Comprehensive Bed Bug Guide

Bed bugs prefer to stay close to their food source (people) during the day. Typical hiding places include:Mattress seams, piping, and under tags.Box springs and bed frames.Headboards, nightstands, and nearby furniture cracks.Baseboards, carpet edges, and behind wallpaper or picture frames.Electrical outlets, switch plates, and wall voids.Clutter, luggage, and clothing piles. In apartments common throughout Milwaukee and surrounding areas, they can move between units through wall voids, shared electrical systems, or plumbing. This is why treating only one unit in a multi-family building is often insufficient—professionals frequently recommend inspecting neighboring units.

Bed bugs change in appearance depending on their stage of life and whether they have recently fed.   Adults (Unfed): Unfed adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, wingless, and broadly oval. They measure about $\frac{1}{4}$ inch long (4 to 7 mm), making them roughly the size and shape of an apple seed. Their bodies are extremely flat from top to bottom, allowing them to squeeze into cracks as thin as a credit card.    Adults (Fed): After consuming a blood meal, an adult's body expands, becoming swollen, elongated, and football-shaped. Their color also darkens from reddish-brown to a dull, deep red or reddish-black.    Nymphs (Young Bugs): Immature bed bugs go through five growth stages and look like smaller versions of the adults. When they first hatch, they are tiny (pinhead-sized, about 1.5 mm) and nearly translucent or pale yellow, making them hard to see. As they take blood meals and molt, they grow up to sesame-seed size and darken to a yellowish-brown, often showing a dark spot in their abdomen after digesting food.    Eggs: Bed bug eggs are tiny (1 mm, or about the size of a pinhead), pearl-white or translucent, and slightly oval or bean-shaped. They are usually laid in sticky, hidden clusters inside cracks, seams, and dark crevices.

Unlike fleas or other jumping insects, bed bugs lack the specialized hind legs needed to leap. They crawl very quickly and travel long distances by hitchhiking on personal items like luggage, clothing, purses, backpacks, and second-hand furniture.

Bed bugs can hitch a ride in luggage after a trip, spread when people gather in large crowds, and be brought in on used or thrifted furniture. In apartment buildings, they can spread through shared walls.

No. Store-bought foggers and sprays usually push bed bugs deeper into walls and baseboards, often making the problem worse.

No you cannot normally feel when a bed bugs bites because they inject a mild anesthetic, so you won't feel it at the time. Bites often appear in a straight line or cluster of three.

No, bed bugs are only looking for a food source (blood) and do not care about cleanliness.

Do NOT move to another room or sleep on the couch: Bed bugs track the carbon dioxide you exhale while sleeping. Moving to a living room sofa or another bedroom will cause the bugs to follow you, spreading the infestation throughout the rest of your home. Do NOT set off store-bought "bug bombs" or total-release foggers: Aerosol foggers lack egg-killing (ovicidal) capabilities and cannot penetrate deep cracks or seams. Instead of eliminating the nest, foggers scatter the active population and push them deeper inside walls, baseboards, and adjoining rooms. Do NOT throw away mattresses or furniture without proper containment: Dragging an untreated, unsealed mattress or sofa through your hallways, doorways, and stairwells scatters live bugs and hidden eggs into unaffected rooms and common areas. Do NOT dump infested furniture unsealed at the curb: Leaving untreated, unsealed items outside on the curb can spread hitchhikers to nearby neighbors, allow passersby to pick up infested items, or cause property management citations. Do NOT rely on over-the-counter DIY bug sprays: Standard contact sprays fail to destroy protected eggs and do not reach the hidden harborages where the majority of the colony resides.

MKE Bug Pros specializes in bed bug treatments throughout Milwaukee, West Allis, Glendale, Greenfield, and Wauwatosa, WI. Since 2013, MKE Bug Pros has been protecting homes and businesses throughout our community.

At MKE Bug Pros, we use professional-grade bed bug treatment designed to eliminate active infestations and provide long-lasting protection. Our treatment uses an active ingredient derived from naturally occurring fungal spores that specifically targets bed bugs. As bed bugs move through treated areas, they pick up the microscopic spores on their bodies. These spores can then transfer to other bed bugs they encounter, helping the treatment reach insects hiding in hard-to-reach areas.

Yes, bed bugs can easily survive cold and freezing temperatures unless they are exposed to extreme, sub-zero conditions continuously for several days.Outside freezing temperatures have little impact on indoor pests. Because homes and apartments maintain cozy indoor heating, bed bugs remain warm, active, and capable of reproducing year-round.👉 Want to learn more about the science of cold exposure and how to handle infested items? Check out our detailed guide on Bed Bugs and Freezing Temperatures!

