Detecting bed bugs is not easy because they are small in size and able to hide in tiny, hard to reach spaces. Fortunately, live bed bugs leave signs that they’re around and active. Dark brown or black spots are one such indicator. Dried excrement on infested surfaces and a sweet, musty odor are also signs of bed bug activity.

Know the signs

In order to look for bed bugs, you must first know the signs of their existence. Here are some of the most commons signs of bed bug infestation:

• Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by crushed bed bugs.
• Dark spots (about this size: •). This is most likely bed bug excrement and may bleed on the fabric like a marker would.
• Eggs and eggshells. Egg shells are tiny and pale yellow skins that the nymphs shed as they grow larger.
• Live bed bugs. If you can see them moving around, then you’ve got them.

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Where to Check for Bed Bugs

They don’t call them bed bugs because they live in the tub, so check around the bed, first. You will usually find them near the seams and tags of the mattress and box spring, and in cracks on the bed frame and headboard.

If the room is heavily infested, you may find bed bugs:

• In the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, in the folds of curtains.
• In cabinet and dresser drawer joints.
• In electrical receptacles and appliances.
• Under loose wall paper and wall hangings. 
• At the junction where the wall and the ceiling meet.

Other common locations:

• Cracks and gaps behind wall outlets.
• Floor, window and door molding.
• Where carpet edges meet the wall.

How to check for bed bugs in a hotel room

If you are concerned there might be bed bugs in your hotel room, follow the same examination you would perform at your own home plus the following:

• Inspect the bedding and furniture when you first arrive and remember to keep your suitcase off the bed.
• Pull back the bed sheets and blankets and check the mattress and box-spring seams for bugs, especially at the head of the bed. Adults, nymphs, and eggs are visible to the naked eye.
• Move the bed away from the wall, if possible, and inspect the baseboards.
• Check upholstered furniture and curtains.
• Check inside the nightstand drawers … especially the corner sections.
• Check the wardrobe and dresser drawers BEFORE you unpack your suitcase.

If you have found yourself with a bed bug problem, the best way to remove bed bugs from your home or business is to enlist the help of a pest control professional. Sigma Pest Control specializes in bed bug remediation using a eco-friendly heat treatment process.

Call 540-94-SIGMA to schedule an inspection.