Significance

• Bedbugs live in groups near where their prey rests. This makes mattresses and box springs a prime target for bedbug adults and larvae, called nymphs. If the mattress has tears and holes, this will make it easy for bedbugs to hide. But they still can hide in many spaces in a bedroom or other rooms in a home because of their nearly flat bodies. It is highly improbable that all of the bedbugs in a home will live just in the bed, according to Cornell University.
  
  

Inspection

• A competent exterminator or inspector will dismantle the bed when searching for bedbug infestations. The frame needs to be checked for bedbugs, especially if there are any seams and crevices. All of the bed components should be lifted and the edges inspected for bedbug excrement, which looks like small dark red or black spots. Adult bedbugs are just barely visible to the eye but are large enough to be seen during an inspection. An exterminator may recommend throwing the mattress out if it is heavily infested and damaged, but that would be part of a multi-faceted approach to eliminating bedbugs.
  
  

Treatment

• Pesticides should never come into contact with bed linens or mattresses. If the mattress can be saved, it needs to stripped and sealed in heavy plastic while the home is being treated. Plastic mattress covers sold to help allergy sufferers can be used. This also deprives the bedbugs of oxygen and suffocates them. Insecticides to kill bedbugs should only be used by a licensed exterminator, according to Cornell University.
  
  

Warning

• Never bring home a mattress left on a curb or in front of a dumpster, even if it seems brand new. It could be infested with bedbugs. Always inspect any used mattresses from stores or flea markets before bringing home. Check for excrement spots and any strange smells. If a new bed is to be purchased for a home infested with bedbugs, bring the new bed home only after the bedbugs are gone or they will get into the new bed.