How To Deal With Bed Bugs

For insects that can't hop or fly, bed bugs do have an amazing ability to get around. This is proved by the fact that bed bug infestations are on the rise in North America, Western Europe, and Australia.

The National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) reports that its member pest control companies are receiving one to two bed bug-related calls each week, up from one to two per year. Mistaken identity could be the cause of some of the calls, as ticks and cockroaches are often confused with adult bed bugs, but even with this factor taken into account, the incidence of bed bug sightings is up compared to last year.

There are a number of ways to identify if your pest is a bed bug.

• Spotting the insect itself – a bed bug is around ¼ inch long, usually reddish-brown, and has an oval, flattened body. You're more likely to see signs of bed bug activity first as the nocturnal bloodsuckers venture from tight crevices to feed.
• Spotting their trail – dark-brown, black, or reddish spots of bed bug excrement on bed linens, the mattress, or walls near the bed are another indication, as well as bites that typically appear two or three in a row and that are often accompanied by blood spots on bedding.

A busy female bed bug can lay several eggs a day. Over its lifetime, which can be from several months to more than a year, that can add up to hundreds of eggs. However, in most cases, a bed bug infestation only consists of around a dozen insects. Outside factors such as temperature and food availability limit the lives of bed bugs and the viability of their eggs. But if you see even one bed bug, take some action, because there could be others lurking.

While bed bugs aren't migratory, their penchant for hiding in dark, covered places makes them what scientists call "passive travellers." Modes of bed bug transportation include the cuff of a coat sleeve, a used piece of furniture retrieved from the street, and even a suitcase left sitting on the fine pile carpet of a five-star hotel.

It can take months of misery and mountains of money to eradicate these pests, which go by the Latin name Cimex lectularius. While there's always some risk of encountering bed bugs in hotels, motels, B&Bs, and on cruise ships, that's no reason to cancel your summer vacation. Most hotels are not infested with bed bugs and by simply taking a few minutes to inspect your hotel room when you check-in and your luggage when you return home, you can help to ensure that those unwanted house guests aren't brought home.

Know Thy Enemy

Until recent years, the message "Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite" was perhaps the only knowledge people had about bed bugs. Recent media campaigns have helped bridge the gap, but bed bugs are still being mis-identified as dandruff, crumbs, cockroaches, or crushed carpet beetles.

The important thing to remember is that if you think you have spotted a bed bug or the signs of a bed bug infestation, professional advice from a qualified pest control company is essential to prevent infestation.

Article provided by SDA Pest Control