Bed Bugs

Adult bed bugs are flat, oval, reddish-brown insects about the size of an apple seed (4-5 mm long). After feeding, they become swollen and elongated with a darker red color. Nymphs are smaller and translucent to pale yellow, becoming visible only after a blood meal turns them bright red. Bed bugs have vestigial wing pads but cannot fly, and they move at roughly the speed of an ant.

Check mattress seams, box springs, and headboard joints for live bugs, shed skins, and tiny dark fecal spots that look like black ink dots. Rusty or reddish stains on sheets may indicate crushed bed bugs. Bites typically appear in clusters or lines on exposed skin — face, neck, arms, and hands — and are often noticed upon waking. A heavy infestation produces a sweet, musty odor.

At MBPC, we use an integrated approach combining targeted liquid and dust insecticide applications with thorough inspections and monitoring, tailored for the coastal SC environment. Treatment focuses on bed frames, mattress seams, box springs, headboards, nightstands, and baseboards near sleeping areas. Mattress and box spring encasements are installed to trap remaining bugs and prevent re-infestation. Follow-up treatments at 2-week intervals are essential to catch newly hatched nymphs that survived the initial treatment. We also consider the effects of the area's humidity on product efficacy and adjust our methods accordingly.

Before settling into any beach rental, hotel room, or vacation property along the Grand Strand, inspect mattress seams and headboards. Keep luggage on hard surfaces or luggage racks, never on the bed or carpeted floor — this is especially important in Myrtle Beach, SC, rentals with high turnover. Wash and dry all clothing on high heat immediately after returning from travel. Given the sandy soils common in our area, shake out beach towels and bags outside before bringing them indoors. If you own a vacation rental or seasonal property, schedule professional inspections with MBPC between guest stays and after the peak summer season to stay ahead of potential infestations.

Bed bugs are hitchhiking pests that travel on luggage, clothing, furniture, and personal belongings. They hide in cracks and crevices within 8 feet of where people sleep, including mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, nightstands, baseboards, and electrical outlets. Despite their name, they can infest any room where people sit or rest for extended periods, including living rooms and offices. Myrtle Beach, SC, sees high tourist traffic year-round thanks to its beaches and subtropical climate, making the Grand Strand particularly susceptible to bed bug introductions. Vacation rentals, hotels, and seasonal properties experience frequent guest turnover, with bed bugs hitchhiking in on luggage from across the country and world, establishing new infestations with each influx of visitors.

Peak activity: Year-round