Early detection of bed bug activity in your bedroom is among the top priorities in order to protect yourself from these annoying critters. This is because the introduction of bed bugs can soon turn into a nightmare that is difficult and costly to get rid of.

To deal with the issue, we first need to know what time of day bed bugs are most active and where to look for them. So keep reading to find out!

 

What Time Of The Day Do Bed Bugs Come Out And Are Most Active?

Bed bugs are nocturnal pests, meaning they are most active at night between 2 am and 5 am. They like to feed on humans at night because that is the time when they can feed on a person without being detected.

During the day, there is sufficient light which makes it easy to detect them. Additionally, most people are usually active during the day and rest at night. As a result, these pests prefer to feed at night when the host is lying still.

However, that does not mean that bed bugs don’t feed during the day! In fact, most experts say that their feeding pattern is quite unpredictable. Most experts suggest that bed bugs feed when they are hungry and when the host is lying still on the bed.

As bed bugs are nocturnal insects, they typically come out at night. Their peak feeding time is between 2 am and 5 am. However, the fact that they are mostly active during the night does not mean that they won’t be moving around during the day as well.

If for some reason they did not feed at night, then they will come out during the day and they can show up at any time when they notice their host is lying still. Yet, they are most active when it’s dark outside.

 

Are Bedbugs More Active At Night?

In general, bed bugs are more active during the night because that is the time when the hosts are inactive, thus a perfect feeding time for them.

Between 2 am and 5 am is the time when humans are in deep sleep and cannot detect when bed bugs are biting them, thus it’s the perfect time for them to feed without drawing attention.

Feeding at night also buys them the much-needed time to hide, in case you detect their presence. By the time you realize that something is biting you and react, they will be long gone.

 

Do Bed Bugs Come Out During Daylight Or When The Lights Are On?

Yes, bed bugs can come during the day or when the lights are on to feed, especially if there were no humans host in the house for a while and they are hungry.

Even though their peak feeding time is at night, between 2 am and 5 am, it does not mean that you are off the hook when that feeding period passes. They will come to feed the moment you fall asleep, even if it is during the day, or when you’re lying motionless with the lights on!

Bed bugs are opportunists and usually maximize every opportunity they get to get food. This means that if a great chance of feeding presents itself during the day or when the lights are on in your bedroom, they won’t hesitate to take it!

In short, it is very likely that bed bugs will come out to feed both during the day and at night whenever a good opportunity presents itself.

 

Do Bedbugs Bite Every Night?

It depends on how many bed bugs have infested your home. If they are too many of them, then they will bite you every night. However, if there are not too many, then chances are that they will not bite every night.

On average bed bugs feed once every 3 to 10 nights and spend the rest of the days resting and digesting their meals. If food is not available, they can remain stationary for a long period to save energy while waiting for the perfect moment to feed again.

The fact that they don’t feed every day means they probably won’t bite you every night if they feed well.

 

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide During The Day?

Bed bugs mostly hide during the day in the immediate vicinity of their host. Common areas where they usually hide during the day include small cracks and crevices around the bed, under mattress and pillows, under loose wall hangings and wallpaper, in drawer joints, in seams of couches and chairs, between cushions, in electrical appliances, and at the junction where the wall meets the ceiling.

Their small flattened bodies enable them to hide under these spots easily and stay undetected for days, sometimes even months.

 

If at any time you have reason to believe you are having a problem with bed bugs, it’s very important that you take action right away. Remember that minor infestations are fairly easy to treat if they are caught during the early stages of the infestation.

You can try to kill bed bugs with heat and high temperature, for example using a space heater, laundry dryer, or steamer. More details are covered in this article, so check it out if you want to learn which diy methods are helpful in getting rid of bedbugs in your home. Otherwise, bedbugs will be extremely difficult to control if not caught in time and will surely require the help of a pest control specialist.

So contact the experts at American Pest Control in Athens, GA, for a free inspection. Our pest control technicians will be able to do a thorough inspection of your home and assess the situation and, if necessary, perform an effective bed bug treatment. Don’t delay! Get our expert help today!

 

 

There are about 200 types of ant species in the world, and fire ants are among them. Fire ants, also known as the red imported fire ants, are black and red in color, and have dark abdomens. This species is also much smaller as compared to other types of ants.

