A Guide To Keeping Bed Bugs Out Of Your Mooresville Home

"Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite." It's a common phrase we've all heard before, but you never put too much thought into it until bed bugs appeared in your Mooresville home.

Bed bugs are an annoyance that most people hope they will never have to deal with. These insects leave bites that can cause welts on the skin that are swollen and red and cause constant itching that can be very irritating. In addition, bed bugs are capable of evading elimination despite the painstaking efforts put forth.

In the fight against bed bugs, the proverb "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" couldn't be more appropriate. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Avoiding bed bugs in the first place is the most effective method for treatment. Unfortunately, these persistent insects may find their way into your home, mainly if you live in an apartment or frequently stay in hotels, especially true if you travel often. 

If you think you have bed bugs, contact your local Mooresville pest control as soon as possible so they can eradicate the infestation. The mere thought of tackling a bed bug infestation can make anyone's skin crawl, but there are steps you must take first for complete removal.

Call Lake Norman Home Services immediately to schedule an inspection if you have any reason to believe that your home may be the site of an infestation of bed bugs. Bed bug extermination is one of our many services, and our methods are professional and risk-free. After thoroughly examining your property, we will devise a pest control strategy that suits your requirements. In addition to that, we provide bed bug dog inspections. Contact our team of experts today.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are tiny, oval-shaped, brownish insects that feed on human or animal blood. The flat bodies of adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. However, their bodies swell after eating and take on a reddish hue.

Although they cannot fly, bed bugs can move quickly along floors, walls, and ceilings. Over the course of their lifetime, female bed bugs can produce hundreds of eggs, each about the size of a dust speck.

Bed bug nymphs, or immature bed bugs, must consume blood before their five skin-shedding cycles to mature. The bugs can produce three or more generations annually and reach full development in as little as a month under ideal conditions. Although annoying, they don't spread illnesses.

For bed bug removal from your Mooresville home, contact Lake Norman Home Services.

A Bed Bug Infestation Will Only Get Worse With Time

Bed bugs in Mooresville are prolific breeders. To increase their populations, they reproduce and mate when they are not feeding. After feeding, they return to their hiding place to finish digesting their food before laying eggs. The typical female bed bug can lay one to 12 eggs at a time and 200 to 500 eggs throughout her lifetime. However, how many eggs a female bed bug can lay depends on how frequently she feeds. The more regularly they can eat, the more eggs they can lay.

It takes about 10 to 15 days for an egg to hatch, and a bed bug can reproduce approximately six weeks after it emerges from its egg. Additionally, the average bed bug lifespan is four to six months.

Since it can take up to three to six weeks to completely eradicate bed bugs from your home, it is best to get rid of them as soon as possible, even though they may appear to spread from room to room fairly slowly. However, bed bugs grow exponentially over time, so if you don't get them treated, you might find yourself dealing with a large infestation in weeks or months.

While laying a few hundred eggs in a lifetime isn't much by insect standards, it becomes very problematic when you have an active infestation in your home. Hundreds of female bed bugs can lay tens of thousands of viable eggs, rapidly increasing their population and causing the infestation to spread throughout your home. Working with a qualified bed bug specialist is crucial for this reason. Many more bed bugs may be hiding throughout your house, even if you only find a few in your sheets.

To survive, bed bugs must consume blood meals from warm-blooded hosts, preferably humans. They will hide near their sources until they are ready to eat. The amount of time it takes to move infested furniture, clothing, luggage, or other household items from one room to the next determines how quickly bed bugs spread from one to the next. Bed bugs have a maximum speed of four feet per minute. Although they rarely move at that speed, it is their top speed. Realistically, they can move up to 100 feet or more in just an hour or less, regardless of whether it squeezes between wall cracks or takes "the long way" by exiting one bedroom and entering the next. 

They also move around the home in search of additional hosts. If the conditions are right, they will continue to reproduce regardless of where the item (or items) moves.

As a Mooresville resident, this is a nightmare many people face. However, it’s not a nightmare you have to face alone. At Lake Norman Home Services, we have licensed and expertly trained technicians who know what it takes to eradicate bed bug infestations. If you think you have a bed bug infestation and simply want us to check, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

All The Ways Bed Bugs Sneak Their Way Into Our Homes

However, there are other ways for bed bugs to enter our homes. You might be shocked to learn about additional ways these pests enter Mooresville homes.

• House visitors: It's common to be unaware of a bed bug infestation until it gets bad. You typically notice bite marks start to appear on your body and visible stains start to appear on your mattress. As a result, visitors to the home might not be aware that they are bringing bed bugs with them. While entertaining guests, there are ways to reduce the risk. Ask visitors to take off their shoes and leave them at the entrance. If they have a coat, hang it on an unoccupied hook behind a door or in a part of the closet with other clothing or linens. If a visitor stays overnight, thoroughly inspect the mattress for any bed bugs that might have made their way onto it and wash any bedding in hot water after they depart.
• Public establishments and transportation: As people frequently carry bed bugs from one location to another, it's possible that someone at a public establishment unintentionally introduces bed bugs to another location if the pest attaches itself to their luggage or clothing. Infestation and contamination can occur on library seats, coffee shops, and public transportation. Although avoiding these places is next to impossible, there are ways to lessen your chance of bringing unwelcome guests home. If you've been sitting in a public place for a while, you should change and take a shower when you get home. Separate clean from dirty clothing, and then wash it in hot water.
• Second-hand items: Because of their name, bed bugs are associated with mattresses, but these pests can quickly establish a home in any clothing or furniture. Because of this, purchasing anything used can put you at risk. You should thoroughly inspect any used furniture before bringing it home. Due to their small size and dark coloring, bed bugs can hide in the numerous folds and creases of the fabric. Make sure to thoroughly look into any pockets, dust covers, and underneath cushions. You should wash used clothing on hot as soon as it is purchased. Bed bugs are resistant to many chemicals and water, so while cleaning furniture might help you find bed bugs, it might not necessarily get rid of any. Hiring a professional is the only surefire way to get rid of bed bugs from the furniture.

Despite all of our efforts, we still occasionally have problems with bed bug infestations. Lake Norman Home Services is here to assist when that happens. We'll restore your peace of mind with our effective bed bug control techniques for your home. 

The Most Effective Bed Bug Control Solution For Your Home

Lake Norman Home Services is the best option for bed bug control in Mooresville. Customer satisfaction is guaranteed. Our knowledgeable staff will inspect your home and create an effective bed bug treatment strategy. 

Whether you're looking for bed bug control options for your place of business or an ongoing maintenance plan for your home, Lake Norman Home Services has a service plan for you. For a free quote and to arrange an inspection, get in touch with us right away.