Bed bugs have been roaming the Earth for millions of years before we showed up. Although bats have a closer association with vampires, it turns out bed bugs were the ones sucking blood from the bats themselves for centuries. They get their name because they hide in furniture and crevices close to people’s beds, giving them easy access to their sleeping prey. However, bed bugs do not only feed on humans; they’ve also been known to suck the blood of pets, livestock, and poultry.
For a while, they seemed to be under control, but for the past 20 years or so, they’ve been coming back in full force, plaguing homes, and businesses worldwide. They come with a new superpower: resistance to most common insecticides. That’s why, if you have an infestation, it’s crucial to call a licensed pest control expert like Bluffton Pest Management to eradicate them.
The idea that people can get rid of bed bugs with a simple spray isn’t the only misconception humans have developed about these insects. One of the myths that have been difficult to dispel is that bed bugs are a sign of a dirty home or business. In actuality, the creatures can be found in even the cleanest communities. The National Institutes of Health says bed bugs have infested everything from five-star hotels and airbnbs to libraries, college dorms, apartment complexes, and movie theaters. There have even been outbreaks at hospitals where bedding is changed out every day. It turns out, washing your clothes even isn’t always enough to kill these pests.
Bed bugs latch on to clothing, briefcases, purses, and more and hitch rides all over the country. They can travel with people in cars, buses, and even airplanes. Once they make it to a place they like, they detach and find a nice hiding spot. They are small and very good at hiding, squeezing between seams of chairs and couches, within appliances, under loose wallpaper, and even within the heads of screws. Even the bite marks they leave behind are difficult to identify at first because they may look like other insect bites. Often, by the time people realize they have an infestation, it has blown up to be a major problem that requires heavy intervention by professionals.
South Carolina’s government doesn’t do much to help out with bed bug infestations. There are no laws, regulations, or funding mechanisms to help with infestations in homes or businesses. The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control sends people over to the Better Business Bureau, which investigations have found rarely lead to positive results.
Bluffton Pest Management is a family-owned and operated company in South Carolina’s Low Country. As a small business, our success depends entirely on the results we deliver. We’ve earned the reputation of being the #1 Choice for Pest Control in our area, and we’ve done so by ensuring our customers’ pest problems are rectified. We do a thorough inspection of our client’s property, come up with a plan specific to that home or business, walk our customers through what needs to be done, and then fix the issue efficiently and effectively.
Bed Bug FAQs
Do Bed Bugs Cause Health Problems?
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