Is Professional Bed Bug Control A Necessity In Longview?

There is no other bug quite like the bed bug. It is a hitchhiking pest that gets into Longview homes, draws blood from people while they sleep, and leaves itchy wounds. But Longview residents are tough. When bed bugs appear, they try to get rid of these irritating and disturbing pests on their own. Is that a good idea? Is there a secret weapon or silver bullet that can stop bed bugs in their tracks? Join us as we look at a few ways bed bugs are trickier than you might think, ways bed bugs can cause harm, the challenge of DIY bed bug treatments, and why it is a good idea to call local pest control for bed bugs. If you have a bed bug infestation and would like immediate assistance with bed bug pest control in Longview, give us a call. Our service professionals would love the opportunity to help you find the right solution to address your pest control issue.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Many Longview residents have misconceptions about bed bugs. The greatest misconception is that bed bug detection is easy. These pests are known for leaving multiple bites and making people miserable. But you may not know that you have bed bugs; bites are often minor at first. You may not even know that insects are biting. Sometimes a rash is just a rash. While it is a problem not knowing you have bed bugs, the real issue with not detecting bed bugs is that you may think your bed bug control strategy has worked when it really hasn't. Step one in detecting bed bugs is understanding what bed bug bites look like and why you may not connect those bites with bed bugs.

• Baby bed bugs are 1 mm long and leave minor wounds when they first bite. You may have a few tiny bumps on your skin and hardly any rash. These tiny bites are easy to miss.
• After subsequent bites, baby bed bugs may leave several bumps on your skin and the rash may grow to encompass all the bites. But, even with multiple bumps, you may not realize you have insect bites because the wounds are only bumps.
• As older bed bugs start to bite, and after you've had multiple bites, you may start to have larger, irritating wounds on your skin. At this point, you'll know insects are biting you—but it can take hours for your skin to have a reaction. You may notice the bites late in the day or in the evening. When you do, you might think that an outdoor pest is biting you.
• Each bed bug will typically bite three times during the feeding process. These will look like a line or zig-zag when one bug bites. They will start to look like a trail across your skin if more than one bug bites you. Look for this pattern to tell that the bumps on your skin are from bed bugs.

Along with looking for traits that will help you determine that you have bed bug bites, it is helpful to know what bed bug bites don't look like. There are many insects that will bite you. Some of them are indoor pests.

• Fleas often bite on the lower legs and ankles. If they're in your couch, they may bite you on your back. Bed bugs bite toward the upper part of the body because they're attracted to carbon dioxide.
• Ticks bite once and attach for a while. You may find the tick on your skin when it becomes engorged. If you don't see a tick, you may find a bullseye rash on your skin. Bed bugs don't leave a bullseye rash.
• Mosquitoes can leave multiple bites on the skin. These bites can look like bed bug bites, depending on your skin type and sensitivity. The key difference is that mosquito bites are random. Bed bug bites move across the skin and have a definite pattern.
• Spiders typically bite once and go away. While a spider can bite you on your upper body, neck, or face, the wound won't look like a bed bug bite. Spider bites typically have a noticeable center and some have an ulcer at the center. Spider bites don't look like raised bumps. You'll know a bug bit you. In fact, you may feel localized pain when a spider bites you, and you won't have to wonder.

Hopefully, these insights will help you detect bed bugs before and after treatments are applied. Along with bite analysis, it is helpful to learn where bed bugs hide and how to find bed bugs during the day.

The Problems That Come With A Bed Bug Infestation

As we pointed out already, bed bugs are not like other pests. When you have fleas, ticks, or some other bugs in your house, disease transmission is a concern. There are no known reports of disease transmission from bed bugs to humans in the real world. The only link to human disease transmission is found in laboratory tests. But bed bugs aren't harmless insects. Here are some ways these pests can cause problems.

• It isn't good to have any bugs biting you. Over time, ongoing bites can lead to a condition called anemia.
• If you have kids, your kids may not report bed bug bites to you, and the bites may get infected.
• Bed bugs cause social issues for kids. When other kids find out that your child has a bed bug problem, your child may get bullied.
• When family and friends find out that you have bed bugs, they may avoid coming over.
• An ongoing infestation can lead to sleepless nights and sleep deprivation, which has implications for your health and well-being.

A fact that is often missed with bed bugs is that not dealing with an infestation early can cause you to get bed bugs again. If you try to address the infestation in your home, others could get your bed bugs. When you eventually get professional bed bugs control and get rid of the bugs, you could have bed bugs brought right back to your home. Yet, we understand why you might want to try. Bed bug control costs money. As you consider the bed bug control price for your home, consider some of the costs involved in doing it yourself.  

Why You Can't Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own

A bed bug infestation is a vicious cycle. Bed bugs lay eggs. You eliminate some of the bed bugs in your home. They lay more eggs. You work harder to eliminate more bed bugs. More eggs hatch. Wash, rinse, and repeat… The problem with bed bug control isn't that you can't eliminate any bed bugs. The problem is that bed bug control is a multi-pronged process that is best applied by a licensed and trained pest management professional. Here are a few more ways bed bugs avoid treatments:

• Bed bugs emit an odor when they die. Other bed bugs smell this odor and know to avoid areas that are dangerous.
• Bed bugs are adaptable insects. If a nymph is exposed to a control material and survives, it can shed its skin and create a new skin that is more resistant to the material.
• Bed bugs move through tight spaces and wall voids. When a treatment drives them out of one area, they simply go to another.
• Bed bugs don't live outdoors, so repellents have little or no impact on these insects. They'll put up with whatever bad smell you're using to drive them out. They have no choice.
• Bed bugs can go for months without eating. If you are successful, you may only cause bed bugs to go dormant and reappear later, after you've stopped applying your treatments.

Attempting to get rid of bed bugs can cause you to spend a lot of money on control products, or even do something more costly, such as buying space heaters or throwing your mattress, box spring, and bed out the door. The best solution is to simply have a professional deal with those bugs. 

Call The Pros At The First Sign Of Bed Bugs In Your Home

We hear so many stories of how residents have wasted money trying to get rid of bed bugs only to end up feeling exhausted. Don't let these bugs continue to infest your home. If you're in Longview, contact Gecko Pest Control for a professional bed bug treatment. Our technicians have the training and experience to make sure no bed bugs remain in your home. We start with an inspection and share our findings with you. We work with you to decide on treatment and provide you with the checklist to help you get ready. Once your home is ready, we apply a multi-pronged strategy to address the bugs even in the tightest cracks and crevices. After treatment, we follow up twice, one week apart to make sure you are bed bug-free. The treatments we apply also help you stay bed bug-free because they are residual. So you don't have to worry about getting another infestation right after paying for treatment. 

Do you have questions that were not answered in this article regarding bed bug control in Longview, or do you want to request service? Either way, reach out to us. Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are happy to help.