Commercial Bed Bug Control

It’s a very small insect that feeds on warm-blooded animals, preferably humans. Its name comes from the fact that it takes a blood meal at night while the host is sleeping.

The bed bug has a flattened, oval-shaped body. Adults measure up to 1/4 inch and babies can be a little bigger than a pin head. It is brown, but turns dark red after taking a blood meal. A baby or nymph that has just fed can look like a tiny blood droplet.

It hides in any crack, crevice, or protected place near it’s food source.

The most common sign is dark red blood stains on used linens, which can mean that bed bugs were feeding on your guests during the night. Spots might also be seen on wall surfaces near the bed. As the bed bug population in the room increases, there will be more small dark spots on wall surfaces and the room may have an unusual smell – a sweet and musty, yet offensive, odor.

Here are examples of where they are likely to hide:

• Headboard: This is the most common place! Bed bugs can hide in any crack, tuft, or seam in the headboard.
• Mattresses:Around buttons & tufts, between the pillow top & main mattress, and between the box spring & frame.
• Side tables: Any seam or crack in the table, drawers, bed lamps, alarm clock, etc.
• Artwork: Between the picture & wall, between the frame & glass, and between the backing & frame.
• Upholstered Furniture: Much like with mattresses, check tufts seams, under/behind loose cushions, and where legs meet the chair bottom.
• Wall Paper: Check loose/lifted areas.
• Outlet Face Plate: Watch for black spots around the faceplate.
• Crown Moulding: Crack between the moulding and wall/ceiling surface.
• Ceiling: Watch for black spots where the ceiling and wall meet.
• Carpet Edges: Where the baseboard and carpeting meet.

Having bed bugs doesn’t mean that you haven’t done your job. Don’t disturb the room; instead tell your supervisor immediately so that he can contact your pest control professional! Address the problem as soon as possible to protect your guests and keep the infestation from spreading to other rooms.