Bed Bug Insights for Tampa Residents: FAQs Answered

When bed bugs are caught, they can create more than a bit of concern. Most of the reason for the concern is that Tampa residents don't know much about these insects. We get many questions that stem from a lack of knowledge, questions such as, "Are bed bugs visible to the naked eye?" While bed bugs are tiny, they're far from microscopic. The reason you might think they're impossible to see is that they're incredibly adept at hiding from view. Today, we're going to take our years of experience in offering advanced pest control in Tampa and share insights regarding bed bug infestations. If you have questions about these bugs, you may find your answers within our answers to the following four questions. For direct answers, jump to our contact page and connect with us. We're more than happy to help!

Identifying the Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

Learning how to detect bed bug activity is not only beneficial for helping you get rid of bed bugs in Tampa, but also to help you prevent an infestation. There are a few ways to find bed bugs. Let's consider them as smaller questions that answer the larger question.

What do bed bugs look like? If you see bed bugs, you'll know you have an infestation. Here are a few characteristics to consider.

Bed bugs begin as 1/26 of an inch long, pale white insects with six legs and an oval shape. These newly hatched insects may look red if they have blood inside, due to their transparent skins.
As bed bugs grow, they turn tan. They may also have a black coloration or a red coloration due to fecal matter or blood within the insect.
Adult bed bugs look like apple seeds. They may look darker or even black in certain lighting conditions. At full size, a bed bug is around 1/5 of an inch in length.

Look for bed bugs in tight spaces, cracks, and gaps. They may also hide in dark voids where they are difficult or impossible to see. 

Do bed bugs stain fabrics? Yes, they do. And you can use those stains to help you detect these pests. The stains you're looking for are black fecal spotting and blood stains. They may appear black, brown, or black and brown mixed together. Look for them on and in the following places:

• Pillowcases
• Blankets
• Sheets
• Mattress fabric
• Box spring fabric
• Bed frames
• Wood frames of other furniture
• Baseboards
• Crown molding
• Upholstery
• Voids within couches and chairs

As you search, keep in mind how small bed bugs are and that they prefer to squeeze into tight spaces. Plus, many of the stains they leave behind are hidden. 

Do bed bugs shed their skins? Yes. They shed their skins as they develop. There are other insects that do this as well. As you examine the hiding places described above and search for skins, also look for the tiny white eggs bed bugs lay. Eggs and skins are often found together.

• Bed bug skins may appear white, yellowish, or tan.
• Skins may look like the bed bugs or just appear as pieces.
• Eggs are white and about 1/26 of an inch long.

All of the above warning signs are likely to stay hidden. But you don't have to see bed bugs or other warning signs. You may smell them. 

What do bed bugs smell like? There are a number of descriptions given by people to describe the scent of bed bugs in their homes. Some describe the scent simply as being sickly sweet. Some say bed bugs smell like coriander. The most common is spoiled fruit or a musty sweet smell.  

If you detect bed bugs in your home, it is critical to evaluate your infestation. Contact EcoTech Pest Control Services for an inspection. If you are away from home when you detect these warning signs, take steps to keep bed bugs from coming home with you. Check out our other blogs to learn about bed bug prevention.