How Bedbugs Get Into Your Home – Life Cycle, Bites & Removal in Milton Keynes
Bedbugs are tiny, persistent pests that can silently enter your home and quickly take over your sleeping areas. At Milton Keynes Pest Control, we understand how distressing a bedbug infestation can be. That’s why we offer fast, discreet, and effective bedbug control across Milton Keynes and surrounding towns like Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Dunstable, Wolverton, Buckingham, and Tring.
How Do Bedbugs Get Into Homes?
Bedbugs are excellent hitchhikers. They can enter your home through:
- Luggage and clothing after travel (especially from hotels or shared accommodations)
- Used furniture and mattresses
- Visitors who unknowingly bring them in
- Adjoining properties in blocks of flats or shared housing
Once inside, bedbugs quickly settle into the seams of mattresses, bed frames, headboards, and soft furnishings — staying hidden during the day and emerging at night to feed.
The Life Cycle of a Bedbug
Bedbugs go through several life stages:
- Egg – Tiny, white, and sticky. Laid in cracks and crevices.
- Nymph – Baby bedbugs that are pale and hard to see. They molt several times before adulthood.
- Adult – Reddish-brown, flat, and around 4–6mm long. After feeding, they swell and turn darker.
Bedbugs can live for months without feeding, and a single female can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime — making infestations grow fast if left untreated.
What Do Bedbugs Look Like?
Adult bedbugs are:
- Flat and oval-shaped
- Brownish-red (darker after feeding)
- About the size of an apple seed (4–6mm)
You may also notice tiny black spots (faecal matter), shed skins, or small blood stains on bedding — all signs of an active infestation.
When Do Bedbugs Bite?
Bedbugs are nocturnal and most active at night. They typically bite while you’re sleeping — often on areas of exposed skin like the arms, neck, and legs. Their bites:
- Appear in clusters or lines
- Can be itchy, swollen, and red
- Get worse over time if the infestation is not treated
Why Home Remedies Aren’t Enough
Washing bedding at high temperatures or vacuuming may reduce the number of bedbugs, but it won’t eliminate the infestation. These pests hide deep in mattress seams, furniture cracks, and skirting boards — well beyond the reach of home treatments.
Professional Bedbug Removal Across Milton Keynes
At Milton Keynes Pest Control, we use industry-approved heat or chemical treatments to kill bedbugs at all life stages. Our discreet, unmarked vehicles and experienced technicians ensure fast, safe, and effective removal.
We serve Milton Keynes and nearby towns including Bletchley, Wolverton, Newport Pagnell, Buckingham, Dunstable, Olney, Tring, Hazlemere and more.
Book Your Bedbug Treatment Today
Don’t let bedbugs disrupt your sleep or spread through your home. If you suspect an infestation, act quickly. Contact Milton Keynes Pest Control today for a fast response and lasting results.
Q: Can bedbugs survive boiling hot washes?
A: While washing bedding at 60°C may kill some bedbugs, it will not eliminate an infestation hiding in mattresses, skirting boards, or furniture. Professional treatment is essential.
Q: What do bedbugs look like in the UK?
A: Adult bedbugs are flat, oval, and about 4–6mm long. They are reddish-brown in colour and often found in mattresses and bed frames.
