Tips For Avoiding Bed Bugs

Bed bugs aren't the only insect that feasts on our blood, but since they hide in the sheets and sneak up on us while we're sleeping, there is something especially creepy about them.

As you might have heard, the number of bed bug complaints is rising rapidly. Pete Jameson from Dynamic Pest Control based in Cheshire said he is so busy on house calls he barely had time to write this article: "The number of infestations in Cheshire is up. I would say it is at least double from last year."

Other sources, such as the British Pest Control Association, suggest that the number of bed bug complaints is up at least 500 percent. "There is a resurgence of bed bugs all over the world," said Pete, "but 15 years ago, the average pest control company didn't know anything about them and rarely got any calls. So 500 percent of one or two calls is still not very many calls."

Still, have you seen a photo of a bedbug? Perhaps you know their only source of food is blood. Perhaps you know they can live for over a year without a meal, waiting for delicious you to fall asleep on a little-used couch cushion or mattress.

Yes, they prefer us sleeping, since it takes them awhile to chow down, and they like to leave a whole row of bites along the smorgasbord of our skin. Somehow we are accustomed to being dinner for mosquitoes, but bed bugs, who hide in our sheets, just seem sneakier and creepier.

Bed bugs, which are largely resistant to insecticides, are expert hitch-hikers and can be transported on clothing and luggage, infested furniture and animals and pets. The biggest problems with bed bug infestations are in larger cities like Warrington.

Pete's Top Tips

To minimize the risk of you becoming a bed bugs' next victim, Pete has put together some common sense tips:

• Don't pick up furniture off the curb. Furniture may have been put out because it is infested.
• Know the signs of bed bugs, the faeces and shed skin they leave behind can give you an instant clue that there is a problem.
• Bed bugs are normally associated with furniture, so if you are moving into an unfurnished apartment, bed bugs may be less of an issue, but you're not totally worry-free. Bed bugs will hide in wallboards and baseboards, waiting for the juicy new tenants to arrive.
• If you are concerned about bed bugs in your living space, consider enclosing your mattress in specially designed encasements that allow you to easily see if there are bed bugs. Encasements also prevent bed bugs from preferring your bed.
• If you rent furniture, ask the rental company how they manage infestations. Some use large heat chambers. Putting a couch or mattress in high heat will kill all bed bugs and their progeny. Bed bugs also will freeze to death. Putting a suspect couch in an unheated garage over the winter could solve a problem.

Article provided by Dynamic Pest Control