At one point these pests where on the decline to the point they were rarely an issue. Due to several factors, they are back, and show no signs of slowing down their terror. Unlike some other pests they don't have much to do with cleanliness, although clutter can make more places for them to hide. Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers that's how they get from here to there. Often transported in furniture, luggage, and clothing. Unlike other bloodsuckers, we are a bed bugs primary target, instead of a target of opportunity. For this reason these pests are highly adapted for their life's purpose: find us, eat, and multiply.
The main questions we are asked is what to look for and what to do if they are found. Inspecting bedding is the best way to protect yourself. Bed Bugs are attracted to hosts that are immobilized and prefer the dark. The main thing to look for is fecal staining and casings (shed exoskeletons). Fecal stains appear as dark spots often found in creases in sheets or corners of frames. It appears as though someone made a bunch of spots with a ballpoint pen. Often they are first noticed on the headboard side of the bed, as bed bugs primarily target uncovered skin. This side of the bed offers quick harborage after feeding. In larger infestations, they can be found anywhere they can hide, including in floorboards, in electrical outlets, behind pictures on the walls, and nearly any other place you can think of. The shed exoskeletons or casings appear tan to light brown, and retain the shape of the bed bugs. Bed bugs go through 5 stages in their lives, shedding their skin after each stage. These casings are usually found in and around their harborages and accompany the fecal staining.
If bed bugs are found, the first thing to do is remain calm. Fortunately, bed bugs do not transmit diseases, so they do not cause any imminent danger. The first thing we recommend is vacuum up any visible insects. We recommend that untrained individuals refrain from using chemical treatments. When chemical treatments are not performed correctly they can make problems worse. The products available at the store to consumers oversimplify treatment and will often cause the insects to spread to other areas. Most over-the-counter treatments are a class of chemicals called pyrethroids. They target adult bed bugs on contact, but bed bugs have been showing resistance to these products. Bed bugs that are not contacted directly are often unaffected, and being that they hide the majority of they time, this means most are left unharmed. In addition, these products don't target eggs (even though many claim they do), and they don't provide much residual control (another claim some products make), so any effects they may have are short lived. An understanding of products, their active ingredients, and how they affect the target insects is key to successful treatment. Certain products work well in certain circumstances and areas and are virtually ineffective elsewhere. We have also noticed overtime that products that were very effective in the past no longer provide the results they once did. Fortunately, the technology in pest control is always advancing, new and safer products are available today that were not just a few years ago.
Heat is another method of abating for bed bugs. We have witnessed people attempt to alleviate their situation by turning up their thermostat. Unfortunately, this has only been proven to increase your utility bill, as the temperatures necessary to kill bed bugs will never be reached using a furnace. Other methods of heating are simply not practical due to safety reasons and fire hazards. Professional heat treatment utilizes equipment specified for this purpose by individuals trained to perform this type of abatement. In order to be effective, the correct temperature must be reached for a certain amount of time. Even when a heat treatment is performed, we still recommend the proper chemical application for residual control.
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