Fall is knocking on our doors. Can you smell the autumn in the air? The leaves are starting to turn, apples are simmering, footballs are being thrown, and bed bug infestations are on the rise. While bed bugs can be found all year round, did you know that bed bug infestations are most common in the fall? When fall arrives in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, you are likely thinking about Halloween costumes and not really thinking about bed bugs, but you should be. We are going to review why bed bugs are a big problem in the fall.
Getting to Know Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are insects from the genus Cimex that feed on human blood, typically at night. They are small, oval, insects that are a brownish color and survive on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. Bed bugs move very quickly and get places by crawling; they do not have the ability to fly.
A bed bug bites to feed and survive. Bed bugs usually bite people while they are not alert and sleeping. Bed bugs feed by piercing the skin and withdrawing blood through an elongated beak. Bed bug bites are usually painless at first, but can turn into itchy welts. Unlike flea bites, that are mainly around the ankles, bed bug bites are on any area of skin that is exposed.
If you discover signs of bed bugs around your Ohio or Michigan home or business, you’ll want to act immediately to deal with the infestation. Bed bugs breed quickly, and a small infestation can rapidly become a large problem.
Bed Bugs are a Big Problem in the Fall
Bed bugs are a year-round pest; however, they are a big problem in the fall. The outside temperatures don’t really impact them, since they are an indoor pest, but there are other factors that make a bed bug infestation more common in the autumn.
- Summer Travel: Throughout the summer months people tend to travel more. Traveling likely means staying overnight places, using public transportation, etc. All of the things that go along with traveling, put you and your home at risk for bed bugs. You may do all you can to try to keep bed bugs from coming home with you, but they are resilient. If bed bugs made it into your home through your summer travels, they will start to become most noticeable in the fall, as the infestation has likely grown.
- Back to School: Fall is the time that children are back in the classroom, and that opens the door for them to pick up bed bugs. At school, kids are close together, share lockers, leave clothing near each other, etc. Back to school time leads to more possibilities for bed bugs to make their way into your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home by hitching a ride with your children.
Bed bugs thrive in clutter; thus, luggage and dirty laundry, children’s rooms, classrooms and libraries, are all hot spots for bed bugs. Schools and day care centers account for about 47% of bed bug infestations. When your kids head off to school in the fall, they may not just be bringing home new friends, they could also be inviting bed bugs into your home.
Bed bugs are a big problem in the fall, but they don’t have to be. Delving Pest Control provides discreet bed bug remediation in residential or commercial settings where bed bugs infestations have occurred.
We can help you get rid of nasty bed bugs by using a safe and effective solution to exterminate them with thermal treatment. Delving Pest Control treats your infected home with heat and it eliminates bed bugs from beds, walls, floors, and other furniture.
As fall arrives, let us eliminate your bed bugs so you can enjoy the autumn season. Call us today for a free estimate.
