Alright, time for some bad news. Yes, you do live in one of the best states in the country. Yes, our summer is the longest season of the year. And yes, all of our beaches are great. But, if you live in central Florida, you’re going to be contending with some serious pests. And if you’ve been a resident of the state long enough, I’m sure you’re aware. That’s why today we’re going to cover some Tampa bed bug prevention tips. We’ll talk about where you get them, where they hide, and what you can do to stay safe. And finally, we’ll finish with what to do if you’re infested.
Tampa Bed Bug Prevention Tips: What is a bed bug?
If you’re asking this question then consider yourself among a lucky few! Bed bugs are a small, oval-shaped insects. They’re brownish in coloration and then feed and live off of the blood of animals and humans. After feeding, they swell to greater size and turn reddish in color. Thankfully, they can’t fly. However, bed bugs are deceptively fast insects. They can scramble quickly over your floors, walls, and ceilings no matter the material.
The female bed bug can lay hundreds of eggs over her lifetime. Each of these eggs is roughly the size of a speck of dust, so finding them isn’t a very feasible option as a layman, unfortunately. The nymphs that hatch from these eggs shed their skins five times before reaching maturity. And each time this happens, they need a blood meal before shedding. That’s right, every time a bed bug hits a growth spurt it’ll run right back to you like an open tab! And under the right conditions, the bugs can become sexually mature in as little as a month, and produce three more generations within the year.
What the sum of this information essentially means is that if you see one bed bug, expect more. They’re quick-moving and great at hiding. On top of that, these bugs reproduce and reach sexual maturity quickly. Ignoring a handful in any one spot can become a business or home-wide infestation within a matter of months. This is not a bug to try to deal with as a layman, so hold on for some more Tampa bed bug prevention tips.
Where do they like to hide?
Obviously, no list about this topic would be complete without the most notorious haunts of this shady pest. Pretty much any location you can think of associated with travel can house bed bugs. Airports, motels, hotels, BnB’s, all of them are on the list. The bed bugs can enter your home and business can enter your home undetected on luggage, clothing items, used furniture, and pretty much anything you can think of! Like many insects, bed bugs have the ability to flatten their bodies to fit in tiny spaces. If you can slide a credit card through it, a hungry bed bug can probably slide right in as well.
Once inside, bed bugs don’t typically nest like ants or bees. However, they do seem to prefer to live in groups once they find a good hiding place. Typically they’re initially found in box springs, mattresses, bed frames, and headboards. These spaces are likely chosen due to their proximity to a tasty meal- a sleeping human being.
However, as time goes on and their numbers swell, some bed bugs may be forced out due to overcrowding. When this happens, they scatter throughout the house. Any crack or crevice is a home for a bed bug. That means spaces between your carpet and walls, electrical outlets like I mentioned above, behind cabinets, in old furniture, your couch, anywhere! If it offers them shelter, a bed bug will make it home.
And on top of that, they live solely on blood. So keeping them out of your house is a bit more complicated than just keeping it clean. So do you see why some Tampa bed bug prevention tips can be worth your while? I’m a very staunch believer in the old saying: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Tampa Bed Bug Prevention Tips: Keep them out of your home
As I mentioned above, bed bugs tend to hitchhike into homes through travel goods or second-hand items. So the first thing to do whenever you plan to either purchase secondhand goods or go traveling is check! Don’t leave the store without inspecting your furniture first. And if you see a couch on the side of the road, leave it there. There’s a good chance that the previous owner had a reason just to leave it out by the street.
Consider using a protective cover on mattresses in hotels and motels. Using these on mattresses and box springs can keep the bugs sealed in and out of your clothing and belongings. And the light color of these encasements typically makes any potential parasites easier to spot. Check your casing frequently for tears or other spots that a bed bug can slip through. And I know I mentioned above that hygiene isn’t usually an issue with these pests. But clutter of any kind can make any pest infestation worst. Simply put, bugs love clutter because it protects and hides them from, well, you!
Vacuum your floors and furniture frequently. This is one of the few ways to reliably reduce bed bug numbers. Their hiding places are too varied for this to be ever a hundred percent effective, but keeping the number of blood-sucking parasites in your home lesser always seems like a positive to me.
Another big tip, but this one is for those who live in multi-family homes or apartments. Try to isolate your unit or townhouse as best you can. Install door sweeps at the bottom of your doors, this will discourage movement into your home from hallways or your neighbor’s yard. Also, seal cracks and crevices as quickly as you can. Around baseboards, light sockets, or anywhere else you can find them. This can help prevent movement through wall voids.
What to do if infested?
Well, I think I made it clear above that bed bug infestations are about as serious as you can get. Even three or four can quickly become hundreds. The second you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home, contact a professional. And personally, I think you should use one like us that uses natural methods of pest control.
Chemical insecticides are not only harmful to your health if improperly applied, but fast-breeding insects like bed bugs can quickly become immune or resistant to poorly dosed poisons. Instead, visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 for a consultation with a pro who will get these bugs out of your home without the stress of worrying about your health, or any possible damage to your home and garden!
