Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

I have been trying to think of something to write about that would be useful to people rather then the usual stuff about my life and what I came up with is Bed Bugs! I am sure you are thinking “Why the hell would he write about Bed

All of the stages of life

Bugs?”….right? The answer is simple, I have been involved in the pest control business for 15 years and I currently manage the service department of a large regional pest management firm in NY. Why not share some knowledge? Although it would have been nice to share this information before the biggest travel day of the year, Thanksgiving, I figured better late then never.

If you haven’t heard of Bed Bugs by now you must be shut off from the rest of the world. Bed Bug stories are always on the news, in the paper, can be found all over the web and someone you know probably has their own story. They are real and can be found in the fanciest of hotels and homes to the cheapest hourly rate motel and most over populated multi-family house. They do not discriminate and they do not have a preference. If you travel, stay in hotels, buy and/or rent used furniture, live in an apartment, ride the bus or sit in a movie theater you run the risk of bringing these insects home!

Bed Bugs ( Cimex lectularius) are small insects belonging to the family Cimicidae. They are parasitic which means they feed on other living animals and in this case it is usually human blood. They are approximately  1/4″ long, oval, wingless with a flattened body (perfect for hiding in the smallest of places) and rusty red in color. They are nocturnal

Live bugs and fecal matter on a mattress

which makes it difficult to detect their activities. Females lay anywhere from 200-500 eggs in their lives which they glue to surfaces and/or in cracks and crevices of mattresses, box-springs, bedding, bed frames, behind pictures, in furniture, wall voids, electrical outlets and switch plates to name a few places. There are 5 nymphal stages (immature stages) each requiring a blood meal before molting to the next stage. The entire life cycle from egg to adult requires anywhere from 5 weeks to 4 months, depending on temperature and availability of food (blood). When temperatures range between 70° and 82°F, development occurs most rapidly. Feeding (the consumption of blood) usually takes 3-10 minutes with most people not knowing it is occurring because it happens when they are asleep and the insects saliva contains a mild anesthetic. Adult Bed Bugs can go a year or more without feeding but when feeding they can consume up to 6 times their own weight! The ONLY good news is that there is no evidence that Bed Bugs transmit any disease at this time.

Most people do not know they have been bitten until itchy bumps or welts appear which may not occur for several hours or days later. Most people associate the bites with something else, therefore it may be weeks or months before a Bed Bug infestation is suspected. In many cases live insects are not observed but rather unexplained blood spots (fecal

Bed Bug bites.....

matter) are found on sheets, pillow cases and/or blankets. I have seen cases in which the people eventually suspected these tiny critters but only after several months of unexplained bites or bumps!

I would suggest calling a professional if you have the slightest suspicion that you may have an infestation. I have yet to see any non-professional eliminate an infestation on their own. NOT ONE!  A professional inspection can also be invasive as we usually “toss” the room. We remove bedding, drawers, flip furniture, overturn mattresses and such.  A good inspector may take up to an hour to inspect one bedroom (unless a highly trained K9 is used). A professional treatment may include a variety of control measures including but not limited to:

• A K9 to inspect and locate
• Vacuuming
• Steam Cleaning
• Freezing
• Liquid insecticides
• Dust insecticides
• Fumigation (gas)
• Traps (for monitoring purposes only)

It is not an easy task, even for a professional. These insects are built to hide and may not be observed/found by the professional. Treatments are expensive and more then one is usually required. Bed Bug elimination is quickly

Live Bed Bugs and their caste skins

becoming the biggest thing in modern pest control but not every company is the same, so be sure to pick a well recommended professional. Eliminating these guys from your home requires a lot of work but it is more work for the homeowner as a lot of preparation is required before the treatment can take place, so be sure to ask for a “prep list”.

What can you do to help prevent an infestation? There are some things you can do:

• If traveling – inspect the mattress, box-spring, headboard and night stands for live insects, fecal matter, cast skins etc
• Do not place luggage on the bed
• Inspect your clothing and luggage before returning them to closets and dressers (preferably wash clothing prior)
• Don’t rent furniture and/or electronics (if possible)
• Inspect furniture and/or clothing given to you
• Inspect rooms after any house guests have left (sucks but other people CAN bring them into YOUR home)

Now that I made everyone’s skin crawl, I will say not all is hopeless. They can be eliminated and new research and treatment strategies are always being discussed and implemented.

SLEEP TIGHT and……………………. (well you know)