All The Ways Bed Bugs Can Find Their Way Into Ventura County Homes
What Matters Most To You, Matters Most To Us

All The Ways Bed Bugs Can Find Their Way Into Ventura County Homes

Bed bugs aren't your normal bugs. Most insect pests live in your yard and get into your home through the itty bitty cracks they find in your exterior. Not bed bugs. They are almost exclusively indoor pests. You won't find them in your yard. They get into your home by hitchhiking. Since these pests are so mysterious, sometimes people think they have them when they really don't. Today, we're going to give you everything you need to unravel the mystery. Join us as we look at how to recognize the early signs of bed bugs, how to identify bed bugs to make sure you really have them, and all the ways bed bugs get into your home. If you stick with us all the way to the end, we'll also tell you how to get rid of bed bugs. In some cases, you can do it yourself. We'll tell you what you can do and ways you can know for sure when it is time to get local pest control for bed bugs. If you already know you need professional assistance, jump to our contact page for bed bug pest control in Ventura County. We can help you sort things out.

Identifying the Symptoms of a Bed Bug Infestation

We're often asked, "How do I know if I have bed bugs?" The reason for the question is that the symptoms of a bed bug infestation can look like other things. In some cases, pest control is called for issues that have nothing to do with bed bugs. Let's take a quick look at some of the ways you might think you have bed bugs, when you don't. 

Rashes: You wake up with a bumpy rash on your skin. Do you have bed bug bites or is it just a rash? There are two ways bed bugs hitchhike into your home. They will enter your home as living, crawling bed bugs, or they will enter your home inside eggs. Bed bug eggs don't need the momma bed bug to tend to them. They hatch on their own. When several eggs hatch into immature nymphs, you'll get lots of minor bites all at once. You may know that bed bug bites are associated with a significant rash and that many tiny, minor bites are sometimes bed bug bites. There is a way you can tell the difference. It has to do with understanding how bed bugs bite.

  • Each bed bug will bite more than once. Often, they'll acquire three small meals, one after the other. They'll draw a blood meal, move forward, draw another, and move forward to draw the last.
  • Bed bugs feed in a group. While not every bed bug will come out of hiding, the ones that do will feed together.
  • As the bed bugs move like an army across your skin, they'll leave a path of bumps.
  • Most often, bed bug bites will appear on areas of the skin that are exposed during the night.
  • Most often, bed bug bites will appear near the shoulders and neck. Bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, which is expelled in excess during sleep.

If you have a rash that follows a path and appears in these key areas, you may have bed bugs.

Night Bites: Everyone knows bed bugs bite. It is also common knowledge that bed bugs prefer to bite at night. If you wake up with bites, you definitely have bed bugs, right? Not always. The reason insect bites swell, itch, and develop a rash is due to an allergic reaction. Sometimes, it can take hours for these symptoms to appear. Some people wake up with bites and think that they were bitten during the night, when they were actually bitten the evening before while outside. Morning bite wounds aren't proof-positive of overnight bites.

Other Indoor Pests That Mimic Bed Bug Bites: There are other pests that can cause you to wake up with what look like bed bug bites. Here are just a few to consider.

  • Carpet beetle larvae sometimes feed on linen. You may get a bumpy rash when you come in contact with the hairs on these larvae. Often, these are the pests responsible when pest control is called in to address bed bug infestations. Check your sheets for these tiny grubs to find out.
  • Chiggers leave lots of rashy bites. When chiggers get on you while outside, you may not realize they bit you. You'll find these bites on areas of your body where your clothing is compressed against your skin, such as your belt line and along bra lines. These pests are rare, but they do live in Ventura County.
  • Fleas, spiders, ticks, and other indoor pests can bite you. These pests don't bite multiple times. Each will bite once. So, even when you have several bites, they will create a random pattern on your skin rather than a path.

Now that you know the symptoms of a bed bug infestation, let's discuss how to you can tell for sure that you have bed bugs. You can't go by bumpy rashes and bug bites alone.        

Why Choose Ventura Pest Control?

Serving Ventura County Since 1959

  • Offering Free Quotes
    We make it easy to get started with a completely free quote.
  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
    We're so confident you'll be happy with our services, we guarantee it.
  • Serving Ventura County Since 1959

    Our pest-free guarantee is backed by decades of experience and expertise.

