Bed Bug Exterminator Houston, TX

All About Bed Bugs

Bed Bug life cycle:

1st Stage: Eggs

Bed bug eggs are milky white in color, and about the size of a grain. This grain-like appearance makes them difficult to see in light-colored carpets and bedsheets. After around two weeks, these eggs can hatch, and the newly emerged nymphs immediately start to feed. It’s important to note that bed bug eggs are very hard to kill. Often times, when homeowners try to take care of the bed bug problem on their own, they kill the adults only to realize they have a new infestation shortly after because the eggs hatch. 

2nd Stage: Nymphs

Nymphs molt five times before reaching adulthood, and a blood meal is needed for each of those molts. While they look similar to fully grown bed bugs, they are not yet sexually mature and are a bit smaller. At room temperature, they can molt and become adults in about five weeks. 

3rd Stage: Adults

Upon reaching maturity, bed bugs feed more frequently, usually every 5-10 days. They are also ready to breed. 

Common Ways That Bed Bugs Invade Your House

After staying from a hotel

Because bed bugs can hitchhike and travel just about anywhere, it’s not uncommon to find them in hotels and motels. If you stay in a hotel, you can potentially pick up some of the bed bug eggs and bring them home with you. 

Taking in used clothing or furniture

If you’re on a budget, buying used furniture seems like a great idea. But, what if bed bugs are taking shelter in these things? The moment you take home your second-hand purchases, the pests can escape and infest your property. Always make sure to closely inspect any second-hand items before bringing them into your house. 

They can be brought into the house by visitors

You never know if a visitor has bed bugs at home or, if they’ve traveled, it’s possible that they picked them up on the plane or train. 

Bed Bug Infestation Signs

Tiny eggs, eggshells, and light yellow exoskeletons below your furniture or other household items

If you notice bed bug droppings, sticky eggs, empty eggshells, and skins, call a pest control specialist right away. 

Musty smell 

Musty smell in your bedroom? This could be caused by bed bugs’ pheromones. During the early stages of an infestation, the smell may be mild. However, this can worsen as the pests increase in number. 

Presence of bed bug bite marks on your body

Experiencing some form of itchiness and inflammation after sleep? Inspect your entire body the moment you wake up. Do you have marks that look similar to tiny welts? It’s possible that those are bed bug bites. 

Sighting of adult bed bugs

Bed bugs don’t fly, but they can quickly move over floors and ceilings. If the infestation gets more severe, you’ll likely see some of them crawling around. 

Tiny red blood/rust-red colored stains throughout your bed and on your covers

Check household items for brown stains. These stains are bed bug fecal spots usually found on bed sheets and covers. They have an unpleasant odor and may smear when touched.

Bed Bug Bites

Were you bitten by a bed bug, mosquito, or another insect? It’s really hard to tell. You need to look at the bite marks closely. Bed bug bites look like red, small bumps, and usually, there are more than one. Since they move along the skin as they feed, the markings typically end up in lines or clusters. These bites normally itch, but that’s not always the case. We all have different skin types, so symptoms vary from person to person. 

Suspecting a bed bug infestation? Ask yourself these questions:

• Have you seen small blood stains on your sheets?
• Are there black marks that look like ink spots on your mattress?
• Have you traveled lately?
• Has someone visited you recently?
• Have you seen any strange bugs in or around your bed, on the couch? How about on other chairs?

If you answered yes to some of these, call us immediately. We’ll conduct a thorough inspection and help you get rid of pesky bugs right away.

Bed Bug Treatment Options

Conventional Treatment

A conventional treatment plan is an effective solution for treating bed bug-infested furniture. This method requires multiple treatments, usually bi-monthly, to completely eliminate bed bugs. Before treatment begins, areas should be cleared out for easier treatment and inspection. It must also be vacated during and after treatment. 

Conventional treatment methods include the following:

• Crack & Crevice/Spot Treatment
• Mattress Encasements
• Pesticide Dust
• Pesticide Sprays

Heat Treatment/ Thermal Remediation

Heat treatment is one of the quickest and most effective bed bug treatments available today. Specialized tools are used to heat up the infested area and kill all bed bugs – including their eggs. 

For maximum efficiency, this method is often done in combination with conventional treatments. It’s still great as a standalone bed bug removal treatment, though. What makes it effective? It can kill even pesticide-resistant bugs. Moreover, even their deepest hiding places can heat up, so even if they move quickly, they’ll eventually die. 

Liquid Pesticide Treatment

Liquid pesticides are designed to kill bed bugs upon contact. It contains additives that drive the pests from their hiding areas. Reliable liquid pesticide treatments target the cracks and crevices in every bedroom or the entire home.      

Cryo treatments (aka freezing the bed bugs)

Cryo treatment methods use the extreme cooling properties of carbon dioxide to kill pests like bed bugs. In this process, liquid CO2 turns to dry, cold ice snow, and then freezes pests to death. It leaves no gummy, wet residues. Since it doesn’t involve chemicals, bed bugs can’t develop resistance to this treatment. 

Not sure yet which type of treatment is the best for your bed bug problem? Call our Houston, TX pest control experts today. We can help you assess the situation, and recommend the most appropriate treatment to achieve the best results possible.

FAQs

Got Bed Bug Problems? Call Us Now!

At Stampede Pest Control, we know that bed bugs can’t be treated without professional help. That’s why we’re here to offer quality residential and commercial pest control with 100% customer satisfaction guarantees. For fast, affordable, and guaranteed results, give us a call now for a free, honest quote.