Bed bugs
Bed bugs draw blood from their hosts by piercing the skin. The bed bug's saliva causes redness, swelling and itching and may cause an allergic reaction. Bed bugs do not spread diseases between humans.
We only provide treatment for bed bugs as part of our commercial service for landlords.
Find pest control for domestic properties via the British Pest Control Association
How to tell if bed bugs are present
- Adult bed bugs are roughly apple pip size and may vary in colour. After a feed they will appear red or purple. Hungry bed bugs appear opaque.
- They are often found near mattress seams, corners and buttons.
- You may also spot them in sockets, cracks, curtains, skirting boards or carpet edges.
- Bed bugs will feed when you are asleep at night. Bites will be red, swollen, itchy and may appear in clusters.
- Bed bugs deposit faeces after every meal. This will appear as dark brown stains on bedding, especially around the edges of mattresses and bed frames. This will be more pronounced with heavier infestations.
- You may find spots of blood on bedding. This is caused by the bugs feeding or from crushing the insect.
Preventing a bed bug infestation
- Bed bugs are on the rise, mainly due to travel.
- Store suitcases and bags off the ground and away from your bed when staying in any multi-occupied establishment.
- When buying second hand furniture, inspect it thoroughly and look for insects in the seams, cracks and crevices.
- Vacuum mattresses and fabrics to reduce the number of insects and eggs. The vacuum must be emptied outside into a sealed bag and disposed of in your wheeled bin with lid sealed. This will not prevent bed bugs, but will help control numbers.