Most people hear about bed bugs and get rather grossed out, and there is something rather disgusting about these creatures. When they invade Annapolis, Maryland homes, they come out at night or bite people while they sleep, which can be awful to experience. They are also one of the most invasive and difficult-to-remove pests around.

However, there are many misconceptions about bed bugs. One of the most prominent is the idea that bed bugs only happen in dirty homes. The truth is that bed bugs can happen to almost anyone. While they prefer places with bedding, they can even invade businesses and other places that don’t have beds. And, they don’t prefer dirty or cluttered homes over well-maintained ones. This all has to do with how bed bugs get around and how their infestations start. In this guide, you’ll learn how bed bugs get inside of homes and also get some useful prevention tips to keep your home protected.

How Bed Bug Infestations Start

While it’s easy to assume that bed bugs just come inside from the outdoors like some other pest species, they are more like stowaways or hitchhikers. While they don’t use humans as hosts, they can catch a ride on things like luggage, purses, clothing, and more. You can pick up bed bugs without knowing it almost anywhere, including in other people’s homes or businesses.

While nearly any building could have bed bugs, there are certain places where bed bugs are more likely to be. These “hot spots” include laundromats, hotels, buses, airports, schools, and more. Secondly, bed bug infestations can also be brought inside by purchasing second-hand items that are already infested. And, it’s not just bedding. Bed bugs can also live on many other kinds of furniture and even appliances.

How To Avoid Picking Up Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are quite small at only the size of an apple seed when fully grown, so it can be difficult to notice them at all. Because of this, they are a rather hard pest to prevent, but you can still do some things to avoid bringing them home. First, follow these three steps when in bed bug “hot spots”:

  • Avoid setting down luggage and other bags as much as possible.
  • If using shared laundry facilities, transport your laundry in a plastic bag.
  • Always check hotels and other shared sleeping areas for signs of bed bugs before settling in.

Next, you should make sure to check any second-hand items you bring inside your home for any indicators of bed bug activity. You can look for these specific signs:

  • Brown smear marks that come from bed bug excrement
  • Rusty bloodstains created from bed bug bites
  • Discarded egg casings that range in color from white to dark brown
  • Shed bed bug skins
  • Bed bug bites which usually appear in lines or zigzag patterns

What If You Have Bed Bugs In Your Annapolis Home Already?

Even if you do everything right, bed bug infestations can still happen. If you see bed bugs inside your Annapolis home, the simplest and most effective way to remove them is with the professionals at Pest Czar. Our bed bug control service will remove every single bed bug so that they don’t come back in the future. We also use environmentally-friendly practices with a focus on customers service. To get started, give us a call today to request a free quote.