Bedbugs, of course, have always been around.
For thousands of years, humans have been plagued
with these parasites. After many years in hiding and under
the radar, now they are back! For that reason, until
now, many people have never even seen a bedbug. In fact, many
exterminators have not seen them in years.
BEDBUG CONTROL
Bedbug control,
in past years, was performed using different classes of
insecticides than are used now, so the bedbug problem rarely
reared its ugly head. In those 'Olden Days,' exterminators
used DDT to combat these fellows. It was a
very effective tool. In the years after DDT, we had the
organophosphates, diazinon, Dursban
and chemicals of that class.
They were also quite effective against bedbugs.
Bedbugs now are, without a doubt, the most challenging pest that
exterminators must deal with!
BEDBUG TREATMENTS
Treatments for our common
bedbug, are different now, and the insecticides we must use today, do not
have the same action or effectiveness as the insecticides of old. Today,
bedbug treatments are necessarily very thorough, (as they always were) but
now we use several different insecticides, in powder, liquid and gas form,
with an assist by several kinds of growth regulators and sometimes even
steam cleaning. Exterminators vary the different treatments, to eliminate
the possibility of bedbugs that may have developed a resistance to
specific insecticide preparations. Therefore, a successful treatment for
bedbugs can only be properly done by a knowledgeable professional. And
several follow-up professional treatments will usually be required to
completely eliminate a bedbug infestation.
"BOMBING" YOUR HOUSE
This has to be said.
Homeowners that pick up those aerosol cans at the local hardware
store and "bomb" for these creatures will discover that the many
survivors will scatter, making any future treatments more difficult
because the insects are now in those other areas where they weren't
before. Not only that, but if you don't do it the right way,
following the specific directions on the label, you'll have a greasy
residue all over everything. Overdosing can become a fire and
explosion hazard, so save your money and forget the bombs....
WHAT DO THE BUGS LOOK LIKE?
Bedbugs are small,
even tiny, insects that live on our blood. From a size about the size of
the head of a pin, to the adults, which are still less than a quarter
inch. Fast-moving little critters, they are wingless and hide during the
day, coming out at night to feed. Hide they will, they are so small and
flat that they can get into unbelievably small places. This is why the
bombs don't work. The insecticide particles from aerosol cans are too big
to enter those hiding places completely, so many bedbugs will survive even
successive "bombing" episodes. Glueboards do not offer reliable control or
detection of bedbugs.
Bedbugs can live for over a year and a half, and go without
a blood meal for over a year. Bedbugs are oval-shaped and flat,
reddish-brown, mahogany-colored insects, (they're often called mahogany
bugs) and bites initially are virtually painless. Bedbugs will inject some
of their saliva into the bite, desensitizing you to the bite, it also
keeps blood from clotting. People will usually experience multiple bites,
often close together.
Bedbugs can also cause severe itching and allergic
reactions in many people, sometimes the itching is the first time
you notice there's something wrong. Often, you see the blood spots
on your pillows, sheets or bedclothes. Fortunately, bedbugs are not
now known to vector any diseases to man. However, the constant
scratching can produce skin infections.
Bedbugs are usually noticed first (surprise) in the
bedroom. This, because you are at rest and even asleep in the bedroom,
giving the bugs the time and opportunity to feed on YOU - when you
probably won't notice until it's too late. The bedbugs are not necessarily
there because it's "dirty" - they can survive just as well in a "clean"
place. They feed on your blood and are attracted to you because you exhale
carbon dioxide.
Naturally, this doesn't mean they'll ALWAYS be
found in a bedroom. That's only the place where they are mostly found.
They'll insert them selves into every nook and cranny of your bedroom and
your bedroom furniture, mattresses, box springs, headboards, baseboards,
door trim and even electrical outlets and picture frames. Bedbugs are not
only associated with man, but they are also parasites to other mammals
too. If you have bedbugs, you can often see the actual bugs, blood spots
or sometimes the egg shells or skin casings. The same bedbugs that feed on
you may also bite and feed on bats, birds, and rodents.
SO HOW
DID THEY GET INSIDE MY HOME?
Bedbugs are brought in - usually by
you, or by someone that enters your home. Or from places you (or your
kids) have visited. They ride in on your clothing, on and in your luggage
and storage boxes, from trains, buses and since they can live outdoors,
they can even come in on firewood you bring in from the outside. Those
bedbugs that infest other animals, can also feed on humans, if the
preferred host is not available. They can ride in on furniture you bring
in from, say, the local flea market, or even on new furniture, if it has
been stored or kept with other infested furniture. Be especially aware
that any second-hand item can be a danger. Since people have increased
their travel, especially to places where these pests are endemic, bedbugs
have again become a danger in our homes. Family members returning from
school dormitories can easily vector bedbugs into your home because you
figure your own family is "safe."
