Bed Bug Facts
Posted by Cari Clarke on Fri, Sep 10, 2010 @ 09:16 AM
One of our pest control technicians came in to the office at the end of his day with a surprise for the office staff - Bed Bugs! He found them hiding in the window trim when applying the treatment and grabbed a few to show us, firsthand, what they looked like. 
This reminded me of a few Bed Bug facts that everyone should know:
- Bed Bugs have been around for thousands of years. Their population was controlled in the 1950’s with the widespread use of DDT, which has since been banned.
- They get their name from feeding on humans while they are sleeping. During the day, these bugs hide in furniture, baseboards and other cracks and crevices.
- Bed Bugs are reddish-brown in color, oval and about ¼” long in their adult stage.
- Bed Bugs haven’t been known to transmit diseases but some people have allergic-like reactions to their bites.
- One bug can become thousands in a matter of months if left untreated.
- Females lay approximately 5 eggs a day and over 500 in their lifetime.
It is good practice to check mattresses, baseboards and window trim in your own home as well as in hotels when traveling. Looking for Bed Bugs as well as tiny dark brown spots (excrement) in these areas will keep you proactive in the fight against these blood sucking pests. If you find evidence of Bed Bugs, do not attempt to treat them yourself. Call a licensed pest control company to handle the situation correctly.