One of the nice things about late fall in Terre Haute is that insect populations all but disappear. The pests that bugged us all summer have finally diminished to a point where spending time outdoors, while much cooler, is relatively bug-free.
One of the unpleasant realities of late fall is that some insects don’t actually disappear; they simply move indoors. This time of year it’s especially common to find a number of different bugs inside your home as they try to find a warm place to survive the winter. Lady bugs, stink bugs, and spiders are just a few of the pests that look for warmth when the days get cool.
However, there is one bug that stays indoors all year round. They, too, like the warmth of a home in the fall and winter, but they also thrive inside during the heat of summer. What are these insects? Bed bugs.
Bed bugs are a problem for home and business owners in Terre Haute regardless of the time of year. This is because they prefer to live inside and because they are excellent travelers, making it very easy for them to move from place to place, starting new infestations wherever they go.
That means that despite the absence or presence of other bugs in your home, it is possible that a fall bed bug infestation is going to happen or is already prevalent in your house.
Despite their name, bed bugs in Terre Haute are not just found in beds. They can be found anywhere people go, including public places such as libraries, movie theaters, and public transit. They are small and good at hiding in the seams of fabric and creases of furniture, so you may pick one up and be totally unaware that you are carrying a hitch-hiker.
Unfortunately, due to their methods of travel, bed bugs are very difficult to prevent. You can’t take the typical precautions that you would with other pests, such as sealing up cracks and gaps in your foundation, because they don’t live outside your house and they’re not trying to get in that way.
There are a few things you can do to try to prevent them, but none of these methods are 100% effective.
- Carefully check everything that comes into your home, including yourself, your clothing, bags, and boxes.
- Keep your home tidy. Vacuum and dust frequently. Change and wash your bedding weekly. These tasks will not always prevent bed bugs, but they will help you to identify a problem faster.
- Check the areas where bed bugs like to hide. Again, this is less a prevention tip and more a “find them early” tip. Look along the headboard and footboard of your bed. Check behind picture frames. Investigate the corners of upholstered furniture and where your walls meet the floor.
- Look for other signs. Signs of a bed bug infestation include waking up with bug bites, finding small spots of blood on your sheets or pillowcase, seeing small black or brown streaks on your sheets or pillowcase, and finding bed bug casings.
If you do find signs of a bed bug infestation, the most important thing to do is call a professional pest control company like Action Pest Control immediately. Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eliminate through DIY methods, mainly due to their excellent ability to hide. DIY treatments usually only eliminate the bugs that are inaccessible areas, leaving the ones who have gone deep into hiding alive and well. You may think you’ve gotten rid of them only to find yourself back where you started several months later.
Action Pest Control offers heat treatments which are not only safe for you and your family (no chemicals!), but also reach even the deepest hiding spots, effectively killing all of the bed bugs and eliminating your bed bug infestation entirely.
Fall bed bug prevention in Terre Haute is difficult, but not impossible. Action Pest Control is here to help, so give us a call today!