Bed bugs are a particularly disgusting pest, because they come out at night in search of a blood meal. They bite people while they sleep, and leave behind rows of small, itchy marks. While bed bugs are often thought to be invisible to the human eye, they are actually the size of an apple seed. They are a reddish-brown insect with flat, oval-shaped bodies, but they will appear round if they’ve just eaten.

Another misconception about bed bugs in San Tan Valley is that they only infest dirty homes. The truth is that bed bugs can happen to anyone, and that cleanliness isn’t a factor in whether or not you get an infestation. Bed bugs aren’t particularly attracted to filth, and they can be brought into even the cleanest and most organized homes.

The reason bed bugs can invade almost anywhere is because of how they get around. In this article, you’ll learn the two main ways bed bugs infestations start, and what you can do to prevent bed bugs. Where Can You Pick Up Bed Bugs?

While bed bugs don’t actually ride around on human bodies, they can latch onto nearly any cloth-based item, such as purses, luggage, and backpacks. It’s possible to accidentally pick up bed bugs at almost any business, or even in another person’s home. However, there are some bed bug hot spot areas where these pests are more likely to be found.

Some of the most common areas people get bed bugs are through general travel, or running errands in laundromats, hotels, buses, schools, and even hospitals. Because bed bugs are tiny and great at hiding, it can be difficult to completely prevent them. However, there are some things you can do to reduce the chance of an infestation, such as:

• Not putting your luggage down on the ground, or near bedding.
• If using shared laundry facilities, carry your items in a plastic bag.
• Checking hotels and other room shares for signs of bed bugs.

The Other Way Bed Bug Infestations Start

Although picking up bed bugs while out and about during general travel is the most common way for bed bugs to get inside, they can also be spread through secondhand items. While mattresses and box springs are two of the most frequent culprits, other upholstered and cloth items, such as curtains and sheets, can also be infested.

Before you bring any of these items into your home, you should check for signs of bed bugs. The main signs include rust-colored stains from dried blood, brown smear marks from bed bug excrement, discarded yellow bed bug skins, and broken cream-colored eggshells.

What Should You Do If You Get Bed Bugs?

The fact of the matter is that bed bugs are just a hard pest to prevent, even if you’re trying your best. If you do end up with a bed bug infestation, there is one easy way to remove them while keeping yourself and your family safe. That’s with help from the experts at Ozone Pest Control. We are a family-owned and operated business with over 30 years of experience providing residential pest control to San Tan Valley homeowners.

Don’t waste your valuable time and money dealing with bed bugs on your own. Give us a call at (480) 660-3740 at the earliest sign of an infestation.