Tis the season for travel, taking stock of your belongings, and sealing your home from overwintering pests. What does this all have in common? These are all ways bed bugs can find their way into your living space. Learn more about the various bed bug prevention methods to consider this time of year.

What are Bed Bugs

You may be familiar with the cute rhyme about sleeping tight and not letting the bed bugs bite. However, an infestation is not so cute and it’s more prevalent than you may think.

Bed bugs are tiny, blood-sucking pests that travel extremely well. These nocturnal creatures prefer to hide in crevices near the bed (hence their name) to feast on occupants at night. However, they’re also known to frequent other types of furniture. Once an infestation is established, it’s harder to eradicate the problem. This is why it’s best to take proactive, preventative measures.

Bed Bug Prevention

Understanding the signs and travel patterns of bed bugs help to prevent them from hiding in your home. Here are some signs to watch for throughout your house as well as other rooms you spend the night in.

1. Small reddish-brown bugs crawling around the seams of your mattress, the crevices in your sofa, or cracks in your dresser.
2. Tiny white eggs in or around your bedroom or living room furniture.
3. Small black fecal spots on bedding.

At the first sign of bed bugs, immediately wash the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets at the highest temperature to help kill them. If it’s your home under attack, contact a pest control company to treat the area and other suspected spots around your house. If you’re staying at a hotel or other home, contact housekeeping, inspect your luggage, and thoroughly wash everything before putting it away.

Other ways you can help keep your home bed bug free is by cleaning, sealing, and encasing certain areas.

• Clear bedroom clutter to limit hiding spaces
• Regularly vacuum, especially bedrooms
• Encase your mattress and pillow with bug-proof covers
• Seal cracks and gaps found in walls, windows, and doors to restrict access and hiding spaces.

Once your home is clean and bed bug-free, focus on preventing these pests from catching a one-way ticket to your home undetected.

Traveling Pests

Because bed bugs prefer to hide in furniture and bedding, it’s easy for them to travel via second-hand items and any clothing that’s come in contact with infested linens. This is why it’s important to follow this savvy shopper and traveler list:

• Think twice about snagging that free furniture found on the side of the road
• Inspect any used items you’re shopping for, especially bedroom furniture
• Keep luggage off hotel or guest room beds
• Unpack luggage directly into the washing machine

If bed bugs do end up laying over in your home, remember that early detection is key. Keep a lookout for signs shortly after taking a trip or refurnishing your space. Now that you know the signs, contact Cardinal Pest to help send bed bugs packing. And to all a good night!