Bed Bugs in Arizona
Arizona Bed Bugs![]()
Appearance:
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Adult bed bugs do not have wings, so they are not able to fly. Instead, they use their six legs to move about.
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Adults are about the size of an apple seed and are reddish-brown in color.
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Bed bug eggs are small and somewhat resemble a grain of salt.
Life Cycle:
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Bed bugs have three distinct life stages: eggs, nymphs and adults.
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Both male and female nymph and adult bed bugs feed on blood. They eat about once per week and must consume blood in order to develop into their next stage of life. A female must also feed and mate in order to produce fertile eggs.
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Adult females generally live for about a year under favorable conditions and lay hundreds of eggs during their lifetimes.
How Bed Bugs are Spread:
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Bed bugs depend upon people to get around, since they usually get into homes and businesses by hitchhiking on items brought from other locations.
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The most common manner of introduction is on luggage, clothing, backpacks, used or discarded furniture, and similar infested items.
Thoroughly inspect all personal items after traveling or anytime something “new” is brought into the household.
How to Spot Bed Bugs in AZ
Bed bugs can be hard to find and the first sign that bed bugs are in your home may be the presence of unexplained bites or skin irritation. But, this sign of bed bugs is not always certain since everyone does not react to bed bug bites in the same way. In fact, some people do not react for several days after being bitten and some people do not react at all.
Obviously, actually seeing bed bugs when doing an informal inspection indicates infestation. Since bed bugs are active while homeowners are asleep, begin inspections in the bedroom or other sleeping areas.
Bed bugs like to commune together, so look for them in their obscure, protective hiding places such as:
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Along mattress seams
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Behind headboards and footboards
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In cracks at the floor/wall junction
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Along baseboards
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Around door and window facings
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In night stands
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Inside any gaps within several feet of your bed
Look for black colored fecal droppings, cast skins, and blood spots on bedding. Doing a thorough inspection takes a lot of time, so the best option may be having pest professionals do the work. Their time and the value of their expertise and experience will likely cost something, but it is generally money well spent.
