You might find the idea of bedbugs living in your bedding and mattress makes your skin crawl. You certainly aren’t alone, as most of us would be pretty horrified by the idea of bugs in our bed, nibbling on our skin as we sleep. Unfortunately, bed bugs are more common than you might imagine, with reports of infestations rising all the time. 

Bed bugs are very small insects that live in areas like our beds, couches, and chairs. They feed on blood and are typically more active at night, which makes the bed an ideal place for them to set up base. Frighteningly, female bugs are capable of laying 12 eggs at a time and up to 500 in their lifetimes. This can mean that a few bugs can quickly become a full infestation, and without professional help, it’s almost impossible to completely remove them. 

Fortunately, companies like Economy Exterminators can get rid of the problem, giving you the chance to rest easy, and unbitten, once more. Here are some of the signs that you need to call an exterminator today.

You Have Itchy Spots

Often the first noticeable sign of bed bugs is spots. It often starts as just one or two, but over time you might start to notice spots popping up all over your body. Some of these will be red, itchy, and even painful.

There are Spots of Blood on Your Bedding

Spots are caused by bed bugs feeding on your blood, but some may be small and hard to spot. You might notice small red dots on the bed or bedding first. 

There are Brown Spots on and Around Your Bed

Unfortunately, most things that eat, also produce waste. If you have bed bugs, as well as small red spots of blood, you might also notice small brown spots of fecal matter. 

Another brown spot or lump you might notice could be the shed skin of bed bugs. You’ll often see this in the bedding, around your bed, on the carpet, on your headboard, and hiding behind accessories and furniture.

A Bad Smell

Dead skin and feces will quickly start to smell if left uncleaned. Bed bugs might only be tiny, but if you’ve got an infestation, the waste that they are leaving will soon be enough to cause a stink. 

You See a Bug

The most obvious sign of an infestation of course is seeing a bug for yourself. If you are suspicious, check your bed and bedding, your headboard, behind picture frames, inside electrical outlet overs, on couches and chairs, in drawers and luggage, and on clothes, curtains, and other textiles. And remember, if you see one, there are bound to be many, many more. 

If you do suspect a bed bug infestation, get help as soon as you spot the first signs. Then, moving forward, get into good habits, washing your bedding regularly, having your quilt dry cleaned, using and regularly washing a mattress protector, and vacuuming your mattress itself. Keeping the rest of your bedrooms clean, and especially washing soft furnishings and things like curtains, and vacuuming hard-to-reach areas which are often missed, will also help. 

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