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

Follow the route a hitchhiking bug would have taken. It comes in on a bag, coat or case, goes into the nearest room, and finds the bed. Checking in that order, from the front door to the pillow, often shows quickly whether you have a problem and where it began.

Saint Ives, a market town on the Great Ouse with an older riverside core, draws visitors and has homes of every age, from period terraces to newer houses. People come and go, and so do their bags. If you run a guest room, a holiday let or simply have friends to stay, the route matters even more.

Stage One: The Hall and the Bags

• Open every pocket of luggage used recently, in a bathroom or hallway
• Check the seams and linings with a torch
• Look at coats and bags that were laid on a bed or sofa elsewhere

Stage Two: Where the Luggage Went

Where was the case opened? If it sat on a bed, a chair or a bedroom floor, check that spot closely, including the carpet edge and the skirting beside it.

Stage Three: The Bed

1. Mattress piping, seams and label
2. Headboard and frame joints
3. Underneath the base and between slats
4. Bedside tables

Dark ink-like specks, pale shed skins, small eggs and reddish-brown insects about the size of an apple pip are what to watch for. Bites on their own are unreliable, as people react differently.

The Mistakes That Make It Worse

Do not dump the mattress or switch to another bedroom. Bed bugs follow people, and carrying infested items through the house leaves a trail. Resist spraying as well, since that mostly chases the insects out of sight.

When to Call

If you find signs, or the bites continue and you cannot find the cause, a pest inspection and survey costs £120 fixed. It establishes the pest and the number of rooms involved. Our Saint Ives bed bug service then costs £220 for the first room and £80 for each additional room, with no call-out fee. The cost guide has the workings, and any return of the problem within 14 days is re-treated at no charge.

Older Buildings by the River

Many Saint Ives properties near the river and the old centre are period buildings with deep skirting, old floorboards and fitted cupboards. These make inspection a little slower, because there are more places beside the bed to look. Take your time with the floor edge and any cupboard against the bedroom wall, and do not be put off if you find a few gaps. Finding them is part of the job.

Call or WhatsApp 01223 902388 to talk it through.