Bed Bugs. The notoriously itchy, infuriatingly tiny and infamously elusive little parasites are a vacationer’s worst nightmares and are commonly associated with overnight stays in grimy hotel rooms. Unbeknownst to many travelers, however, a bed bug’s presence has little to do with cleanliness and more to do with the fact that rooms where people sleep are essentially a rotating smorgasbord of yummy blood upon which the bugs can feast. This is why bed bugs show up in the ritziest of establishments as well as less well-to-do motels.
How Did I Get Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are also commonly found in highly populated sleeping areas such as apartment buildings, cruise ships and shelters. And once these oval, ¼ inch chompers have infested an area, they’re difficult to exterminate. Like the mighty roach, bed bugs have been around longer than any public record. Pharaonic Egyptian archives show signs of bed bugs and archaeologists discovered their fossilized remains in Egyptian tombs.
So how did they make it all the way from the pyramids and into your home? Bed bugs are renowned hitchhikers. They can’t jump, so once they climb onto your luggage, purse or backpack, they’re there until you reach your next stop.
Why Are Bed Bug Infestations So Difficult to Treat?
It’s no wonder the old adage “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” has become uncomfortably commonplace in American homes. Their flat bodies allow them to hide in the smallest nook of a wall or seam of a mattress.
Oddly enough, bed bugs are most difficult to treat because they are weak. Their two greatest weaknesses are their susceptibility to high temperatures and their speed.
· Temperature Sensitive: These little mites cannot survive in temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why it’s advisable to wash your clothes in hot water after vacation.
· Speed: Bed bugs move at a sloth-like pace, traveling only about 3 or 4 feet per minute. Perhaps due to their lackadaisical existence, their metabolisms are their greatest strength. Bed bugs can, in dire circumstances, go an entire year without a blood meal. In these cases, they will take on a more translucent pallor, rather than the rusty blood-colored brown you usually see in pictures.
Unfortunately, female bed bugs can lie between 1 and 5 eggs every day and up to 500 eggs in a lifetime. So, despite their weaknesses, the sheer number of bed bugs makes them difficult to eliminate.
Bed Bug Bites
A bed bug bite reaction ranges based upon the victim’s sensitivity. They can appear as lines of little, swollen bumps with a dark red center or as a larger inflamed area or rash. Bed bugs are most likely to latch their tiny teeth onto the skin of the head and neck, but any patch of exposed skin is fair game.
But while bed bugs are reputed bloodsuckers, they are not known to spread disease. Rather, their effect on a home can be one of gnawing annoyance. Constant itching. Lack of sleep. A general grubbiness.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
Unfortunately, bed bugs are not susceptible to common household pesticides, making them difficult to eradicate. Additionally, many of the products that successfully kill bed bugs are registered for specially trained professionals, which is why you need a Pest Control Company you can trust.
There are a few instinctive mistakes first-time bed bug sufferers make upon the discovery of these uninvited guests.
· Moving to a New Room: As hard as it sounds, if you have bed bugs, resist the urge to sleep in another room lest the voracious critters follow you to another part of your house.
· Discarding Furniture: In many cases, bed bug-riddled furniture can be salvaged. But if you absolutely need to dispose of your belongings, make sure to seal the items in a heavy-duty bag and label the bag “BED BUG INFESTED-DO NOT TAKE.”
· Insect Misidentification: The best thing you can do is stay calm and make sure you’ve correctly identified the insect. In many cases, people have made the costly mistake of mistaking a bed bug with other insects such as bat bugs (nearly identical insects who feed off the blood of bats). A pest management professional will help you make the correct identification and help you proceed with treatment.
If you suspect you may have a bed bug infestation, there’s a simple hack to determine whether they’ve infiltrated your home. Bed bugs are not graceful creatures and cannot scale smooth surfaces. If you have a small piece of furniture you think may bed bugs, place it in the sink or your bathtub. As long as there’s no dirt for them to latch onto, you’ll be able to determine if you have bed bugs.
DIAL ONE Franklynn Pest Control will Exterminate Your Bed Bugs
The egg stage is the most resistant to bed bug treatments, which is why you need a professional you can count on getting it right the first time. If you miss even one single pregnant female, your house could be re-infested within months.
DIAL ONE Franklynn Pest Control uses state of the art equipment to assess your home and implement an immediate, effective solution. Don’t spend another sleepless, itchy night in an infested bed! Call Franklynn today for immediate results.
