Pest control referrals, Augusta, Georgia
Bed bug exterminator in Augusta, Georgia
Bites you can't explain, specks on the sheets or something small in a mattress seam. Bed bugs are hard to clear on your own, and they travel in on bags and furniture from anywhere.
Call (706) 538-9714Calls answered: early morning to late evening
How to recognise bed bugs
An adult bed bug is about the size of an apple seed: flat, oval and brown, turning reddish and rounder after feeding. Young ones are pale and very hard to see.
The signs are often easier to find than the bugs. EPA lists rust-colored stains on sheets or mattresses, dark specks that bleed into fabric like marker ink, tiny pale eggs, and shed skins.
Check the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring, then cracks in the bed frame and headboard. In a heavier case they also get into couch seams, curtain folds, drawer joints and electrical outlets.
Sources: EPA, appearance and finding bed bugs.
Why bed bugs show up in Augusta, Georgia
Bed bugs don't come from a dirty house or a particular climate. They hitch rides. A used couch, a suitcase from a trip or a shared laundry room are the usual stories, and a busy town with apartments, hotels and rentals gives them plenty of chances.
In apartments and duplexes they can also move between units along baseboards and light sockets. If you rent, tell your landlord early. The renters guide covers what Georgia's rules do and don't say.
What a bed bug visit usually involves
Expect a close inspection of beds and furniture, and questions about where you sleep and where bites happen. The company will tell you what they found and what they suggest, and whether more than one visit is likely.
You may be asked to do some preparation, such as bagging and washing bedding. Ask for the instructions before you move anything out of the room, so you don't carry bugs along. Ask how to prepare and how long to stay out. There is a short list in the visit guide.
When to call
Call as soon as you've found a live bug or a clear sign. UGA Extension advises against treating an existing bed bug infestation yourself. A UGA entomologist also says bug bombs are ineffective, because bed bugs are resistant to the insecticides in total release aerosols.
Keep a sample if you can. A bug sealed in a small container helps the company confirm what it's dealing with. Until the visit, reduce clutter around the bed, and keep things in the room rather than moving them around the house.
Sources: UGA Extension pest guide B1412 and UGA Field Report.
Bed bugs: common questions
Do bed bugs mean my home isn't clean?
No. They feed on blood and hide in cracks, and a tidy room can have them as easily as a messy one. Clutter only gives them more places to hide.
Can I sleep somewhere else until it's sorted?
Ask the company first. Moving around can carry bed bugs to other rooms or another home, so it helps to know the plan before you go.
How can I keep them out afterward?
EPA suggests checking secondhand furniture before it comes inside, using a light-colored encasement on the mattress and box spring, and vacuuming often. Source: EPA.
Got pests right now? Make the call.
You'll be connected with an independent pest control company that serves your part of the Augusta, Georgia area. Have your ZIP code ready, and say what you've been seeing and where.
Call (706) 538-9714Calls answered: early morning to late evening
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