Where Should You Check for Bed Bugs Before Calling a Pest Controller in March?

You do not need special kit. A bright torch, an old bank-style card and ten minutes will do. The torch shows dark marks in seams, and the edge of the card lets you slide into tight gaps without poking a finger in. Do this by daylight with the curtains open and the torch on, and take your time.

March has older terraces near the centre and newer estates on the edges, but the method works in either type of home. Fenland weather means many people have the heating on for much of the year, and warm bedrooms suit bed bugs just as they suit us. That is not a reason to worry, only a reason to check properly if bites begin.

Step by Step

1. Strip the bed and put the bedding straight into a bag. Check the sheet for small blood spots.
2. Follow the mattress piping with the torch, running the card edge into the fold of the seam.
3. Check the label tags and any handles, where bugs like a tight space.
4. Tip the mattress carefully and look at the base, slats and corners.
5. Inspect the headboard, including the back and the joint with the wall.
6. Work around the room at floor level, along the skirting nearest the bed.

How to Read What You See

• Dark specks that smear into a faint rusty stain when wiped with a damp tissue are likely to be bed bug droppings.
• Pale, empty, insect-shaped husks are shed skins.
• Flat reddish-brown insects, about the size of an apple pip, are adults. Younger ones are smaller and paler.
• A single speck on its own proves little. A cluster in a seam proves a lot.

What Not to Do While You Check

Do not throw the bed away, and do not move into another room. Both feel logical and both make the problem wider. Keep sleeping where you are for now.

After the Ten Minutes

Write down what you found and where, with a photograph if possible. If it still looks like bed bugs, or you are unsure, a pest inspection and survey is a fixed £120.

Checking a Shared Bedroom

If two or more people sleep in the room, or you have a child's bed beside yours, check each bed separately with the same method. A March terrace with a small box room can hold two beds a metre apart, so treat them as one area for inspection. Bugs move across a short gap easily, and it is better to find them in both than miss them in one.

When confirmed, bed bug control in March is £220 for the first room and £80 for each additional room, with the price agreed before we start. The cost guide has the full picture, and the March service page has the rest. Call or WhatsApp 01223 902388 to talk through your results.