They nest in the soil in large colonies ranging from tens of thousands to over 200,000 individuals. Fire ants are known to be aggressive, especially near the nest. As their name suggests, these tiny insects can cause damage, inflict painful stings, and are generally dangerous.

Read on to learn more about fire ants and what damages they can cause to you and your house.

 

Are Fire Ants An Invasive Species?

Fire ants are an invasive species and they first appeared in the US in the early 20^th century. Here, they now crowd out native species of ants by directly competing for food.

They move in large numbers looking for food, and water on rare occasions, and will cause severe infestations if they invade your house and find sugar or food.

They are cold-blooded insects and thus increase their activities during the summertime. At this time, these insects are actively searching for food as they increase their population and they need to feed their big colonies.

Once they establish their colonies in your home, it can be difficult to eliminate them as the reproduction rate is high.

They like to make their nests inside the soil in a moist area around the house such as a watered lawn or any other damp place in your yard.

As a result, the large mound in the open area can be easily seen from a distance. At other times, they will build their nests beneath objects such as rocks, logs, or bricks that are lying on the ground. In that case, the nest is not going to be easily visible as it is formed in a sheltered place.

Besides, a colony builds a mound in several months, and only then it is large enough to be noticed in a typical yard lawn.

 

Are Fire Ants Destructive?

Fire ants can be very destructive, especially to plants, and in other cases, can cause death to small animals. In the US alone, it is estimated they cause $6.7 billion per year in damage to the environment and agriculture.

They feed on young plants and seeds, which leads to farm losses, and keep in mind that they forage a lot during the summer months due to their high rate of activity.

Fire ants will destroy your home’s utilities and be a serious hazard as they pose the risk of causing an electrical malfunction. If they invade your home, they can damage the electrical and communications equipment as they tend to chew on insulators, and worse still, they deposit soil to create a nest.

On residential properties, fire ants can infest and damage all sorts of electrical equipment, and the most common include air conditioners, electric pumps, circuit breakers, switch boxes, and transformer boxes. They will get into the phone wiring. This will make the equipment not work due to a short circuit caused by a great number of electrocuted ants.

When the electrical machinery starts to malfunction, you place yourself at a greater risk of fire hazards and financial losses.

 

 

Can Fire Ants Cause Structural Damage?

Fire ants can cause structural damage in buildings. A colony of fire ant workers builds tunnels by excavating the ground to create space to avoid being squeezed in one place.

These excavations can lead to structural damages if they are near the walls, driveways, and pathways. This might cause the structure to collapse. For instance, if they invade a tree near the house, the tree might fall and damage the nearby property.

During heavy rains, a colony of fire ants migrates to safety and may end up in homes, invading the ceiling and other wooden structures in the house. This might cause damages to the roof or floors if they are wooden.

 

What Damage And Problems Do Red Imported Fire Ants Cause?

Fire ants have venom to defend themselves against anything they feel is a threat to them. They bite by gripping onto their victim, and then inject the venom using their abdomen.

This venom can cause anaphylactic shock or mild eczema to human beings, especially in young children, older people, and people with disabilities. To some extent, the bites might require emergency treatments.

Pets, caged animals, and wild animals are also at risk of being bitten by these red imported fire ants. This can be dangerous as the venom might cause death or irreversible injuries to these animals.

Typically, fire ants like to live outside and have been known to build their nests inside the walls of buildings. The activity of fire ants can also lead to property and structural damages if they invade a house.

In addition, they damage crops, negatively affect agriculture and food production.

 

On A Final Note,

Fire ants can pose a really hazardous threat to you and your home, but you can prevent this!

When fire ants enter your property, there is no time to wait. By the time their mounds are visible, these intruders have been working hard for many months, overtaking your property from underneath. These pests have no respect for boundaries.

Thus, as soon as you spot fire ants in your yard, you need to address the problem immediately. Don’t delay as you’ll put yourself and your finances at risk because the damage they might cause can be very pricey.

For a thorough, free inspection and fire ant removal services, seek the help of a professional company like American Pest Control in Athens, GA. Our team of experts will treat your fire ant infestation, no matter how bad it has gotten.