Residential Pest Control – Bed Bugs
Bedbugs are a growing concern in North America.
A female bed bug lays 5 eggs daily and up to 500 eggs in her lifetime.
The eggs hatch in about 6-17 days and become fertile adults in about 21 days. Based on this, one bedbug can become several thousand in a few months.
Once established, bed bugs can be tough to eliminate. They hide in tiny spaces and emerge to feed at night. Worst of all, eggs survive most conventional treatments. For this reason, new solutions have been developed, including heat treatment which we offer as one of our treatment methods.
Bedbugs can live in clothing, furniture, and suitcases and can be transported between locations, for example, between a hotel and your home.
Bedbugs cause psychological and physical harm by leaving itchy bites and spreading panic.
PREVENTION
If you suspect you may have had bedbugs in your hotel, on your return home, place your luggage in your garage or bathroom. Bed bugs don’t like the tiled floor and will be easier to spot the bugs.
You can put all clothing in the washing machine, including those you are wearing, as soon as you return home, put on a hot wash, and tumble dry at high heat. The temperature will kill any bedbugs that may be hiding in them.
Regular Vacuuming can reduce the population of bed bugs significantly. Be sure to empty the vacuum and place it outside in the garbage immediately.
Mattress encasements – we can order and supply mattress and box spring encasements for your home. The encasements are bite-proof and keep bed bugs out of your mattress and box spring.
Wrap your suitcases in plastic wrap when traveling. This can prevent the transfer of bed bugs from other people’s luggage when traveling on buses or airplanes.
SIGNS OF BED BUGS
Bites on your skin, although it is difficult to differentiate between a bed bug bite and any other insect bite.
Droppings – Evidence of dark spots staining the mattress shows that you have a bed bug infestation. The spots will be tiny <1mm but can be easy to notice if you have a heavy infestation.
Live Insects – Bedbugs are 4-7mm long and visible to the naked eye. Mostly spotted at night, they feed in the few hours before dawn.
Blood – Bedbugs feed on your blood. If you notice small blood spots on your mattress, bedsheets, or pajamas, you may have a bedbug infestation.
Bedbug Skin – Each bedbug molts its skin 5 times in its lifetime. These can sometimes be spotted behind your headboard and on your box spring or mattress.
