How to Spot Bed Bugs in Your Home

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of people while they sleep, and can live for months without a host. They are difficult to eliminate because they are small and can hide in tiny crevices in the mattress or the walls, and are only active at night. If you suspect bed bugs in your home, here are some common signs of their presence:

• Black spots or patches on the bedding or walls. This is bed bug feces and indicates they have been living in the room for some time.
• Exoskeletons on the sheets. Bed bugs shed their outer skins as they grow.
• Blood stains on the sheets. After a bed bug has fed, its abdomen is full of blood. If a person crushes one of these insects during sleep, the blood will appear on the bed.
• A sweet smell in the room. Bed bugs produce a sickly sweet aroma similar to almonds.
• Bed bugs are sometimes seen in the creases of the mattress.

If you or a family member is bitten by a bed bug, it can take up to 14 days for any symptoms to develop. For most people, several small red spots appear in a line wherever the skin was exposed during sleep. These marks last a few days. Some people show no symptoms at all, and others have a severe allergic reaction. To learn more about bed bug treatment in Durham and how to protect your family, visit this website.