Bed bugs are notorious night-time pests, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find them in the day. In fact mornings are the best time to look for bed bugs as they are often around the bed after feeding, and can be found more easily with he help of daylight. However, these tiny insects can hide in various places, making it challenging to detect their presence at the best of times. But, by following the tips in this post and some keen observation, you can increase your chances of finding bed bugs during daylight hours.
Before we dive into telling you how to find bed bugs during the day, it’s worth mentioning that we, as bed bug specialist pest control company, use trained sniffer dogs to find bed bugs. Dogs offer the most accurate and fastest was to find bed bugs. If you want our help click here to learn more. but if you want to try finding them yourself, then continue reading.
Start with the bedroom:
Begin your search in the bedroom, as this is the primary location where bed bugs infest. Strip the bed of its covers, including the sheets, blankets, and pillowcases. Inspect the mattress thoroughly, paying close attention to the seams, crevices, and tags. Look for any signs of bed bug activity, such as dark stains or fecal spots, shed skins, or actual bugs. Remember, bed bugs are tiny, ranging from the size of a poppy seed to a small apple seed.
Use a flashlight
When searching for bed bugs during the day, use a flash light. Bed bugs often gravitate to places that are in shadow so you’ll need a light to be able to see them clearly.
Look very closely
As mentioned earlier, bed bugs are very small. This means you need to look closely. His is particularly true when inspecting fabrics that have patterns of textures. Due to their tiny size bed bugs are very easy to miss. If you’re inspecting sheets or covers, stretch them out so there’s no creases or wrinkles, and check all sides.
Search in the mornings
Mornings are the best time to search for bed bugs because daylight will help you a lot in finding them, since they are very hard to see, due to their size. The other great thing about mornings are that the pests may be in transit or still hiding near the bed after feasting all night.
Inspect the furniture
Bed bugs often hide in and around furniture, especially near the bed. Check the bed frame, headboard, and footboard for any signs of infestation. Look for clusters of bed bugs, eggs, or moulted exoskeletons. Examine the seams, joints, screw holes, and any cracks or crevices where these pests might hide. Don’t forget to inspect nearby furniture, such as nightstands, dressers, and chairs, as bed bugs can easily travel between them.
Investigate wall hangings and electrical outlets
While bed bugs typically prefer to stay close to their feeding source, they can also seek refuge in wall hangings or behind electrical outlets. Take a close look at any artwork, picture frames, or mirrors hanging on the walls near the bed. Bed bugs might hide in the gaps or behind these objects. Similarly, inspect electrical outlets, switches, and light fixtures, as they can provide warm and dark spaces for bed bugs to reside.
Check curtains and carpets
Bed bugs can find shelter in curtains, particularly those that touch the floor or have folds. Carefully inspect the pleats and folds of the curtains, paying attention to any signs of bed bug activity. Additionally, examine the carpets and rugs near the bed for any small dark spots, shed skins, or live bugs. Bed bugs may also hide along the edges or underneath furniture situated on or near the carpet.
Don’t forget other hiding spots
Bed bugs are opportunistic creatures and can hide in unexpected places. Take a comprehensive approach by checking other potential hiding spots, such as behind baseboards, in cracks and crevices in the walls, or even inside electronics. Bed bugs can squeeze into remarkably narrow spaces, so be diligent in your search.
Know what you are looking for
If you’ve never seen a live bed bug before, it might be more difficult to spot one. To help with this, we’ve uploaded a video of a young bed bug crawling on a bed. Hopefully once you’ve watched it, you’ll better know what to look out for, as well as get an idea of how small they can be. If you’re having trouble seeing the bed bug in this video, on a stretched out white sheet in daylight, and with the camera centred on it, that’s a hint as to how difficult it can be to find bed bugs without the help sniffer dogs.
