How bad are bed bugs? Are they really a nightmare to control? When is it time to call local pest control for bed bugs in Salt Lake City? We get a lot of questions about bed bugs because, out of all the pests we eliminate, these are the most mysterious for our customers. Why? Because much of the mystery surrounding bed bugs is due to a lack of knowledge, and this lack of knowledge gives rise to many misconceptions that can cause control methods to fail. Join us as we look at some misconceptions about bed bugs and what you need to know to catch early signs of an infestation. Then, we'll share with you why bed bug control is so frustrating and what it takes to get rid of these bugs. When you're done, you will know how to catch and stop bed bugs before they get into your home, as well as what to do if you ever see signs of these creepy pests. If you currently have an infestation, contact Uinta Pest Solutions for assistance. We are a trusted pest control service provider offering industry-leading pest control in Salt Lake City. We're also a family-owned and operated company that will treat you like family. Check out our "About" page to learn some of the ways we stand out from other service providers. With that said, let's jump in and talk about bed bug detection and control for your Salt Lake City home.

It's A Common Misconception That You Can't See Bed Bugs

When it comes to discussing the mystery of bed bug infestations and how to detect them, it is best to start with the question of why they are so hard to see. If you can't see them, you're going to have a hard time stopping them. So, why do many people believe bed bugs are invisible, microscopic organisms? There are a few reasons. Let's look at them:

When bed bugs hatch, they exit their eggs as nymphs. These little six-legged insects can move around and find hiding places, unlike maggots, worms, or grubs—common larval forms of other insects.
A newly hatched nymph is only about 1/26 of an inch long. That is around half the thickness of a debit card. Take a moment to imagine that. So, while not invisible to the naked eye, they are incredibly small.
Bed bugs are attracted to exceedingly tight spaces. They will squeeze into places that might surprise you. For example, bed bugs are commonly found under the feet of bed frames. You'd think that the weight of a bed would squish them, but they tuck into gaps formed by imperfections in wood or spaces formed between wood and carpet.
Bed bugs don't like the light. If they can run away from the light, they will, so flicking a light on and searching for bed bugs can prove to be fruitless.
Bed bugs move fast. A tiny nymph can travel three to four feet in a minute. That may not seem like much but consider how much distance that little bug is covering for its size. It would put human athletes to shame. If you jump out of bed, turn on the light, and pull your covers aside, the bed bugs will have plenty of time to travel half a foot to a hiding place on the side of your mattress.

Do you see how tricky it is to catch bed bugs in Salt Lake City? But, locating bed bugs is only one part of the problem. There are many other misconceptions. Here are a few more to consider:

Bed bugs are indoor pests that go from location to location by hitchhiking. They don't live outside. Therefore, perimeter pest control and indoor repellents will not arrest an infestation.
Bed bugs don't need a bed to infest a location. They can live in couches, chairs, other furniture, and electronics. They can also hide behind baseboards, in walls, and more. Why don't they need a bed? It is because they can feed on fully awake people.
Bed bugs bite, but bites aren't always visible on the skin. Early bites may not appear.

Now that you know a bit more about bed bugs, let's turn our attention to the symptoms of a bed bug infestation. If you catch the early signs of bed bugs, you can prevent bed bugs from hitching a ride home with you, or catch them in your home quickly and deal with them expeditiously.

The Symptoms Of A Bed Bug Infestation

Once again, the best place to start is with how tricky it is to see bed bugs. When looking for symptoms of a bed bug infestation, knowing where to look is as important as knowing what you're looking for in these places. Here is a quick list of examples.

Bed bugs love the seams of mattresses. If you run a debit card along a seam, you can bring these insects to the surface. You may also dislodge skins or tiny white eggs.
Bed bugs hide under labels and around grommets on mattresses. If you use a flashlight and a butter knife, you can check these tight spaces and reveal bed bugs.
Bed bugs hide in dark voids that are impossible to inspect. But you may detect them by looking for black fecal spotting on fabrics or tiny black fecal specks on hard surfaces. These black spots may have a brown coloration as well. The brown stains are caused by blood excretions.

If you don't find bed bugs, you may still detect them. You don't have to look for these warning signs. You just need to know how to interpret the signs when you see them.

When you see a few black specks on a pillowcase or sheet, they are likely bed bug fecal spots.
When you smell a faint coriander scent, you are likely smelling bed bug pheromones.
When you see a tiny red insect attached to your skin, it is likely a bed bug nymph. The red coloration is from blood inside the abdomen of the tiny insect.
When you find a rash on your skin and tiny bumps, look closely at the bumps. Early bites are often mistaken for nothing more than a rash. But the bumps of a rash are random. Bed bug bites are not. Each bug tries to bite three times with a short space in between and all the bugs feed in a group, making the bites look like a path on the skin.

Now that you know how to find bed bugs and interpret some of the warning signs, let's look at bed bug control methods. There are many misconceptions about what can work to stop these insects and eliminate an infestation. It is best to know the pitfalls and challenges.

Don't Waste Your Time Trying To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own

If bed bugs were easy to control, we would tell you. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet. Bed bugs are elusive pests with unique traits that help them avoid and survive conventional treatments. Once again, we'll give some examples so you can see the scope of the problem.

You may attempt to use traps to catch bed bugs. Do these work? Sure, they do. You'll find bed bugs in your traps. But you won't catch all of the bed bugs with these traps. A trap will only catch a portion of the population and do nothing to address bed bug eggs. Over time, the bed bugs will learn to avoid the traps because they can smell the death stench of bed bugs caught in the traps.
You may apply a topical product to control bed bugs. These don't get deep enough to eliminate bed bugs and bed bugs avoid treated surfaces.
You may learn that bed bugs are eliminated with heat. While this is true, you won't have success attempting to do this yourself. The reason is connected to how bed bugs move away from heat or find cold spots in their environment. Applying heat is only likely to drive bed bugs out of one area and into several other areas when misapplied.

You can expend a lot of energy and time trying to get rid of bed bugs only to have them reappear over and over. It is incredibly frustrating. You can avoid that frustration by getting professional bed bug control near you.