Bed bugs have been annoying pests to humans from a very long time. Its bite is felt only after it leaves the victim. It preys on us as it gets attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale and because of the warm temperature of our bodies. They emerge usually at night seeking human blood. Its impact was reduced during the 1950s by using insecticides. However, it remains a constant unwelcome guest at hotels, homes and public transport.
They can survive at least without feeding. It painlessly feeds on its victims. After feeding for a couple of minutes, it goes back into hiding and it will feed next after 3 or 10 days. Not everyone is sensitive to bed bug bites. Some people experience swelling and redness around the bite while some exhibit rashes and serious itching.
Detecting an Infestation:
Bed bugs tend to cluster together in cracks and crevices. However, few might live by themselves. To determine if there is an infestation, you have to thoroughly check the areas where you sleep. In bedroom look on and around bed frames, mattresses, tufts, box springs, furniture, behind wallpaper and cracks in clocks. Infestations also occur in living rooms, laundry rooms and bathrooms.
Dark blood spots on bedding are an indication of bed bugs. On close inspection, accumulation of bugs and cast skins will be apparent. These insects can move in cracks too. If you are not quite sure whether there is an infestation, consider having your home inspected by pest controllers. In case, you find bed bugs, discontinue the inspection and start taking steps to control and eliminate it.
Controlling an Infestation:
It is highly recommended to get the help of professional pest control firms like http://www.wattspest.com/bed-bug-control/. Controlling the infestation requires moving and disassembly of furniture. After the inspection is completed, insecticide treatment is combined with non-chemical treatments. The insecticides they use are more effective than the ones we get at the counter in supermarkets.
Pest control services also use heat treatment for handling bed bugs. Though this is effective for killing bed bugs, it still doesn’t prevent them in the home forever. There are chances your home might be re-infested again.
Additional Measures:
- Using heat: Washing machine and dryer can be used to kill bugs that infest clothes. Sterilizing curtains, rugs, backpacks, toys, stuffed dolls and drying it for about half an hour also helps.
- Using cold: Beg bugs when exposed to cold temperature above a certain period of time die eventually. If an object is placed in a freezer for about a week or 10 days, the bugs will be killed.
- Encasements: These are fabrics, which enclose box springs or mattresses. It prevents bed bugs infestation. They come in handy when you want to protect a bedbug-free mattress.
Home residents are usually discouraged from handling beg bugs on their own. If you decide on using a pesticide, it is very important to read the directions for use carefully. Make sure that it is labeled for handling bed bugs.