One of the things that prop up Florida’s economy is tourism. I mean, with the weather, theme parks, and plenty of other attractions, is it any real surprise? People flock to this state from all over the world to travel and enjoy what our sunny peninsula has to offer. But, that does come with some drawbacks. Where you have travel, you have pests. And the pest we’ll talk about today specifically is the Bed Bug. We’ll go over what they are, where you find them, how to avoid them, and give you plenty of Florida bed bug tips to help keep them out of your home!
Florida Bed Bug Tips: What is a bed bug?
When it comes to pest control, you have to know what you’re dealing with. Identification is the first step in controlling any kind of bug. And, unfortunately, bed bugs aren’t the most unique looking thing in the insect kingdom. Some people have even been known to mistake carpet beetles or cockroach nymphs as a bed bug infestation! So let’s get into what they actually look like.
To begin with, bed bugs aren’t beetles. They belong to their own scientific family. Generally, they’re about the size of an apple seed, maybe about a fourth of an inch long. They have a long and brown body that’s flat and oval shaped if they haven’t recently fed. But if the bug has fed recently, it will balloon in size and be a rusty red color thanks to engorging itself on your blood in combination with its translucent carapace.
These bugs are considered “true bugs”. They have a beak with three segments, an antenna that have four segments, and wings that are underdeveloped and not used for flying. In all honesty, though, these are all features you’d have to get pretty up close to see. Another easier feature to associate with this pest though is their smell. They have a musty, sweetish odor that is produced in glands on the underside of their body.
The nymphs of this species are smaller and hard to see with the naked eye, as they are nearly translucent. You probably won’t be able to see them until they’ve already been fed. As for their eggs, good luck finding them. They’re about as big as a pinhead, pearl white in color, and marked by an eye spot if they’ve been laid more than five days ago.
Florida Bed Bug Tips: Best tips to keep them out of your home!
There are a few different “classes” of pest I feel, with some of them being more affected by general cleanliness than others. Bed bugs are an insect that you can get an infestation of no matter how clean your home is. The only thing they really need to thrive in your home is shelter and, well, you! So let’s go over some tips to reduce their impact in and around your home.
Avoid second hand furniture and electronics
To begin with, bed bugs are professional hitchhikers. They can cling onto something as simple as an article of clothing and within a few days be ready to launch an invasion into your bedframe. So imagine what would happen if that couch you picked up from the side of the road was filled with eggs! Old computer towers and unused consoles are also places where an unexpected infestation can spring from.
Mind you, I think sharing and recycling is still a good thing. Just be careful to know where what you’re getting is coming from, and inspect it carefully before bringing it into your home. Don’t pick up stuff from roadsides or near dumpsters!
Cover Your Power outlets
Honestly, this is advice I’d give to most people. Those little plastic outlet covers can be genuinely important money savers when it comes to things like insect infestations. Power outlets are used by many bugs, including bed bugs, to evade extermination and set up shop. They’ll climb into these outlet holes to either hide until the coast is clear, or if it’s unused enough, simply live inside of one! And in severe infestations, bed bugs have even been known to travel through walls via these outlets to spread to other areas of the house.
Yes, covering your power outlet is a good Florida bed bug tip, but it’s a good tip for any pest infestation!
Store your clothing carefully when you travel
This is probably the single most important tip for avoiding bed bugs when you’re out traveling. Even within your suitcases, you should consider vacuum sealing your clothing for portions of your trip. Especially between hotels and overnight when you’re staying at one. Bed bug ground zero is always going to be hotels, motels, apartments, and other places where traveling people stay in interconnected lodgings. Use a vacuum cleaner hose to pull the air out these bags and then store them, which will keep bed bugs from hitchhiking on your clothes themselves.
And when you’re staying at hotels and motels, don’t store your luggage under the bed. Even if they can’t cling to vacuum sealed clothing, the outside of the suitcase and the zipper especially works just as well!
Florida Bed Bug Tips: What if I’m already infested?
Well, there’s some bad news for you there, unfortunately. Bed bugs aren’t an easy fix. That doesn’t mean you’re completely helpless, though. Be sure to clean and heat dry your sheets and blanket every night before bed. Not only that but clean and vacuum as much as possible. Especially around corners, outlets, and places where the carpet meets the wall. And then empty the vacuum somewhere that any bed bugs can’t get back into your home.
These will help keep their numbers down and reduce the number of bites you get. However, it won’t deal with the infestation itself. If you want to deal with these Florida bed bugs, book an appointment with us online or call us at 1-800-634-1313 for a consultation and get this blood sucking parasite out of your home and bed.
