like coriander. If you notice a curious odor, it is time to look closer for bed bugs—or some other hidden pests.   

There you go. You now have what you need to detect bed bugs, but understand that it is sometimes tricky to tell whether or not you have bed bugs, even if you know the signs. Do you want to know how to find out if you have bed bugs in your Vero Beach home? You can contact a professional for an inspection. We use proven methods to locate bed bugs, and we'll show you the evidence. You can also take a photo of the evidence you're finding and send us a picture. It may provide all we need to guide you in the right direction.

Bed Bug Infestation Dangers: Physical And Mental Health Risks

When you find bed bugs while you're on vacation, how concerned should you be? Are bed bugs dangerous? Is there any way to stop them from coming home with you? We have some good news. Bed bugs aren't nearly as bad as you've heard.

Here are a few facts to alleviate some of your fears:

  • Bed bugs won't make you sick like a tick or a mosquito. There are no documented cases of disease transmission related to these insects.
  • Bed bug bites are annoying but rarely problematic when these insects first bite.
  • Bed bugs can get into your stuff and stay hidden, but there are ways to address this. The most important way to prevent an infestation is to put all of your clothing into a sealed plastic bag. A trash bag and a bread tie will do the trick. When you return home, wash in hot soapy water and put your laundry in the dryer.
  • If you find bed bugs in a hotel room, you can switch rooms without fear. Bed bugs are usually isolated. Just make sure to get a room that is not adjacent to the infested room.

The dangers bed bugs can present are typically associated with prolonged infestation. If you have bed bugs in your home, it is a good idea to deal with them as soon as possible.

  • Continued exposure to bed bug bites can lead to anemia.
  • Bed bug bites on kids may go undetected and could lead to infections.
  • Ongoing bed bug problems can disrupt sleep and lead to sleep deprivation symptoms.
  • Some people are extremely fearful of bed bugs and these insects can cause trauma. 
  • Bed bugs can impact your kids in unexpected ways, such as lowering morale at school or exposing them to bullying.

When you find bed bugs in your home, contact a trusted pest control service provider, like HomeShield Pest Control. A professional will use science-based solutions to locate and eliminate those bugs. Let's take a look at how this works.

Eliminating Bed Bugs: The Smart Solution For Your Home

Bed bugs are ancient pests. Scientists have found fossils of the insects that reveal a disturbing fact. They've been with us from the very beginning. If they were easy to eliminate, there is no doubt that they would be extinct. So you can't expect to control these pests without understanding how they behave. When you contact HomeShield Pest Control for professional bed bug removal, you are hiring a licensed technician who knows how to find these insects, corral them, eliminate them, and monitor for continued activity. Detection, management, control, and surveillance all require specialized knowledge. When your infestation is properly evaluated and appropriate products and methods are used, these insects will not evade the treatment. We'll help you find a professional and science-based solution to your problem. You don't have to let the bed bug bite! Reach out today for a bed bug inspection and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Vero Beach.