Central Florida is an idyllic place to live. The weather is stable year round, most of the big hurricanes miss us, and the streets aren’t TOO packed. Yet. But like with everything, there’s some bad to go with all that good. And the bad today takes the form of pest insects. Central Florida is just covered with them. And today, we’ll talk about one of the worst pests you can run across. We’ll talk about Valrico bed bugs, what they are, and how you can keep them out of your home.
Valrico Bed Bugs: Overview
Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that suck the blood of humans. Identification of this pest isn’t easy thanks to their small size and the other insects that look like them. However, there are a few general things to look out for. For one, bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, roughly up to a quarter inch in length. If they haven’t eaten recently, their bodies are long, flat, and oval shaped. But if they have fed, they’ll be engorged with blood, balloon-like in appearance, and redder in color thanks to the blood showing through their exoskeleton.
Bugs are very…bug-like. They belong to a class of insects known as “true bugs”. That means they have a beak, antennae that have four segments, and wings that aren’t useful for flying. But you can also tell a bed bug by smell. They release a musty-sweet odor through glands on the lower side of their body. However, the nymphs look slightly different. Young bed bugs are smaller and whitish-yellow in color, making them hard to see unless they’ve recently been fed.
The eggs are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, unfortunately. They’re tiny, about the size of a pinhead. They’re also pearl white and nearly translucent in color. But if the bed bug inside is old enough, an eye mark is visible through the egg membrane. If you’re unsure what kind of pest you have in your home, be sure to catch one and seal it inside of a plastic baggie. Many pest control companies will be able to identify the bug for you.
Bed bug bite symptoms
Bed bugs inject you with a small amount of anesthetic when they bite. Because of this, catching them in the act is rare. But what you may be able to do is identify a bite. Some people never develop any symptoms when bitten by a bed bug, in fact, that number may go up to sixty percent of people. Unfortunately, that’s just because the bed bug is a very efficient and long standing human parasite.
But if you do develop symptoms from Valrico bed bug bites, here are some of the things you can look out for. Bed bug bites tend to be red and swollen, with a dark spot right at the center of each bite. They also make look like a hive or a welt after they swell up. Bed bugs also tend to move as they feed, so the bites may seemingly be arranged in a line or cluster patterns. Multiple bed bug bites tend to be grouped together.
They’re also known for causing itching and burning sensations. Also, the blisters can sometimes fill with fluid when they swell. Bed bug bites may cause you to itch without realizing in your sleep, so you may find some bloody stains on the sheet when you wake up in the morning.
Valrico Bed Bugs: Control the spread
Now, an infestation of bed bugs is not something you’re going to be able to eliminate on your own. These pests are too small, reproduce too quickly, and are too good at hiding. However, you’re going to need to take steps to reduce their number. One female can lay up to five hundred over their lifetime, so without being proactive you’ll be swarmed with Valrico bed bugs in no time.
And to begin, I’d caution against using any kind of spray or chemical pesticides. Fast breeding insects tend to develop immunity to poison that’s used incorrectly. And even when used properly this is still a possibility. Not to mention the fact that a lot of these sprays and chemicals are unsafe anyway. Instead, start with something simple like cleaning up and removing any clutter.
A cluttered home provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes locating and treating them harder. If bed bugs are in your mattress, using special bed bug covers (encasements) on your mattress and box springs makes it harder for bed bugs to get to you while you sleep. Leave the encasements on for a year. Be sure to buy a product that has been tested for bed bugs and is strong enough to last for the full year without tearing.
Also, if you find large numbers of bed bugs in certain cloth or drier-safe items, try to use heat to kill them. Bed bugs die when their body temperatures reach just about a hundred and thirteen degrees F. Black plastic bags set out in the sun for long periods of time may work as well for things like bulky suitcases or other cloth containers that they infest.
And vacuum regularly. The carpet is both a highway and a home for bed bugs and their eggs. Remember, just because they are called bed bugs does not mean that the bed is the only place they nest. You can find them in desks, chairs, couches, night stands, closets, shoes, and much more.
Valrico Bed Bugs: What to do when infested
Now, like I said before this is sadly not a bug that you’ll be able to get rid of completely on your own. Instead, contact a professional pest control company. If you’d like to work with us and use natural methods while relying on a company that’s been in service for over twenty five years, feel free to visit our website or call us at 1-800-634-1313 to schedule your service or get a consultation.
