How Do Bed Bugs Travel Around?

What bed bugs look like in Northern Utah - RentokilMany people are shocked to find out that they have a bed bug problem. It’s easy to think, “I keep my house so clean and neat, how could this have happened to me?” The truth is, even the tidiest homes are liable for bed bug issues if you don’t take proper precautions when going about your business in public. It seems like bed bugs can always find a way in—it leads us to ask, how are these stealthy pests so good at spreading?

What Allows Bed Bugs to Travel So Far?

Bed bugs make great use of their small size to find new homes. Reaching about 1/4” in length at most, bed bugs can easily hide in a wide variety of materials. They are often discovered in these places:

  1. Furniture: Bed bugs are famous for infesting mattresses, but they will also make homes out of chairs, couches, carpets, rugs, and other household items made with dense fabrics.
  2. Luggage: Setting down your suitcase, backpack, or purse on an inconspicuous surface could easily attract bed bugs. We have seen many reports of bed bug outbreaks that developed after a recent vacation.
  3. Clothing: Bed bugs thrive in second-hand stores, where they can easily spread from one article of clothing to another. When you bring home thrifted clothes, be sure to watch them right away.

Steps to Prevent a Bed Bug Problem

It’s hard to avoid an infestation once bed bugs have made their way into your home, but it is possible to make your home harder for them to thrive in. To prevent a bed bug problem, you can:

  • Shield your mattress and box spring with protective covers.
  • Vacuum your home on a regular basis and organize your belongings to avoid clutter.
  • Hang up your bags and clothes when staying in a hotel.
  • When washing clothes at the laundromat, transport your clothes in sealable containers.

Keeping order in your house and in your habits will reduce your chances of experiencing a bed bug infestation. However, some people just get unlucky, so don’t feel that you’ve failed if you still end up with bed bugs after taking all of these steps.

How to Prevent Bed Bug Infestations in Northern Utah

Waking up in the morning with little red bumps in zig-zag patterns is a telling sign of bed bugs in your home. Wait up before deciding to toss out everything that you think is infested, though! When you look to a professional bed bug exterminator for help, they can use specialized heat treatments and other techniques to remove every bed bug and their eggs from your home. To learn more about our strategies or for a free estimate on bed bug control, reach out to our team today!

How to Get Rid of Woodlouse Spider Infestations in Northern Utah

A woodlouse spider spotted in Northern Utah - RentokilIf you think you’ve found a brown recluse in your house, you might actually be dealing with a woodlouse spider. The woodlouse spider is named after the woodlouse, which is its usual prey. Woodlice are also known as roly-polies, pill bugs, or sow bugs.

So, how do you know if you have woodlouse spiders or brown recluses in your home in Northern Utah? And are woodlouse spiders dangerous? Read on to learn more from our spider control experts about the woodlouse spider and what it means when you find them indoors.

What Do Woodlouse Spiders Look Like?

Woodlouse spiders are often confused with brown recluses because of their shape. However, they have a few distinguishing features that will help you tell them apart:

  • Woodlouse spiders have a distinct cream-colored abdomen.
  • Brown recluses have longer legs, and woodlouse spiders’ legs are orange instead of brown.
  • Woodlouse spiders’ heads are more of a deep red than the recluse’s brown head.

Given their similar shapes and the similar places they inhabit, it can be easy to mistake the two for each other. Make sure to watch for these differences to tell them apart.

Are Woodlouse Spiders Dangerous?

It is easy to assume from their menacing appearance that woodlouse spiders are dangerous like the brown recluse. However, they deliver a much milder blow than their look-alikes. Even with their large pinching jaws, woodlouse spider bites are rare, and in the worst cases can only cause itchiness, slight pain, or a mild allergic reaction.

If you find woodlouse spiders in your home, there is no cause for alarm. What this means is that you either have an excess of clutter in your home or yard, or there is an active woodlouse population on your property. To keep them outside, make sure that any cracks or crevices in the structure of your house are sealed, your ventilation systems are working properly, and there are no large gaps around your doors and windows. In general, spiders are drawn to moisture, hiding spaces, and other insects, so keeping a tidy home and yard is the best over-arching spider control plan.

How to Get Rid of Woodlouse Spiders in Northern Utah

Whether you have a woodlouse spider problem or a bunch of brown recluses tucked away in your walls, you can count on your local pest control company to take care of them. The spider control experts at Rentokil are equipped with both the knowledge and techniques to safely and effectively remove spiders in residential or commercial settings. For a free quote on spider control, reach out to our team today!