Life Cycle of the
bedbug
BEDBUGS IN MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS
In settings
such as this, bedbugs can spread slowly from unit to unit if the control
efforts are not successful. There are special instructions for
multi-family homes and apartments. Especially important, would be to treat
adjacent units, to arrest the spread of bedbugs to other units.
Cooperation of all occupants of each building is an absolute must. It
would be best if you have one exterminator responsible for all the units
in one contiguous building.
If you live in a rental unit, your
landlord is responsible for extermination in your unit. You're not. So
this means that you DO NOT attempt any control efforts on your own. No
spraying, no bombing, no nothing. The exterminator will be able to do a
much better job than you will, and the landlord pays for the exterminator.
Make sure he sends a REAL exterminator, no maintenance men.
Give
your rental or maintenance office a call to get on the exterminator's
list. MAKE SURE you have a sample bug for the exterminator to
examine. If your landlord won't respond, call your local health
department. Bedbug infestations can easily spread, and are always a
serious problem that must be addressed by a licensed exterminator. The
actual instructions for tenants experiencing bedbug problems should be
furnished by the landlord or the landlord's exterminator, but they will
generally follow these guidelines.
INSPECTING YOUR HOME FOR BEDBUGS
Usually, your first indications are bites on your own body,
or someone else in your family. At that point, an inspection of your
bedding is first and foremost. The mattress, bedframes and night stands
should be inspected closely, under a strong light. On your bedding, you're
looking for the spots of blood and sometimes the insects themselves in the
seams and folds of these items. Check under the bed, too. Bedbugs prefer
wooden and cloth surfaces, so that's where you concentrate.
Small
appliances, clocks, radios and phones on night stands, in any infested
room, should be examined and set aside for treatment. Bedbugs like dark,
secluded places, so they'll seek out dark closets, behind and under beds,
behind and under doors and under carpeting. Tip over furniture and look
underneath everything in an infested room.
Your laundry room, and
anywhere else you store dirty laundry, should be checked carefully.
Travelers should check their hotel/motel rooms for any signs of bedbug
infestation. Pull out a night stand drawer and check underneath for hiding
bugs. When you get home, all contents of your luggage should be washed (or
dry cleaned) in hot, soapy water, and that includes your clean clothes.
Examine your luggage closely.
HOW TO PREPARE A BEDBUG TREATMENT
CAN I DO THIS MYSELF?
I saved this for last. The
answer to that is "probably not" or "no, you can't." Even the pros have
problems, with every tool (that you can't get) at their disposal. Save
your time, money and trouble and get a good exterminator to do this.
This is NOT a simple "spray job" with the stuff you pick up at Home
Depot. This is a serious pest problem that you will most definitely
need a professional to take care of for you.
Whatever you do, DO
NOT BOMB! Just because someone told you to do it, it will be the worst
thing you can do. Sure, you'll kill a few, but those you DON'T
kill, will scatter to other parts of the house and you'll start seeing
them where you haven't seen them before.
Same with infested
bedding, don't drag it through the house even to put it in the trash.
You'll spread those little guys around as you're dragging the
mattress outside.
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| BEDBUG TREATMENTS Treatments for our common bedbug, are different now, and the insecticides we must use today, do not have the same action or effectiveness as the insecticides of old. Today, bedbug treatments are necessarily very thorough, (as they always were) but now we use several different insecticides, in powder, liquid and gas form, with an assist by several kinds of growth regulators and sometimes even steam cleaning. Exterminators vary the different treatments, to eliminate the possibility of bedbugs that may have developed a resistance to specific insecticide preparations. Therefore, a successful treatment for bedbugs can only be properly done by a knowledgeable professional. And several follow-up professional treatments will usually be required to completely eliminate a bedbug infestation. |
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| WHAT DO THE BUGS LOOK LIKE? Bedbugs are small, even tiny, insects that live on our blood. From a size about the size of the head of a pin, to the adults, which are still less than a quarter inch. Fast-moving little critters, they are wingless and hide during the day, coming out at night to feed. Hide they will, they are so small and flat that they can get into unbelievably small places. This is why the bombs don't work. The insecticide particles from aerosol cans are too big to enter those hiding places completely, so many bedbugs will survive even successive "bombing" episodes. Glueboards do not offer reliable control or detection of bedbugs. |
| Bedbugs can live for over a year and a half, and go without a blood meal for over a year. Bedbugs are oval-shaped and flat, reddish-brown, mahogany-colored insects, (they're often called mahogany bugs) and bites initially are virtually painless. Bedbugs will inject some of their saliva into the bite, desensitizing you to the bite, it also keeps blood from clotting. People will usually experience multiple bites, often close together. |
