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Does your mattress have bedbugs? Three ways to know
“I think we have bedbugs.”
Those six words are something nobody — whether you’re a homeowner, a renter, or a wary hotel guest — wants to hear. Bedbugs can multiply pretty quickly, so your best bet to keep your mattress bug-free is to know the signs so you can act quickly — and replace your mattress if you need to.
Does your mattress have bedbugs? Three ways to know
Nobody wants to deal with a bedbug infestation — let alone one that’s gone unnoticed for any length of time. Costs to treat larger infestation issues can skyrocket up into the thousands, so finding — and treating — an infestation early is absolutely in your best interests.
Think of the most obvious sign of bedbugs. If you said insect bites, you’d be partially right. Once bedbugs get into your home, it’s possible you’ll wake up one morning with mysterious bed bug bites. But there are a few problems with that line of thinking:
- You may not notice you’ve been bitten until red welts appear hours or even days later.
- Although nocturnal, bedbugs don’t necessarily feed every night — it could take days or weeks before you notice bedbug bites.
- Bedbug bites can look similar to other insect bites — if confused with mosquito or flea bites, you may not think to check for bed bugs until other symptoms crop up.
If you want to identify a bedbug infestation quickly, here are three clear indications of the tiny bloodsucking pests.
Dark spots or stains on your mattress
Spotting a bedbug infestation early is your best bet for resolving the problem before it gets out of hand. Since bed bug bites can be confused with other types of insect bites, they shouldn’t be the main thing you look out for. Instead, look for physical signs of a budding infestation such as noticeable stains or spots on your mattress.
If you notice reddish stains on your bed sheets, this could be your first sign of a bed bug infestation. It’s not pleasant to know this, but it’s worth it to be prepared: These stains are likely the result of crushed bedbugs and an indication that you should take a closer look at your mattress.
Another sign of a bed bug infestation that is more likely to catch your eye is one or more dark spots on your sheets, pillows, or mattress. If bedbugs are the culprit, these tiny spots are insect excrement. Although they are likely to be no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence, they can bleed or smear on your bedding’s fabric.
Signs of bedbugs around the home such as eggs, eggshells, or clusters of small insects
Although they are very small (adults typically grow as large as an apple seed, or approximately one fourth an inch), bedbugs aren’t invisible. If your bedroom is already host to a group of unwanted insects, you may notice small groups of live insects or their shells.
These can crop up on your mattress, but that’s not the only place you should look. Due to their small size, bedbugs can hole up in any number of small crevices or cracks during the day. If you woke up with mysterious bug bites and want to rule out a bedbug infestation — or simply want to do a thorough double check — look for clusters of super-tiny insects in or around the following areas:
- Window frames
- Electrical outlets
- Floor molding with noticeable gaps
- The seams of chairs or couches
- Wooden drawers or dressers
A sweet yet musty odor in or around the bedroom
Hopefully you never encounter this indication of a bedbug infestation, as it takes a large number of insects for an odor to develop. It’s crucial to recognize this smell for what it represents, however, so that you can act quickly to tackle your infestation.
Orkin pest control describes this odor as “a musty, sweet smell, often likened to berries.” It may present as a sweet, yet distinctly unpleasant, scent. If you get a whiff of this musty odor, it’s likely time to seek professional help to address your bed bug infestation — or just replace or mattress to be on the safe side.
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Wisconsin school shooter was in contact with California man plotting his own attack, court documents say
The shooter who killed a student and teacher at a religious school in Wisconsin brought two guns to the school and was in contact with a man in California whom authorities say was planning to attack a government building, according to authorities and court documents that became public Wednesday.
Police were still investigating why the 15-year-old student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison shot and killed a fellow student and teacher on Monday before shooting herself, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes told the Associated Press Wednesday. Two other students who were shot remained in critical condition on Wednesday.
A Southern California judge issued a restraining order Tuesday under California’s gun red flag law against a 20-year-old Carlsbad man. The order requires the man to turn his guns and ammunition into police within 48 hours unless an officer asks for them sooner because he poses an immediate danger to himself and others.
Carlsbad is located just north of San Diego.
According to the order, the man told FBI agents that he had been messaging Natalie Rupnow, the Wisconsin shooter, about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives. The order doesn’t say what building he had targeted or when he planned to launch his attack. It also doesn’t detail his interactions with Rupnow except to state that the man was plotting a mass shooting with her.
CBS’ San Diego affiliate KFMB-TV reported that law enforcement searched the man’s home Tuesday night after the order was signed by the judge.
Police, with the assistance of the FBI, were scouring online records and other resources and speaking with the shooter’s parents and classmates in an attempt to determine a motive for the shooting, Barnes told the AP.
Police don’t know if anyone was targeted in the attack or if the attack had been planned in advance, the chief said. Police said the shooting occurred in a classroom where a study hall was taking place involving students from several grades.
“I do not know if if she planned it that day or if she planned it a week prior,” Barnes said. “To me, bringing a gun to school to hurt people is planning. And so we don’t know what the premeditation is.”
On a Madison city website providing details about the shooting, police disclosed Wednesday that two guns were found at the school, but only one was used in the shooting. A law enforcement source previously told CBS News the weapon used appears to have been a 9 mm pistol.
Barnes told the AP that he did not know how the suspected shooter obtained the guns and he declined to say who purchased them, citing the ongoing investigation.
No decisions have been made about whether Rupnow’s parents might be charged in relation to the shooting, but they have been cooperating, Barnes told the AP.
Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school that offers prekindergarten classes through high school. About 420 students attend the institution.
The Dan County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the two people killed Wednesday as 42-year-old Erin West and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara.
An online obituary on a local funeral site stated Vergara was a freshman who leaves behind her parents, one brother, and a large extended family. It described her as “an avid reader” who “loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”
West’s exact position with the school was unclear.
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