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Tips And Tricks To Keeping Bed Bugs Away From Your Worcester Home

up close image of a bed bug on human skin
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One of the top reasons for professional pest control in Worcester is the bed bugs. As more people have moved to this wonderful city, there has been an explosion in the pest populations. However, bed bugs, in particular, have thrived, and more and more people are finding these nasty, unwanted pests in their beds and furniture. Keep reading to learn more about the life cycle of bed bugs in Worcester, some quick tips on keeping them away, and how Encon can help your home become bed bug-free today!

The Life Cycle Of The Worcester Bed Bug 

The first step to understanding why effective bed bug control needs to come from a professional is understanding the life cycle of these pests.

Below are the stages of a single bed bug's life:

  • Eggs: Like most insects, the bed bug starts in an egg (bed bugs are prolific breeders, with one female bed bug laying up to 500 eggs in its life).
  • Nymph stage: Once the bed bug hatches, it is called a nymph. In order for this nymph to grow into the next stage of life, it first needs to consume blood from an unwilling host, such as a person or animal. The nymph stage lasts for a bit, with the nymph consuming more blood meals, molting, and growing into a larger insect.
  • Adult stage: When the nymph has finished growing, it is roughly 5.5 millimeters in length. 

Each bed bug lives anywhere from 4 to 18 months. This long lifespan, coupled with the fact that females lay anywhere from 1 to 5 eggs a day, makes these some of the most difficult pests to exterminate.

What's It Like To Live With Bed Bugs

Bed bug control is essential for Worcester families. Having to live with these pests is a terrible ordeal. Not only will you start noticing bloodstains on your sheets (from the bed bugs feeding on you at night while you sleep), but you could develop allergic reactions, experience intense itchiness, and even develop insomnia and paranoia from the phantom bites and scratches. A bed bug infestation decreases the amount of sleep you get, your mental health tanks, and your anxiety skyrockets. Bed bugs can torment your pets as well.

Six Simple Ways To Keep The Bed Bugs Away

While the only way you can truly exterminate bed bugs entirely is through professional pest control in Worcester, there are some simple things you can do now to help prevent an infestation from happening:

  1. Vacuum regularly: While vacuuming up dirt and grime is good for your health in general, be sure to focus on the areas around your bed and furniture as well.
  2. Wash clothes and bedding regularly: Don't just throw them in the wash; make sure that the water is extra hot when you wash, as this will kill the bed bugs hiding in your laundry.
  3. Don't set luggage and purses down in public areas: If you are traveling, be cautious of where you set your luggage and bags down. Try to put them on plastic or other hard surfaces, as placing them on carpets and cushions could mean you are unknowingly picking up unwanted hitchhikers.
  4. Inspect lodging areas: Again, if you are traveling and staying over somewhere else, be sure to inspect all furniture and mattresses before setting anything down to ensure you do not accidentally expose yourself and your things to an infestation.
  5. Be cautious with used furniture: While thrifting is a great way to get good deals on furniture, be extremely careful when doing so. Often, bed bugs hide in the cushions, and you could bring them right into your home.
  6. Use mattress cases: Covering your mattress and box spring in bed bug-proof cases also means bed bugs won't be able to get in and make themselves at home.

Ultimately, be cautious about your surroundings and regularly wash and dry any clothing that has had possible exposure to bed bug activity are great ways to ensure bed bugs don't invade.

The Trick To Permanent Bed Bug Removal

If you are already experiencing a bed bug infestation, the best thing you can do is call the experts over at Encon. Since 2006, we have provided the good people of Worcester with affordable, high-quality pest control services and specialize in bed bug extermination. Armed with the advanced tools and skills required to remove bed bugs from homes and businesses permanently, our expert technicians work promptly to eliminate your infestation, allowing you to get back to sleeping peacefully at night. If bed bugs are threatening your sleep, don't wait; call us today!