Many homeowners don't really realize how to handle thorough bed bug extermination on their own and this is why professionals are needed, and why they're so difficult to control. Because of their name, many assume they live and thrive only in the bedding. However, they can be found anywhere there is a warm, dark place for them to nest; this can include cracks in the floors and walls. They can also thrive in dressers and closets, in stuffed animals, and even in small appliances like under the clocks in the bedroom. Understanding where they're found is one reason to consider professional bed bug extermination. Doing a thorough examination of the rooms where you suspect you have an infestation is part of bed bug extermination. This means looking for their excrement on the mattresses but also in cracks and behind caulk as well as around screens of doors and windows. If you're trying to handle your own bed bug extermination, leave nothing left to chance when you try to find where they may be thriving. It's typically better to treat more areas where you suspect they may be hiding than to treat fewer areas and allow them to reproduce again.