Bed bugs are up to their no good tricks once again: sucking the blood of unsuspecting victims just before dawn as they lie snuggled up in their beds. There have been numerous reports of their presence in the seats of movie theatres all over Manhattan, and in lower and upper class hotel rooms across the nation. And, the Salt Lake Valley Health Department has reported that the number of bed bug incidents is higher in Utah this year than the previous.

Bed bugs: the ugly truth
For the last several years, it seems that every summer there is a bed bug alert being issued from somewhere in the US. So, we stay on the lookout and hope we can avoid them until winter comes and they are no longer a concern. But the thing about bed bugs is that they are very tricky little suckers. They actually don’t go anywhere during the winter. Yup, that’s right. They stay inside your home all snuggled up inside your mattress, or wall cracks, or antique furniture. Just like bears they hibernate. Except, unlike bears, they can avoid eating for up to one year! This means they don’t have to come out of until the next summer!

Being bed bug prepared:

Where to look
If you’re like me, you do not want to share your home with these blood sucking vamps as their bites are annoyingly itchy and not very attractive. You can prepare your home by doing a quick check. Remember, they do not just hide out in mattresses! So look in all wall cracks, peeling paint, wallpaper, and even your carpet!

If you are planning on traveling and spending time in a hotel visit Bed Bug Reports Website! This great website will provide you with the scoop on where bed bugs have been and how to avoid them.

What to look for
In case you didn’t know, bed bugs can be seen with the naked eye. They are generally a rusty red or brown color, and their bodies are flat and beetle shaped. Typically, they are no bigger than an apple seed, although some pregnant ones can get quite engorged and be a little bit scary looking!

Bed bug prevention
It’s much easier to prevent bed bugs from nesting in your home than it is to get rid of them. Just vacuum your mattress and carpet daily (or very often), and make sure all your wall cracks, window cracks, and any other cracks are tightly caulked.

Getting rid of bed bugs
If you’re unfortunate enough to find bed bugs in your space you need to call an exterminator right away before they breed, and before the weather get too cold and forces them into hiding. You don’t want them around to attack in years to come's!