By turning up the heat to around 140 degrees, bed bugs have no chance of survival. Of course you need to ensure that bed bugs are the pest t...
Case Studies
When bed bugs bite, don't rest tight. Take action immediately.
The tiny insects are making a comeback in regions across the UK. The good news is that they are not life-threatening; people are not going to die from them. The worst-case scenario is that you'll get an allergic rash. The bad news is that there are more and more of them and they're going to create a lot of problems for people in the near future.
An increase in international travel, plus banning certain pesticides, has meant a comeback for these little insects. Bed bug complaints are in part the result of the sophisticated pesticides on the market today, which tend to target only one pest, and don't kill bed bugs.
Rather than use chemical agents to cull an infestation, some pest control companies are turning up the heat, raising room temperatures to around 140 degrees to cook the pests into oblivion. Heat is the only method shown and proven to kill all life cycles in one application, which is vital if you're running a hotel, for example, and you need to have your room back in service right away.
What is important is that if you suspect you've caught a case of bed bugs, then take action straight away. Wash your sheets and clothes in hot water, pick up that vacuum and get to cleaning, but don't play exterminator. If you simply grab a can of pesticide and spray your whole house, you may be causing an even bigger problem. You always want to confirm you know what your pest is before you do any pesticide treatment.
Try to catch the insect and call out a professional pest control company. Some offer free inspections that only take about half an hour.
The common bed bug is a reddish-brown insect that doesn't grow much longer than 0.2 inches, about the size of an apple seed. Flat and oval-shaped, the bugs are active primarily at night when they feed on their sleeping hosts.
The best way to check for the pests is to look for clues they leave behind on mattresses and upholstered furniture – blood stains and fecal matter. And if that's the case, call an exterminator. Over-the-counter pesticides aren't effective.
Besides the home, bed bugs can be found in cinemas, hospitals and college halls of residence – any place that people are going to live or spend an amount of time sitting, sleeping, relaxing, lounging around.
Cleanliness has nothing to do with your chances of having an infestation; Everyone's at risk if precautions aren't taken. Bed bugs have been found in very, very nice houses.