  • Available for Emergency Help
    Get the immediate help you need, whenever you need it.
Home Pest Control
Our knowledgeable and friendly service technicians work hard to guarantee you a pest-free home.

How To Identify A Bed Bug 

Do you know that you can see a bed bug and not realize it? If you don't know what bed bugs look like in all stages of development, it can add to the mystery. Let's take a look.

Pale Insect: If you see a 1 mm, oval, pale-colored, six-legged bug on your skin, is it a bed bug? There is a good chance it is. Newly hatched nymphs are bolder than adults. They'll seek a blood meal in the early evening and you may catch them when you turn a light on.

Red Insect: If you see a tiny red insect attached to your skin, is it a bed bug? It could be. The abdomen of a bed bug is much larger than the head and thorax. At only 1mm, you're seeing mostly abdomen. So, a bed bug filled with your blood will look like a red insect. While there are other tiny insects that feed on blood, such as bloodlice, they are rarer than bed bugs.

Tan Insect: If you see a 2 mm, tan-colored, seed-shaped insect, is it a bed bug? Yes. Most definitely. You should also see black feces inside the abdomen of the bug. That will provide even more evidence you're looking at a bed bug. But you won't get to look at it long. That bug will go into hiding when the lights come on.

Now that you're equipped to tell that you have a bed bug infestation, let's discuss the primary reason you came to this article: All the ways bed bugs get into your home. It is important to know these ways because it will help you prevent an infestation or stop more bed bugs from getting into your home if you already have them.

How Bed Bugs Find Their Way Into Our Homes

Everyone knows you can pick up bed bugs in a dirty motel room, but it may surprise you to know that you can also get them in the cleanest motel room. Bed bugs aren't attracted to dirty motels. These bugs are carried in by guests (and sometimes employees) and they make due with whatever environment they find themselves in. So, you can get them from a clean and well-run, five-star resort. Here are a few other ways you can get bed bugs:

  • From taxis, buses, and trains
  • While visiting someone in a senior living center
  • When you pick your kids up at daycare
  • From school or work
  • When a relative, friend, or neighbor visits
  • When your kids return home from a sleepover
  • When your college-age kids come home during vacation
  • When you purchase used furniture
  • When you purchase used electronics and other household items that have voids inside

You can get bed bugs in many ways. Consider all of these ways as you work to address the bed bugs in your home.

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Home For Good

When you find bed bugs in your home, don't panic. In some cases, you can address an infestation quickly yourself. These bugs tend to stay in one location at first. They need a food source, which is a sleeping or lounging human. If you're getting bites in bed, they are near or inside your bed. Get your vacuum and perform a detailed inspection of your mattress, box spring, and bed frame. If you see bugs, suck them up and dispose of the bag outside. Also, look under the legs of your bed, night stand, and other furniture. These are common hiding places. If you're getting bites while on your couch, that piece of furniture is the place to look. When multiple people are getting bites in your home or you're getting them in multiple places, it is definitely time to contact a bed bug control professional.

Are you in Ventura County? Contact Ventura Pest Control for treatment. We use trusted methods to address bed bug infestations. When we're done, you won't have to wonder if you still have bugs. 

Continue Reading Read Less

Happy Customers in Your Area

We Come Highly Rated

    “James is consistently wonderful.”
    “He easily adapts to our conditions. Does a great job.”
    - Laura & Dan
    “Thank you for your stellar service today.”
    “The decades of stellar service you have rendered my family have been so much appreciated, and it is the reason we are loyal to Ventura Pest for rodent control.”
    - William
    “Professional and efficient.”
    “Jeremy did a great job.  Working in the rain he crawled under the house in search of vermin.”
    - Patrick
    “Very helpful, courteous and professional.”
    “He took all the time I needed for questions.”
    - Mark

Contact Ventura Pest Control

We’re Ready to Help

A member of our team will be in touch shortly to confirm your contact details or address questions you may have.

  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please lookup your address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.
  • By submitting, you agree to be contacted about your request & other information using automated technology. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Acceptable Use Policy
Areas We Serve

Ventura Pest Control is proud to serve Newbury Park, California and other surrounding areas in Ventura County:

  • Calabasas
  • Camarillo
  • Encino
  • Malibu
  • Newbury Park
  • Oxnard
  • Simi Valley
  • Thousand Oaks
  • Ventura
  • Westlake Village