If you suspect your mattress has bed bugs, the first step is to identify them. Look for eggs, shell casings, blood stains, and excreted fecal liquid. If any of these things are present, it’s time to call a professional. They’ll spend at least an hour searching your mattress to find the evidence.

Bed bug eggs

If you find bedbugs or bedbug eggs on your mattress, it’s a good idea to get rid of them quickly. Luckily, there are several ways to detect the presence of these insects. The first step is to look for cast-off exoskeletons. These are tiny bits of bugs’ exoskeletons that look like thick dust. You can find these using a magnifying glass.

Bedbug eggs usually hatch within four to five weeks, depending on the temperature. They can survive in temperatures as low as seven degrees Celsius but must be kept at a temperature of forty-five degrees Fahrenheit to grow. However, heat will kill these insects. You should also remember that bedbugs are nocturnal, which means they emerge during the night and feed. They can lay up to 100 eggs in a lifetime.

Bedbug eggs are white and pinhead sized. They are typically clustered close together, but can also be spread throughout a room. They are usually accompanied by a black spot that forms five days after hatching.

Shell casings

The shell casings of bed bugs are a common sign that the pest has made its way into your home. These tiny creatures can be found in your bed, behind your headboard, and other places where you might not expect to see them. These bugs shed their exoskeletons multiple times throughout their lifecycle. These shell casings are not always easy to identify, so it is helpful to know what to look for in order to identify the bug in your home.

Shell casings of bed bugs look similar to the bugs themselves. They are transparent and may contain brown stains from their feeding on blood. These casings can be seen with the naked eye, and the more bed bugs you find, the worse the infestation. However, do not be alarmed if you see more than one shell casing in your home. Bedbugs like to live in groups.

During their life cycle, bedbugs shed their shells several times. Their exoskeletons are made of a translucent material, and they are about the size of a poppy seed. They shed their casings when they molt, which happens about every five to seven days.

Blood stains

If you find blood stains when finding bed bugs in your mattress, you’ve probably found an infestation of these pests. The stains indicate the bed bugs’ digestion. You’ll also find exoskeletons, which are the molted skin of bed bugs. The fecal matter, which appears black and ink-like, is another sign of an infestation.

Blood stains are small, red, or brown smears caused by bed bug bites. They’re often difficult to notice. The stains often appear near the foot of the bed or on the pillowcase. In addition, they’re easily mistaken for something else, like a wet towel.

Blood stains can also appear on your sheets and clothing. This is because the bed bugs’ saliva contains an anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting. This means that the bites may still be bleeding a few days after the meal. Luckily, you can easily remove the stains with a wet rag.

Blood stains may not be immediately obvious, but they are an indicator of a bedbug infestation. The stains may appear on light-colored sheets, as well as on the walls of your bedroom. Additionally, bedbugs can leave fecal stains on your bed sheet. This fecal spotting may be black, brown, or rust-colored.

Excreted fecal liquid

Bed bugs consume a large amount of blood during their blood meal, which is why they expel a large amount of it as fecal matter. This liquid stains the bed bug hiding places and may be the first sign of their activity. For this reason, you may wish to invest in a good quality magnifying glass, which will help you see these tiny creatures.

Bedbugs reproduce by laying eggs. Female bedbugs lay between one and five eggs a day. In total, they will lay between 200 and 500 eggs during their 10-12 month life cycle. Their eggs are deposited in clusters on rough surfaces near their adult harborage.

Cracks and crevices

Bed bugs live in cracks and crevices, where they feed during the day and hide during the night. They are also known to hide in folds and seams of your mattress, as well as under pillows and nightstands. In addition, they can infest nearby furniture. To spot them, use a flashlight and shine it parallel to the area you are inspecting. This will reveal a shadow that can be cast by eggs and live bedbugs. You can also use a plastic playing card to push them out of the cracks.

If you suspect your mattress may be infested with bed bugs, it’s a good idea to clean the area thoroughly. First, empty the drawers and check for any overlapping surfaces and cracks. Also, check all the surfaces and crevices, including the headboard and footboard. Also, check around window frames, loose wallpaper, and inside of picture frames and alarm clocks.

Another good place to look for bed bugs is around the box-spring. Box-springs often have loose fabric or “ticking” on the underside. These crevices are a common hiding place for bed bugs.

Mattress encasements

If you’re concerned about bedbugs and want to make sure you’re not sleeping on them, you should consider getting a mattress encasement. These products will not only keep your mattress clean, but will also help you find them if you’ve got them. However, before you buy one, make sure you check it first. You can test it on a spare mattress to be sure. You can also consult a pest control professional to find the best product for your needs.

First, you need to know that bed bugs will feed on human blood. During warm weather, they feed more often than during cold winter months. This is because they need human blood to survive. Therefore, they won’t die if they are starved. In addition, they won’t feed on encasements as often as they do on other parts of the mattress.

While encasements are beneficial, they aren’t a complete solution. In some cases, bed bugs will still hide in the encasement. Fortunately, you can get hypoallergenic mattress encasements. These products are the best option for those with sensitive skin. The encasement won’t completely get rid of bedbugs, but it will help prevent their infestation in the future.

Temperatures that kill bed bugs

Temperatures that kill bed bugs are crucial to removing infestations. If you want to get rid of bedbugs, you should try to keep your bedroom at least 122-140 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is sub-lethal for bedbugs, but when the temperature rises, they become inactive and die.

Another option is freezing bedbugs. Although it takes longer, freezing bedbugs will kill adults, nymphs, and eggs. It’s important to note that freezing a batch of clothes can take up to 8 hours, depending on their weight. However, you should not leave the clothing in the freezer for more than 10 hours.

In addition to soaking your clothes, you can also try dry cleaning to kill bedbugs. A hot water wash can kill bedbugs, but a low-temperature dry cycle might be better for clothes that aren’t too delicate. Dry cleaning will also kill all life stages of bedbugs.

Bedbugs are not contagious, but they can live for up to a year outside. The temperature they prefer will affect their development rate. They will spend around four months without feeding. Once they’re unable to find food for such a long time, they will naturally die.