Bed Bug Identification & Prevention

The easiest way to describe the bed bug is that they are small, blood-feeding insects that resemble an apple seed with six legs. We identify bed bugs by their reddish-brown color, lack of wings, and short antennae. 

Bed bugs are common household pests that homeowners regularly introduce into their Knoxville homes. The sole food source for bed bugs is the blood of warm-blooded animals. While they require regular blood meals to stay alive, they can go several months between meals. They can survive on the blood of rodents, birds, dogs, and cats, but people's blood is by far their preferred food source. 

Bed bugs, like any living creature, live where their food source does, which is why they have become one of the most persistent household pests around and are challenging to eliminate and control. 

Unlike many other species of blood-feeding pests, bed bugs aren't responsible for the spread of diseases. That is not to say that bed bugs are harmless. 

Bed bugs are problematic pests; if you discover them in your home, you should never overlook or ignore them. Large infestations can produce an unpleasant, musty odor, and bed bugs will stain bedding and other surfaces with dark streaks of excrement and blood drops. 

Furthermore, bed bug bites can be quite itchy, and scratching at the bite sites can lead to secondary infections that require medical intervention. Additionally, knowing you are sharing your home with biting pests is quite stressful and can lead to days filled with worry and sleepless nights for you and your family. 

There are several reasons why bed bugs may have become a problem inside your Knoxville home.

Below is a quick overview of the most common ways bed bugs find their way into our homes.

• You have purchased used furniture, mattresses, box springs, or luggage housing hitchhiking bed bugs.
• You have hosted visitors who have come into contact with bed bugs during travel.
• You or your family come into contact with bed bugs while traveling, working, going to school, or running errands. 
• In multi-unit buildings, bed bugs have traveled into your home from an adjoining unit. 

Always remember that a bed bug infestation can happen in any Knoxville home. If you discover bed bugs in your home, never hesitate to reach out to a professional for help.

Inside our homes, bed bugs will quickly find a hiding spot that keeps them out of sight but gives easy access to their hosts. Bedrooms are typically where a bed bug infestation initially begins. They will hide the seams of mattresses and box springs, cracks in wooden footboards and headboards, behind wall hangings, and wood trim. 

The longer a bed bug infestation goes unnoticed and untreated, the more of your home they will take over. Bed bugs migrate by crawling through our home's vents, walls, and floors. 

Regularly inspect electrical outlets, the seams of upholstered furniture, electronics, and areas of clutter under beds or in closets for bed bugs to identify an infestation. 

At the first sign of bed bugs in your Knoxville home, contact us at Pest OPS.

The best solution to any bed bug infestation is to reach out to an experienced pest professional. 

The professionals at Pest OPS are here to help you guard your home and family against bed bugs and other household pests. For over 25 years, we have been providing people in Knoxville with quality, trustworthy pest control using EPA-approved products and treatments that are child and pet friendly. 

We offer various bed bug control options, including heat treatments, chemical treatments, and preventative services. Call today to learn why Pest OPS is the best choice for bed bug control!

You can do several things to help prevent bed bugs from taking over your Knoxville home. Below are a few of our top bed bug prevention tips:

• Eliminate clutter from your home where bed bugs can hide.
• Regularly inspect bed bug hot spots within your home.
• Take care when bringing secondhand items into your house. Always check for hitchhiking bed bugs.
• Place bed bug-proof covers over all mattresses and box springs in your home. 
• When storing things under your bed, place them in plastic containers with tight-fitting locking lids.
• Regularly vacuum your floors and upholstered furniture, and change your family's bedding. 

For professional pest control to get rid of bed bugs, reach out to us at Pest OPS; we offer proven services you can trust!