Bed bugs are a very cryptic pest which can be difficult to identify. Ninety five percent of their life span is spent hiding in cracks and crevices around the sleeping and resting areas. If you find yourself asking “How do I know if I have bed bugs,” there are several ways to monitor for bed bug activity. Visual Inspection – While inspecting the bed, remove all the linens while checking them for bed bug spotting and live bed bugs. Carefully place the linens in a plastic bag and launder on high for about 30 minutes. Inspect all the seams of the mattress for any signs of activity.
Carefully remove the mattress to inspect under the box spring. The underside of the box spring is where most of the activity is found. Using a flashlight, inspect under the edges of the dust cloth for signs of spotting, eggs, or live bugs. Also inspect under the plastic guards at the corners. Next check the bedframe, headboard, and nightstands concentrating on screw holes along with all crack and crevices.
In the living areas, inspect the upholstered furniture by looking in all folds and seams. Flip the furniture over and inspect the along the dust cloth of the underside in the same manner you inspected the box spring. Remove the feet of the furniture and inspect underneath as well.
Bed Bugs are Attracted to People not Beds
Most of the bed bug activity is going to be within 2 feet of the sleeping areas (beds) or resting areas (coaches). If someone is sleeping on the floor or any other non-traditional area the bed bugs will migrate to that area.
Passive monitors – are available to catch bed bugs as they travel. Monitors that can be placed under the feet of the bed or upholstered furniture (Blackouts, Climbups) intercept bed bugs as they travel to the host. Other passive monitors that contain glue board monitors catch bed bugs as they travel along edges.
Active Monitors – There are many active monitors that lure bed bugs to the device using a CO2 lure, heat or a pheromone. Active monitors that we have used successfully and would recommend include the Verify, Bed Bug Beacon and Bed Bug Alert. We are currently Beta testing a new active monitor called the Volcano which should be available in the next few months.