Pest Library
Bed Bugs & Fleas
Bed bugs, fleas and ticks all feed on blood, and all three can be hard to get rid of without a plan. Here's how to recognize them and how to get ready for treatment.
On this page: Bed bug · Flea · Tick
Need help now? See our bed bug control and flea & tick control services.
Bites, spread, and treatment prep
Bites alone can't tell you which pest you have. Many people don't react to bed bug bites at all, and bites from different pests can look alike. Finding the pest itself is the best way to know what you're dealing with.
Bed bugs travel in luggage, used furniture and bags, and can move between rooms and apartments. Fleas ride in on pets and wildlife. Ticks are picked up outdoors in tall grass, leaf litter and wooded edges.
Good prep makes treatment work better. Before a bed bug or flea visit, we'll give you a simple checklist, like washing and drying bedding on high heat, vacuuming, decluttering, and treating your pets with a vet-recommended flea product.
Bed bug
Quick ID
- About 3/16 inch, the size of an apple seed
- Reddish brown, flat and oval; rounder and redder after feeding
- Look-alikes: carpet beetles and bat bugs. Save one in a bag for us to identify
Signs of a problem
- Small rusty or dark spots on sheets and mattress seams
- Shed skins and tiny eggs in seams, headboards and furniture cracks
- Itchy bites, often in lines or clusters, after sleeping
How Pestworx handles it
We confirm the problem with an inspection, then treat beds, furniture and cracks thoroughly, with follow-up visits to make sure they're gone.
Prevention tips
- Check hotel beds and keep luggage off the floor
- Inspect used furniture before bringing it home
- Wash and dry travel clothes on high heat when you get home
Flea
Quick ID
- Tiny: about 1/16 to 1/8 inch
- Reddish brown, flattened side to side, jumps very well
- The cat flea is the most common flea on both cats and dogs
Signs of a problem
- Pets scratching or chewing a lot
- Itchy bites around ankles and lower legs
- Tiny black specks (flea dirt) on pets or in their bedding
How Pestworx handles it
We treat the home, focusing on carpets, pet resting spots and furniture, and work alongside your vet's pet treatment so the whole life cycle is broken.
Prevention tips
- Keep pets on a vet-recommended flea preventive year round
- Wash pet bedding often
- Vacuum carpets and furniture often and empty the vacuum outside
Tick
Quick ID
- Blacklegged (deer) ticks are tiny: about 1/8 inch for adults, poppy-seed size as nymphs
- Adult females are reddish orange with a black shield; males are all dark
- Common in our area: blacklegged tick, American dog tick and lone star tick
Signs of a problem
- Ticks found on people or pets after time outside
- Ticks in tall grass, leaf litter and wooded edges of the yard
- Deer and mice in the yard, which carry ticks
How Pestworx handles it
We treat the yard where ticks live: wooded edges, shady areas, leaf litter and along fences and stone walls.
Prevention tips
- Do tick checks after being outside, and remove ticks promptly with tweezers
- Keep grass mowed and leaves raked
- Make a mulch or gravel border between the lawn and woods
Seeing bed bugs & fleas? Get a free inspection
Call (888) 511-9460 or request a quote online and we will find out what you are dealing with. New customers get $50 off their first service with a 12-month plan.
We serve homes and businesses in Camden, Burlington, Mercer and Gloucester counties in New Jersey, and Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania.
New customer offer
Your first service, $50 off
$50 off your initial service for new customers who sign up for a 12-month service plan.
New residential and commercial customers only. Requires a 12-month service agreement. Can't be combined with other offers. Mention this offer when you call or request a quote.More from the Pest Library
