Pest Control Bedbugs We know that bedbugs continue to be a problem in our part of the country. We at Southern Pest Control would like to educate you somewhat on these little creatures that can cause havoc in your home.

First of all, Bedbugs are small, oval, brownish insects that live on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, however, their bodies swell and are a reddish color.

Bedbugs do not fly, but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. Female bedbugs may lay hundreds of eggs, each of which is about the size of a speck of dust, over a lifetime.

Immature bedbugs, called nymphs, shed their skins five times before reaching maturity and require a meal of blood before each shedding. Under favorable conditions the bugs can develop fully in as little as a month and produce three or more generations per year.

The good news is even though they are a nuisance, they are not thought to transmit diseases.

One big question that always comes up is where do they hide? They may enter your home undetected through luggage, clothing, used beds and couches, and other items. Their flattened bodies make it possible for them to fit into tiny spaces, about the width of a credit card. Bedbugs do not have nests like ants or bees but tend to live in groups in hiding places. Their initial hiding places are typically in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards where they have easy access to people to bite in the night.

Over time, however, they may scatter through the bedroom, moving into any crevice or protected location. They may also spread to nearby rooms or apartments.

Because bedbugs live solely on blood, having them in your home is not a sign of dirtiness. You are as likely to find them in immaculate homes and hotel rooms as in filthy ones.

Bedbugs are active mainly at night and usually bite people while they are sleeping. They feed by piercing the skin and withdrawing blood through an elongated beak. The bugs feed from three to 10 minutes to become engorged and then crawl away unnoticed.

Most bedbug bites are painless at first, but later turn into itchy welts. Unlike flea bites hat are mainly around the ankles, bedbug bites are on any area of skin exposed while sleeping. Also, the bites do not have a red spot in the center like flea bites do.

To confirm bedbug bites not some other insect, you must find and identify the bugs themselves.

This is where a professional pest control company comes in. We identify that you have bedbugs and use the proper safe method to rid your home of these unwelcome guests. We at Southern Pest Control have been serving the entire Gulf Coast Region for over 37 years with trained professional technicians. Please call us at 800 527-9832 if you suspect bedbugs, we can help. Also, please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to meet our team and learn about all the services we offer.