Most people don’t give a thought to bed bugs till they experience the horror of being eaten alive–or watch a neighbor go through a heat treatment. This is a bug that can turn your world upside down. Here are few things you probably don’t know about bed bugs and some tips on how to keep your Topeka home safe.

Bed bugs feed multiple times. This is perhaps one of the most disturbing qualities of this blood-eating insect. Bed bugs can feed many times a night, completely undetected.

Bed bugs are sneaky. This is a bug that can feed on you while you’re fully awake, and bite sensitive areas while you sleep. Some victims wake up with dozens of bites on their neck and face.

Bed bugs go where the CO2 is. Since this insect cannot fly like the mosquito, it must wait till its victim is sitting or laying. One of the ways it knows that it can feed freely is when the CO2 levels in a room increase. These CO2 levels are why bed bugs are drawn to the face and neck.

Bed bugs are hitchhikers. When a bed bug matures it will lay its eggs or stow away inside something that will become mobile, like luggage, bags, clothing, and some electronics. This is how they spread. If it were not for this spreading instinct, bed bugs would have gone extinct long ago. But their hitchhiking trait makes them a very resilient bug.

Bed bugs can be detected. To avoid picking these bugs up and bringing them back to your Topeka home, learn to see the signs. If you see bugs, take a closer look. The best way to know bed bugs are around is seeing them and identifying them. Always keep an eye out for black sticky areas on the corners, seams, and edges of beds and upholstered furniture–this includes movie theaters, taxi cabs, buses, trains, and airplane seats. And be sure to always check sheets for dark brown blood stains. Bed bugs drip from the mouth after feeding.

Bed bugs can be stopped before they become an infestation. Companies like Schendel Pest Services have bed bug sniffing canines that can do a quick inspection of your home, and locate living bed bugs before they even hatch from their eggs. It is always a good idea to get an inspection in spring. If you picked any bugs up during your holiday travels, or from people coming to stay in your home, those bugs will begin to torment you soon.

You don’t have to live with bed bugs. With proper awareness and the help of a pest control company, you can keep these nasty blood-eating bugs–and their babies–from eating you alive while you sleep. Get your guard up today.