Pests We Treat - Bed bug eggs hiding in Marlboro, NJ

Recently, I was sent to a home in Marlboro, NJ, to help resolve a bed bug infestation. The first question of this concerned homeowner was, “What are all of those white dots on the back of my headboard?”  

I had a good idea as to what she was referring to, but I wanted to take a quick look to verify before giving her an answer. It was just what I had suspected — bed bug eggs! Virtually all insects hatch from eggs, and bed bugs are no exception. Also, as is common with many insect eggs, when bed bug eggs are first laid, they are coated with a glue-like material that makes them sticky. These sticky eggs can easily cling onto many surfaces where they cannot become easily dislodged (these eggs won’t budge even with a high-powered vacuum!). 

Bed bug eggs are extremely small, typically about the size of the head of a pin, so they are hard to see without magnification and a flashlight, especially on light-colored surfaces. Most homeowners don’t even notice them. Bed bug eggs are oval and whitish in color. At room temperature, these eggs hatch in about a week.

For this customer, the good news is that this infestation was caught in its early stages while still localized to the bed and surrounding area. I was able to vacuum the more mature eggs that had lost their stickiness off the headboard. However, removal of some of the eggs required more aggressive tactics! These eggs were so sticky that I had to remove them by scraping them off with a putty knife. Once all of the eggs were removed, I could begin the liquid application that will kill any of the eggs I may have missed on contact as well as any live bed bugs that may be hiding. Bed bugs hide in the smallest nooks and crannies when resting between their blood meals. Also, they don’t venture far. Bed bugs prefer to hide nearby where they feed on their human host — so you’ll commonly find them in and around beds, sofas, and recliners in homes.

Finally, I scheduled a two-week follow-up to reinspect and make sure that this bed bug infestation was eliminated. The homeowner was relieved that this particular infestation, at least for bed bugs, was easy to resolve. I’m looking forward to see the results of today’s treatment.