Interesting story. Back in the year 1874, a pest control product called DDT was first synthesized. This product led to an era in America’s history, an era where all a homeowner had to do to get rid of pests was to use DDT. And most did not use it sparingly. In fact, DDT was so effective that bed bugs all but went extinct, to the extent that scientists who wanted to study them had a hard time finding specimens to do so. Unfortunately, however, though DDT was great at killing pests, it was discovered that it was also dangerous to humans and was eventually banned in 1972. It was then that bed bugs began to resurface, more pesticide-resistant than ever, ready to find places to infest.
Bed Bugs Today
Now in 2019, nearly 50 years after the banning of DDT, bed bugs are still on the rise, causing more and more trouble for home and business owners each year, with no end in sight. That being said, it is more important now than ever to understand bed bugs, what they look like, and the signs they leave behind when they infest. Here are a few indications that you have a bed bug infestation:
- Bed bugs are 5-7 mm long, reddish-brown, oval-shaped bugs usually found in or around sleeping areas. These small, parasitic pests rely on a host's blood to survive.
- Blood stains left behind by dribbling bed bugs most commonly found on sheets and pillowcases.
Bed bug fecal matter. This will appear as dark or rusty spots usually near or in the cracks and along the edges of your mattresses or walls. - A musty odor. This odor is a bed bug's scent excreted from their glands.
Seeing these signs around areas where you sleep is a clear indicator that you have bed bugs. It is also a clear indicator that you need the help of pest professionals.
Why call the professionals
Bed bugs are not an easy pest to manage on your own. Their built-in resistances to pest control and ability to avoid treatments by retreating into walls and other areas demand a professional's help. Here at Accurate, we are just that! We have the training and tools needed toeliminate bed bugs in their entirety as our methods are designed to give bed bugs no way of escape. If bed bugs have found their way into your home and are costing you valuable sleep, give us a call today! Our team of highly trained pest professionals would be happy to lend a helping hand.