As many of you know, bed bugs infest homes across the country. Well, if you didn’t know, here’s your warning. Bed bugs are an almost microscopic nocturnal pest that will easily go unnoticed if you are not allergic to their bites. Before I discuss prevention and removal techniques, I’ll give you a brief rundown of some basic information.
Made of bed bugs vs. Fiction:
1)- When a bed bug bites you, they inject you with an anesthetic to numb the area, resulting in a relatively painless bite (or food if viewed from the bed bug’s eyes).
FACT: Sorry folks, but this is definitely true. Bed bugs release a numbing agent that allows them to feast without their host feeling a thing.
2)- Bed bugs, characteristic of their name, are only found in your bed/mattress.
FICTION: Bed bugs often reside in mattresses and are most commonly found in box springs. They retreat to dark, sheltered areas during the day and are attracted to human hosts at night. Bed bugs can also be found under rugs, in electrical outlets, in cracks and crevices around the house, and on other furniture, including plastic chairs.
3)- Bed bugs are carried by their human host, similar to head lice.
FICTION: Bed bugs don’t travel on their preferred host. However, they can hitchhike with them. That’s right, bed bugs often broaden their horizons by attaching themselves to an item of clothing, material, or furniture that is being taken out or removed from the room or home.
4)- Bed bugs should be called “modern vampires”; They suck your blood and feed at night.
FACT: Well, if they should be called modern vampires it may not be a fact, but it is true that they suck your blood and feed at night. Bed bugs are nocturnal, which means they prefer to leave their dark corners at night and attract their hosts. These blood-sucking parasites are primarily attracted to the carbon dioxide and heat emitted by the human body. Before feeding on their host, these pests are flat, oval in shape, and brown in color. After feeding, these insects will fill up, expanding a few times their original size and turning a dark red color.
5)- This hematophagous parasite is one of the easiest pests to detect and eliminate.
FICTION: They are, in fact, one of the most difficult household pests for residents and professionals to detect and eliminate. Adult bed bugs will reach about 5mm in length and often hide during the day. Their main feeding time is during the early morning hours, when most humans are in their deepest stages of sleep. Bed bugs have 7 stages in their life cycle from egg to adult. Due to their various life stages and microscopic size, they are most efficiently detected by human or K-9 inspection. Inspection is only one of the first, but essential, steps in a successful disposal program. Removal can be very difficult for residents and licensed professionals because without a thorough inspection you will never know if any of the little ones got into the next room.
6)- Small stains of blood and feces found on the sheets are a clear sign of bedbugs.
FACT: RED FLAG!!! These guys will leave the leftovers of your food. You got it! The barely visible black spots are the stains of blood and feces left by the nocturnal plague. Let’s go! Go check your sheets!
7)- Bed bug bites are small red bumps. You will recognize them if you see them.
FICTION: Not all people will have the same reaction to the bite of this annoying parasite. In fact, some people won’t react at all. Thus, another reason why the presence of a bed bug infestation may be missed or confused. If you have an allergic reaction to the sting, you may notice varying degrees of size and redness. Some bites may have a small red dot in the center or even appear in groups.
8)- I can eliminate my bed bug problem with home remedies, over-the-counter spray or plastic mattress covers.
FICTION: As mentioned, bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to detect and control. Using a home remedy or over-the-counter product may not target all pests and therefore hide them. Without a thorough inspection by a trained professional, it is unlikely that all infected areas will be properly treated, right down to the last mistake. Licensed professionals can provide a checklist of preventative measures to help the resident ensure professionally administered treatment is effective. Placing a protective bed bug cover on your mattress AFTER treatment will help prevent re-infestation. DO NOT put this mattress cover on your bed if you think you have an infestation. It will simply give the best ones a protected enclosed area to live and thrive; I don’t think you want that.
9)-These small and annoying bloodsuckers reproduce at high speed and infest your home like cockroaches.
FACT: Yes, it is! These bed bugs are capable of reproducing at a higher rate than the dreaded cockroach. I bet you haven’t heard that before. A female cockroach will generally produce between 200 and 300 eggs in her lifetime. A bed bug, on the other hand, is capable of laying several hundred eggs, averaging 5 to 10 per day. An egg will develop into a full adult in about a month. And you guessed it, a month later, those ten are putting up ten on their own. The spread of bed bugs is no joke. The rapid rate of reproduction increases the chance of infestation, especially in the absence of early detection. So put aside the cockroaches, we have a new epidemic in the city!
10)- Pesticides are the most effective elimination techniques.
FICTION: Surprise! Surprise!, my ecologist friends! I’m about to tell you about an eco-friendly solution to your irritating nocturnal pest problem.
Don’t worry about bed bugs… Use the heat to your advantage. That’s right, one of the most effective methods for bed bug removal is a technique called heat treatment.
The type of heat treatment I am going to discuss with you is a 100% proven bed bug extermination technique that is also 100% GREEN. This method is cost-effective, allows you to return home the same night, and allows you to keep your valuable belongings and furniture.
How does heat treatment work?
Good question, but DO NOT try this at home! Licensed technicians and professionals use specialized equipment to heat the infested area to a heat death point of over 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not try to raise the temperatures in your home to this degree. It can be very dangerous if not done with the proper equipment. The treatment can vary from eight to twelve hours depending on the size of the area to be treated. But you haven’t heard the best part, heat permeates every area of the house, including furniture, cracks and crevices; thus, making sure that no bed bugs can escape your path. Upon inspection, your licensed practitioner will be able to provide you with a list of heat-sensitive materials that must be removed from the room prior to treatment. Another advantage of using environmentally friendly heat treatment techniques, as opposed to chemical treatment, is that you don’t have to throw away your furniture and mattresses. Both you and your furniture are safe from damage.
One of the most frequently asked questions is, “will they come back?” Reinfestation is a big problem with bed bugs due to their hitchhiking habits and rapid reproduction. Fortunately, companies that use heat treatments often guarantee that a new infestation will not occur. However, keep in mind that heat treatment companies cannot guarantee that bed bugs will not return to the facility from the original or alternate source. They are likely to give you information on how to locate the source of the problem and thus help prevent reinfestation.
Where do I find a heat treatment company?
Right here in your own neighborhood! Oh yeah… A new heat treating company has launched right here in Queens. Hot Bugs is a local business with over 10 years of experience serving New York City. All of their technicians are licensed and insured, trained and knowledgeable professionals who can provide customers with exceptional service and tons of information on how the customer can assist in the prevention and elimination of these creepy crawling knights.
Bed bugs can be a devastating experience for both families and businesses. They can be physically, mentally and financially draining and are spreading at an epidemic rate. The heat treatment is 100% guaranteed and environmentally friendly. GO GREEN with your pest control.
Don’t sweat with bedbugs anymore… Take advantage of the heat!