Bed bug

How to tell

• Adults are 4 to 5 mm, flat and oval, reddish-brown, about the shape of an apple seed.
• Look for rust-colored spotting along mattress piping and dark specks in the box spring corners.
• Bites often appear in a line or cluster on skin that touched the sheet.
• Commonly confused with carpet beetle larvae, which are hairy and do not bite.

Where you'll find it

• Mattress seams, box spring corners, and the bed frame joints.
• Nightstand drawers and the headboard against the wall.
• Upholstered chairs in the same room, and luggage stored under the bed.

Why it matters

Bed bugs feed on people at night and spread room to room through furniture and luggage. They are not known to transmit disease, but the bites and lost sleep are reason enough to treat quickly and correctly.

How Strike treats it

We start with a full inspection of the sleeping areas to confirm the insect and map how far it has spread. Treatment is targeted: heat applied to the affected rooms where appropriate, plus focused application to harborage points and mattress and box spring encasements. Whole-room preparation instructions are given in writing before the appointment. A follow-up inspection is scheduled because eggs hatch after the first treatment.

What you can do before we arrive

• Do not move mattresses or furniture to another room — that spreads it.
• Bag laundry from the affected room and wash and dry on the hottest setting the fabric allows.
• Leave the bed made and the room as-is until we have inspected it.
• Photograph any bug you find, and keep it in a sealed bag.