Bed Bug Detection

 Bed bugs are small, flat insects that feed on our blood, typically at night, while we are sleeping. Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 of an inch long, have flat, rusty-red-colored oval bodies, and look like an apple seed. They feed for about 3-10 minutes and their bodies swell and become  bright red. During the bed bug life cycle, a female can lay 200-400  eggs depending on food supply and temperature. Bed bugs don't fly, but  can quickly walk across floors, walls, and other surfaces.

 There are no known cases of infectious disease transmitted by bed bug bites. However, some people are more sensitive to the bites and develop itchy, red welts. Scratching the bites can lead to infection. Bed bugs may also affect a person's mental health. Anxiety, insomnia, and irritability have been reported in some people.

 People often bring bed bugs into their homes via infested luggage, furniture, bedding, or clothing. Bed bugs can hitch a ride on items purchased second-hand, or from furniture and bedding that is delivered to your home. Bed bugs may also travel between apartments through small crevices, cracks, and ventilation ducts in walls and floors.

• Regular house cleaning, including vacuuming your mattress, can help to prevent an infestation. 
• Clean up clutter to help reduce the number of places bed bugs can hide. 
• Wash clothing and inspect luggage immediately after returning from a trip. 
• Inspect used furniture for bed bugs before bringing it into your home. 
• Never bring discarded bed frames, mattresses, box springs, or upholstered furniture into your home. 

 Itchy swollen bites may be the first sign of a bed bug problem.  However, these itchy bites can take as long as 14 days to develop in some people, so it's important to look for other clues if you are concerned about an infestation. Bed bugs typically infest mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and couches. You may be able to find them  hiding within the cracks and crevices of beds, furniture, floors, and  walls. Bed bugs often leave evidence of small dark stains (fecal  droppings) and rusty red spots (bloodstains) on bedding sheets,  mattresses, and other areas they hide in or travel along. Heavy bed bug  infestations can cause a sweet, musty smell.

If you suspect a bed bug problem, it's important to first confirm that you really have bed bugs. Contact a pest control company for bed bug identification help.

Skin reactions from bed bug bites vary from person to person. Bites may  go unnoticed or may be mistaken for flea or mosquito bites or other skin  conditions. The most common skin reaction to bed bug bites are itchy  red bite marks that appear clustered or in a straight line, often along  the edge of clothing or where sheets were pulled up to a person's skin.  Small swollen red bumps are also common. In rare cases, people may  develop large, often itchy, red welts. A single bed bug bite is similar  to a flea bite, except that a red area does not occur in the center.  Flea bites tend to be found around the ankles while bed bugs tend to  bite any exposed area of the body while a person is sleeping, such as  the face, neck, arms, hands, or legs. 

I specialize in addressing behavioral issues such as separation anxiety, aggression, and fear. I work with dogs to overcome their fears and become confident and well-behaved pets.