Bed bugs are small, flat, oval insects that feed on blood, usually at night. Adult bed bugs are roughly the size of an apple seed (about 4–5 mm), reddish brown, and become darker and more swollen after feeding. Nymphs are smaller and lighter in color; eggs are tiny, white, and about 1 mm long.Common signs in Milwaukee homes and apartments include:Live bugs in mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboards, or nearby furniture.Dark fecal spots (look like ink marks) on sheets, mattresses, or walls.Shed skins (exoskeletons) left behind as they grow.Small blood stains on bedding from crushed bugs.Itchy bites, often in a line or cluster on exposed skin (arms, legs, neck, face). Note that not everyone reacts the same way to bites—some people show no marks at all.In older Milwaukee multi unit buildings or denser neighborhoods, bed bugs can spread through shared walls, electrical outlets, or plumbing voids. A single confirmed sighting or consistent unexplained bites should prompt a professional inspection. Contact MKE Bug Pros today and get rid of bed bugs.

Yes. Adult bed bugs are visible without magnification, especially when they are moving or after feeding. However, eggs and very young nymphs are much harder to spot. They hide in tiny cracks, seams, and dark places, so even if you do not see live insects, an infestation can still exist. Good lighting, a flashlight, and careful examination of mattress edges and furniture joints help, but a professional bed bug inspection from MKE Bug Pros is far more reliable for confirmation.

Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers. They do not fly or jump; they crawl and cling to objects. Common introduction points for Milwaukee residents include:Luggage or clothing after travel (hotels, airports, buses).Used furniture or mattresses brought into the home.Clothing or bags from public places, workplaces, or schools.Movement from neighboring apartments in multi-unit buildings.Simple everyday activities such as riding the MCTSThey can survive months without feeding, so an infestation may remain hidden for a while after introduction. Cold Wisconsin winters do not eliminate bed bugs indoors as heated homes provide a continuous environment.

Current scientific consensus is that bed bugs are not transmitters of human diseases. Their primary impacts are:Itchy, uncomfortable bites that can lead to secondary skin infections from scratching.Allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.Significant sleep disruption, anxiety, and stress. The psychological and quality-of-life effects are often the biggest concerns for households dealing with an infestation. If you're ready to get rid of bed bugs, contact Michael with MKE Bug Pros.

How many treatments a building needs depends on the size of the property, the severity of the infestation, the client’s willingness to complete the prep work, and whether the after-treatment guidelines are followed.MKE Bug Pros use a biological bed bug treatment that works on all life stages of bed bugs. When the prep work is completed thoroughly and the after-treatment guidelines are followed, one treatment is typically all that’s needed.Learn more about how our bed bug treatment works in Milwaukee.

MKE Bug Pros in Milwaukee offers same-day or next-day appointments when scheduling permits. Contact Michael at 414-877-5811 to discuss your bed bug concerns and check appointment availability.

Yes. Depending on the severity and client involvement, bed bugs can be eradicated after 1 biological Fungal treatment.

Proper room preparation is essential to ensuring our treatment reaches deep into micro-cracks and eliminates the entire colony. Before your technician arrives, please complete the following steps:Strip and High-Heat Launder All Bedding: Remove all sheets, pillowcases, blankets, mattress pads, and bed skirts. Place them directly into plastic trash bags inside the room before carrying them to the laundry to avoid dropping bugs or eggs in hallways. Wash and dry all items on the highest heat setting for at least 30 minutes. Once dry, store clean linens in fresh, sealed plastic bags.Pull Furniture Away from Walls: Move beds, nightstands, dressers, couches, and armchairs at least 6 to 12 inches away from all walls. This gives our technicians complete access to treat baseboards, wall-and-floor junctions, and room perimeters.Clear Under-Bed Storage & Clutter: Empty everything stored under bed frames and clear off nightstand tops. Place loose items into open plastic containers for inspection.Vacuum Thoroughly: Vacuum all carpet edges, baseboard junctions, and hardwood floor cracks. Immediately empty the canister or remove the vacuum bag into a trash bag, seal it tightly, and take it directly to an outdoor dumpster.Stop All DIY Sprays & Bug Bombs: Do NOT set off store-bought foggers or bug bombs, as they do not kill eggs and will flush bugs deeper into wall voids and surrounding rooms. Additionally, do NOT move to sleep on the couch or in another bedroom, as bed bugs will track your body heat and carbon dioxide, spreading the infestation.Have questions about prepping a specific room or item? Call Michael today at (414) 877-5811 or visit our bed bug treatment prep checklist blog.