Bed bugs aren’t just a nighttime nuisance—these small, persistent pests can wreak havoc even during the day. If you suspect an infestation, it’s essential to take steps to identify and remove these invasive creatures as soon as possible.
Thankfully, there are simple steps you can take to detect them during the daytime hours and prevent their spread throughout your home or business.
Read on to discover how recognizing signs of bed bug activity and understanding their behavior can help you identify a problem quickly and keep your space clear of future infestations.
5 Easy Tips for Finding Bugs During Day Time
Once it’s not dark out, looking for bedbugs is much easier than you may think. Following these steps will help you locate both adult and immature.
Here, you’ll find further advice on where to look for live bugs during the day.
1. Use Flashlight
Beds are the most likely place for them to hide during the day, so begin your search before expanding to other areas of the room and the house. Of course, this rule has many exceptions, but generally speaking, the most likely place to find bugs is within 6 feet of the bed.
- Using a flashlight, check the area surrounding your bed for any cracks or holes. Bed bugs like to conceal themselves in tight crevices, so using a flashlight to locate them is essential.
- They may be physically disturbed by movements like turning your bedding and mattress, allowing you to see them as they flee.
- Remove the sheets and pillowcases from the bed to begin your search. First, you should search for actual insects and small black specks that might be dried blood or feces.
- When you’re done inspecting them, put the sheets in plastic bags and lock them up to be washed later.
- If you suspect that you have bedbugs, you should inspect every crevice of your mattress for signs of the insects, their eggs, their empty shells, and their feces.
- Since these insects tend to hide in cracks and crevices, you should give such areas special scrutiny. Check the underside and inside of your mattress by flipping it over.
- Check the mattress, foundation, and box springs Move the bed away from the wall if it contacts it so you can peek underneath the headboard.
Besides the obvious need for a flashlight, you may also find the following tools to be of use during your search:
- Use plastic bags for storing and sealing linens and other things.
- A vacuum with a paddle brush for squeezing any remaining bedbugs out of tight spaces.
- Clean infected areas with a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
2. Declutter
If you suspect you have bedbugs, one of the first things to do is clear the mess from your room. Doing so allows you to locate the insects throughout the day when they will likely be less busy.
- Remove everything from your bed (including the mattress cover, bedding, and cushions).
- Next, inspect the bed’s frame for cracks or other hiding places where a female bed bug can hide out to reproduce.
- After that, vacuum the mattress with a suction adapter to clean deep inside the mattress’s nooks and crannies.
If you use a vacuum, dump the bag immediately to prevent the transmission. They may produce anything from a single egg per day to a maximum of 12 eggs per day, or 200-500 eggs throughout their lifespan.
After you’ve finished with the main living rooms, go on to secondary storage locations like wardrobes, drawers, and side tables. After you’ve finished cleaning up the area, you may next search for signs of bedbugs.
Check for brown bugs no bigger than an apple seed. It’s also possible that you’ll find rust-colored stains on your linens or mattress, which are a waste of bedbugs.
3. Use a Card to Explore the Spaces Between Cracks
They can squeeze through openings as small as 2 millimeters or roughly the width of a thin line. So a spotlight would have a hard time peeping into that little opening where they may be hiding.
A thin, stiff card might be useful for slipping into tight spaces where you can’t visualize your way in. It might be anything from a used credit card to a deck of cards, a brochure, or a few layers of notebook paper.
Methodically work the card into all the available crannies and openings close to your bed. You will see any real bugs that may be lurking within as they attempt to escape.
It is common for them to conceal themselves in the crevices and seams of furniture pieces, including:
- Nightstands
- Cabinets
- Beadboard
- Storage boxes
- Tables and chairs
4. Set Traps
The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to capture them before they can reproduce by laying traps throughout the day if you spot any. Bed bug catchers, both store-bought and homemade, can be found at household shops.
A simple dish wrapped in plastic can be inverted on a table or bed to capture the pests. Keep an eye on the trap and get rid of the bugs as soon as possible.
Instead, you may set a plate with double-sided velcro or Lubricant beside your couch. A person’s body heat will entice them, and they will move onto the adhesive.
Be sure to inspect the plate in the morning to determine whether any pests were successfully captured the night before. Any evidence of bedbugs in your trap necessitates immediate elimination of the problem.
5. Bed Bug Canine Detection
Canine bed bug inspectors use specially trained canines and their owners to search for insects. Canine examinationsare more reliable than human ones since canines have a highly developed sense of smell and can find insects even if they are well hidden.
An in-depth examination is provided by canine experts trained to detect their presence and their eggs. With this knowledge, the bed bug approach becomes a powerful weapon against these pests.
Before contracting them for a bug examination, consider researching a company’s history and qualifications. Also, inquire further as to whether or not the National Pest Management Association has officially recognized the dog.
Bottom Line
If you’re concerned about bedbugs and want a good night’s sleep, you should contact an eradication service immediately. Unfortunately, this insect is notoriously hard to exterminate, and once inside, it can swiftly multiply and cause widespread damage.
A professional exterminator can locate and eliminate the nest or other pests’ breeding grounds.
