Bed bugs in Mattress Covers
Bed bugs like to live in protected, small locations where they can aggregate together and not be readily noticed. Bed bugs are typically found hiding in cracks and crevices in bedrooms, and mattress covers are no exception. Infested mattresses, comforters, cushioned furniture and mattress covers may show bed bug fecal smears, which are the dried excrement of bed bugs. Maturing bed bug nymphs molt or shed their skins during their development; these skins can sometimes be found in or around infested materials. In addition, bed bugs themselves are often visible if the source is examined closely enough. The seams of mattresses and mattress covers, especially on the underside, make great bed bug hiding places. In addition, mattresses, mattress covers and other parts of the bed are very close to where people spend much of their time, so feeding bed bugs do not need to expend very much energy to find a suitable blood meal and their host location stimuli such as body heat and carbon dioxide are relatively easy to focus on.
Over-the-counter sprays prove largely ineffective in treating bed bug infestations. Vacuuming and laundering at high temperatures provides short-term relief, but if there are bed bugs on a mattress cover, it is likely that bed bugs and their eggs are also present within the mattress, sheets and elsewhere within a home. If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact your local pest control management professional for an evaluation.