Bed Bug Inspections in Michigan: Why Early Detection Isn’t Easy

Most customers experience bites for 30 days or longer before they ever see their first bed bug. When that happens, many tear the house apart looking for bugs—flipping mattresses, ripping up carpets, and still finding nothing.

This creates frustration, both for homeowners and pest control companies, because bed bug inspections are not about endlessly searching for visible bugs. A technician’s job is not to tear apart every corner of the house on day one—it’s to assess the likelihood of activity, detect signs, and prepare a treatment plan.

Because of the unrealistic expectation that inspectors will “search all day and find bed bugs instantly,” many pest control companies have started charging for inspections.

A true inspection requires:

• Time and expertise to look for subtle evidence (fecal spots, shells, eggshells, hiding places).
• Knowledge of bed bug biology, especially nymph stages.
• A focus on treatment planning, not just bug hunting.

Bed bug nymphs are the stage most likely to be picked up on clothing and carried to other locations. But here’s the key:

• Nymphs must feed on humans approximately six times before becoming visible adults.
• Only once they mature do they become egg-laying adults that create new infestations.
• That means it can take weeks or months before enough evidence builds for a visual confirmation.

So when technicians say, “You’re not supposed to easily find bed bugs on the first inspection,” they’re right. If bed bugs are visible on the first visit, it usually means the infestation has already reached an unhealthy threshold.