Bed Bugs
More Information About Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny apple seed-sized insects that leave itchy red bite marks in lines or clusters. Check mattress seams, box springs, headboards, and nearby furniture for dark spots or shed skins. These hitchhikers spread through luggage and clothing, requiring immediate professional treatment to prevent household-wide infestation.
Special Note: It’s important to know that bed bugs have a creepy little cousin: bat bugs. They are a different species from bed bugs, though they look almost identical to the untrained eye. As the name suggests, bat bugs are associated with bats and are usually found near areas where bats roost, like attics or chimneys. Our Buzz experts will properly identify which species you’re dealing with during inspection, but understanding this distinction helps explain why treatment may need to address bat entry points in addition to the bugs themselves.
How We Treat It
Bed bug service includes powerful and effective liquid treatments. Customers are provided with a preparation checklist that must be followed for the most efficient results. Complete home treatments include a warranty at no additional charge.
What to Expect with Service
- Before your service: We provide a walk-through of what will happen during your service. We will verify your information and service details such as recent activity and any areas that may be of concern. To improve efficiency we also offer prep sheets for the most invasive indoor pests.
- During your service: We encourage you to ask questions so that you feel more aware of our next steps.
- After your appointment: We encourage you to schedule any follow-up service as recommended.
- Your safety is our concern: Our technicians complete extensive environmental and safety training for every service we provide.
Have an immediate question or concern? Call us: 417.409.3802. (We’ll always answer with a real person or a voicemail. You’ll never get stuck in an automated loop with us.)
Why Our Customers Are Buzzing
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see bed bugs with the naked eye?
Adult bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, measuring about 5 millimeters (apple seed size) with reddish-brown, oval bodies. Young nymphs are translucent whitish-yellow and nearly invisible unfed, while eggs require magnifying glasses to identify. Because bed bugs are nocturnal and expert hiders, spotting signs like dark spots, shed skins, and blood stains is often easier than finding live bugs.
How long can bed bugs survive without feeding?
Bed bugs survive 20 to 400 days without feeding, depending on temperature, humidity, and life stage. At normal room temperature, they typically survive two to three months without blood, but in colder conditions their metabolism slows, extending survival up to a year. Adult bed bugs last much longer than younger nymphs, which may only survive several weeks without feeding.
Can bed bugs spread from neighbors or other rooms?
If you live in townhouses, condos, or apartments sharing walls with neighbors, bed bugs easily travel through vents, pipes, and electrical outlets. Bed bugs can travel up to five feet per minute and move between rooms with ease, taking mere minutes to spread throughout multi-room properties. Since bed bugs live in cracks, outlets, and voids, units sharing walls with infested apartments face higher infestation risks.
How quickly do bed bugs multiply?
Female bed bugs lay up to 500 eggs in their lifetime, with populations multiplying rapidly when conditions are favorable. A single pregnant bed bug can lead to full infestation in just two to three months, with eggs hatching in two to three weeks and nymphs becoming reproductive adults within five to six weeks. Female bed bugs typically lay one egg daily, although they can lay five to seven eggs at peak reproduction.
Should I throw away my furniture if I have bed bugs?
Discarding furniture isn’t always necessary with professional bed bug treatment. Heat treatments and targeted insecticides effectively eliminate bed bugs from mattresses, box springs, and furniture without replacement. However, heavily infested items with extensive hiding places may be difficult to treat completely. Professional inspection determines whether furniture can be treated or should be replaced, potentially saving thousands in replacement costs.