Bed Bug Control and what you need to know about bed bugs. Greenville has been listed in the top cities affected by bed bugs and whilst many people consider bed bugs to be a sign of uncleanliness, that is so far from the truth. Follow our top bed bug control tips to deal with any bed bug issue.

From hitchhiking via family and friends, catching a ride on holiday gifts, or perhaps you unknowingly picked them up when you stayed at a relative’s home or hotel, there are many insidious ways bed bugs can infest your home.  They can infest an area within a few hours and have even been known to get into the smallest areas such as cell phones and surfacing only when the need to feed in the evening.

While there are no known cases of bed bugs causing disease, they are blood feeders always searching for a warm body.  These prolific breeders are commonly called bed bugs because they prefer to feed while during the night. But that doesn’t mean they won’t infest other rooms, furniture and soft materials such as pillows, cushions and rugs. 

Bed Bug Signs

• You experience itchy red welts. The welts will generally be clustered and have a zigzag pattern.
• Unless you have a heavy infestation you may not see the actual bugs as they scurry around. But over time you may begin to see tiny exoskeletons or shell-like remains on your mattress or underneath sofa or chair cushions. 
• Black specks on or around the same pieces of furniture is possibly bed bug excrement. There may also be signs of bed bug eggs in small cracks and crevices around the windows and between the floor and baseboards. But these eggs are extremely tiny and will be difficult to see. 
• There may be small dots of dried blood on bed linens, mattresses, box springs and upholstered furniture, especially near the seams. 
• Depending on the number of bed bugs you may notice a heavy sweet musty odor similar to the smell of coriander. This is from the chemicals bed bugs produce in order to communicate with other bed bugs. 

Bed Bug Control

Follow our top bed bug control tips to deal with bed bugs before you call out a local pest control company.

• If you suspect you may have brought bed bugs into your home after a holiday trip don’t bring your luggage into your bedroom or place it on any upholstered furniture. Unpack in the garage or lay the suitcase on a hardwood or tiled floor. Immediately launder any washable clothing, using the highest temperature settings recommended. Place dry clean only items in a sealable plastic bag. Vacuum the floor and wipe down with anti-bacterial wipes disposing of both in an outside trashcan.
• Store suitcases and any other non-washable bags in the garage, basement or outside storage building. If they are kept indoors, seal them in heavy-duty plastic bags and keep as far away from soft materials as possible. 
• Don’t attempt to combat a bed bug infestation on your own. A professional pest control company has the expertise to do a thorough evaluation, determine if in fact you do have bed bugs and then present you with a comprehensive treatment plan. 

Servicing the Upstate of South Carolina, call Scout’s Pest Control today at 864-469-4999 for all your pest control needs.