Bat Bug Identification & Prevention

What you need to know about bat bugs in Omaha

Learn about bat bugs and why you want to keep them out of your Omaha, Nebraska, home with the help of our pest guide.

What are bat bugs?

The bat bug is an insect with a very similar name to another common household pest; the bed bug. These two species are closely related; both feed solely on blood, but their preferred hosts differ. Bed bugs prefer human blood, and bat bugs prefer bat blood.

Bat bugs look very similar to bed bugs, and you can usually only see differences with a microscope. Determining which blood-feeding pests have found their way into your home is best done by an experienced Omaha home pest control professional.

Are bat bugs dangerous?

If there is any good news about having bat bugs in your home, it would be that they aren't currently known to spread diseases through their feeding habits.

While bat bugs prefer to feed on the blood of bats, in our homes, or if there are no available bat hosts, they will bite people and feed on our blood. Their bites are itchy and uncomfortable and can lead to secondary infections. Additionally, no one can sleep soundly, knowing they have become a food source for a biting pest. Sharing your home with bat bugs is stressful and causes sleepless nights.

Why do I have a bat bug problem?

Bat bugs become a problem after they enter our homes with the help of their primary hosts — bats. Unlike ticks and other parasites, bat bugs don't attach themselves to their hosts. These insects hang out in our homes where bats roost and nest. Since bats nest in hard-to-reach areas of your house, bat bugs can be inside a home for long periods without notice.

Bat bugs typically only feed on human blood if their preferred hosts, bats, have been removed from your home. With their preferred hosts gone, they have no choice but to look for a new food source. Bat bugs will travel from the dark recesses of a house to feed on the blood of sleeping people.

Where will I find bat bugs?

Though their name may make you think differently, bat bugs don't live on the bodies of bats. Bat bugs live in the nests of bats. Bat bugs feed on the blood of sleeping bats and then retreat to the nooks and crannies of the nest. Wherever bats typically build their nests in your home is where bat bugs will reside, including attics, wall voids, vents, and roof eaves.

How do I get rid of bat bugs?

If you have discovered what you think are bat bugs in your home, please reach out to Quality Pest Control. We offer dependable pest control you can count on.

After contacting us, our service specialists will accurately identify the presence of bat bugs in your Omaha home. Then, using cutting-edge technology and effective treatments, we will work with you to remove these blood-feeding, problematic pests.

Quality Pest Control is a local, family-owned company dedicated to keeping our clients' homes and families safe from the stress and dangers that pest infestations cause.

Please reach out today to learn more about bat bug pest control in Omaha.

How can I prevent bat bugs in the future?

The best way to keep bat bugs from taking over your home is to prevent their preferred host, bats, from entering. Take advantage of the following tips to keep bats and bat bugs out of your Omaha house:

• Repair roof damage.
• Install weatherstripping around windows and doors.
• Place appropriate covers over chimneys and vents.
• Replace damaged screens.
• Caulk cracks and crevices that form in your home's exterior.
• Place bat houses at the perimeter of your property to draw bats away from your home.

If you are ever concerned that bed bugs or bat bugs are in your home, please get in touch with us at Quality Pest Control to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Omaha. We offer effective pest control solutions to help you maintain a property free of unwanted pests.