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| Bedbugs are usually noticed first (surprise) in the
bedroom. This, because you are at rest and even asleep in the bedroom,
giving the bugs the time and opportunity to feed on YOU - when you
probably won't notice until it's too late. The bedbugs are not necessarily
there because it's "dirty" - they can survive just as well in a "clean"
place. They feed on your blood and are attracted to you because you exhale
carbon dioxide. Naturally, this doesn't mean they'll ALWAYS be found in a bedroom. That's only the place where they are mostly found. They'll insert them selves into every nook and cranny of your bedroom and your bedroom furniture, mattresses, box springs, headboards, baseboards, door trim and even electrical outlets and picture frames. Bedbugs are not only associated with man, but they are also parasites to other mammals too. If you have bedbugs, you can often see the actual bugs, blood spots or sometimes the egg shells or skin casings. The same bedbugs that feed on you may also bite and feed on bats, birds, and rodents. SO HOW DID THEY GET INSIDE MY HOME? Bedbugs are brought in - usually by you, or by someone that enters your home. Or from places you (or your kids) have visited. They ride in on your clothing, on and in your luggage and storage boxes, from trains, buses and since they can live outdoors, they can even come in on firewood you bring in from the outside. Those bedbugs that infest other animals, can also feed on humans, if the preferred host is not available. They can ride in on furniture you bring in from, say, the local flea market, or even on new furniture, if it has been stored or kept with other infested furniture. Be especially aware that any second-hand item can be a danger. Since people have increased their travel, especially to places where these pests are endemic, bedbugs have again become a danger in our homes. Family members returning from school dormitories can easily vector bedbugs into your home because you figure your own family is "safe." |
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|
| BEDBUGS IN MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS In settings such as this, bedbugs can spread slowly from unit to unit if the control efforts are not successful. There are special instructions for multi-family homes and apartments. Especially important, would be to treat adjacent units, to arrest the spread of bedbugs to other units. Cooperation of all occupants of each building is an absolute must. It would be best if you have one exterminator responsible for all the units in one contiguous building. If you live in a rental unit, your landlord is responsible for extermination in your unit. You're not. So this means that you DO NOT attempt any control efforts on your own. No spraying, no bombing, no nothing. The exterminator will be able to do a much better job than you will, and the landlord pays for the exterminator. Make sure he sends a REAL exterminator, no maintenance men. Give your rental or maintenance office a call to get on the exterminator's list. MAKE SURE you have a sample bug for the exterminator to examine. If your landlord won't respond, call your local health department. Bedbug infestations can easily spread, and are always a serious problem that must be addressed by a licensed exterminator. The actual instructions for tenants experiencing bedbug problems should be furnished by the landlord or the landlord's exterminator, but they will generally follow these guidelines. |
| Usually, your first indications are bites on your own body,
or someone else in your family. At that point, an inspection of your
bedding is first and foremost. The mattress, bedframes and night stands
should be inspected closely, under a strong light. On your bedding, you're
looking for the spots of blood and sometimes the insects themselves in the
seams and folds of these items. Check under the bed, too. Bedbugs prefer
wooden and cloth surfaces, so that's where you concentrate. Small appliances, clocks, radios and phones on night stands, in any infested room, should be examined and set aside for treatment. Bedbugs like dark, secluded places, so they'll seek out dark closets, behind and under beds, behind and under doors and under carpeting. Tip over furniture and look underneath everything in an infested room. Your laundry room, and anywhere else you store dirty laundry, should be checked carefully. Travelers should check their hotel/motel rooms for any signs of bedbug infestation. Pull out a night stand drawer and check underneath for hiding bugs. When you get home, all contents of your luggage should be washed (or dry cleaned) in hot, soapy water, and that includes your clean clothes. Examine your luggage closely. |
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| CAN I DO THIS MYSELF? I saved this for last. The answer to that is "probably not" or "no, you can't." Even the pros have problems, with every tool (that you can't get) at their disposal. Save your time, money and trouble and get a good exterminator to do this. This is NOT a simple "spray job" with the stuff you pick up at Home Depot. This is a serious pest problem that you will most definitely need a professional to take care of for you. Whatever you do, DO NOT BOMB! Just because someone told you to do it, it will be the worst thing you can do. Sure, you'll kill a few, but those you DON'T kill, will scatter to other parts of the house and you'll start seeing them where you haven't seen them before. Same with infested bedding, don't drag it through the house even to put it in the trash. You'll spread those little guys around as you're dragging the mattress outside. |