How do I know if my home has bed bug infestation? Can the sight of one bed bug be a sign of a bigger family of bed bugs? These are the questions many ask when they hear about bed bugs and their bad effects. Bed bugs are harmful insects and need to be kept away from the home. They can infest any home and so it is very important to be aware of the signs that can point you to a bed bug infestation. This will help you to take the necessary actions to exterminate them before they multiply to an extent where it will be too hard to deal with. A runaway bed bug infestation can also mean that your home is infected with the bacteria that bed bugs carry along making it harmful to your health. Here are some of the best ways to know that you are having a bed bug infestation.

1. Sight of bed bugs

The simplest sign of a bed bug infestation is the sight of the particular insect. The bed bug is very distinct and is can pass as one of the larger crawling insects you will ever see. It can be the size of a housefly when not matured but full grown ones can be as long as two inches. It is reddish brown in color and loves to stay and hide in warm places like the kitchen and bedroom. The eggs are white in color and have a sticky coating that allows them to stick to surfaces where they are laid. The eggs are sometimes not easy to identify as they are small and whitish.

2. Bites

If you wake up with a bite, you always want to know what bit you and where. Bed bugs bite to suck blood and can also transmit diseases. A bed bug bite results in skin discoloration after some time and might result in a little swelling. Bites appear after hours or a few days and in clusters. You need however to be careful not to confuse mosquito and other insect bites with a bed bug infestation.

3. Foul smell

Smell is another sure way of recognizing a bed bug infestation. Whenever there is a bed bug infestation, you will get an odor like of sweet moldy shoes. This smell is a sign of an advanced infestation and it should tell you that you need to take immediate action.

4. Fecal spots

An area infested by bed bugs will have some notable black spots. These will usually be found in the places bed bugs hide like on mattress seams, wood frames, along the headboard, baseboard, edge of carpets, on ceiling joints, behind wall hangings, at electrical sockets and on kitchen cabinets. You may also find blood spots on bed sheets or pillow covers. The best way to be sure is to look for the smooth feel of bed bug excrement or a granular feel for some cockroaches.

These are great signs for any person to identify a bed bug infestation in the home or any other place. If not satisfied or sure, you should always consult bed bug control and extermination service providers who have more insight and they will carry out a professional assessment.