Prevent Bed Bugs From Biting

CLEVELAND -- What's been sleeping in your bed? It could be a bed bug.

Orkin Inc. said more and more consumers are calling to have their homes exterminated for bed bugs.

NewsChannel5 Troubleshooter Chris Caswell reported how you can avoid making that call by preventing an infestation in your home.

According to Orkin, there has been a 70 percent increase in calls for bed bug extermination every year since 2001.

These creepy crawlers hide in your beds, your carpet or in your walls until you sleep -- then they come out to eat.

"They'll suck your blood a little bit," said Dr. Joe Keiper, of the Cleveland Natural History Museum.

Keiper says an infestation of bed bugs requires the right environment, so by following proper hygiene -- vacuuming, and washing your bedsheets and your pets' bedding on a regular basis -- you can keep bed bugs away.

Keiper also said that bed bugs cannot cause any real harm because, unlike some other types of insects, bed bugs don't transmit any diseases.

However, they can leave mosquito-like welts on your body, and can leave little deposits of blood spots on your sheets as you move in your sleep.

After your home is infested, calling an exterminator may be your only option so preventing the infestation in the first place is key.

Orkin said it has had an increase in bed bug calls in 32 states. Ohio was not one of them, but Pennsylvania was.