ABOUT BED BUGS

When people wake up in the morning to discover a line of small red dots on their skin, they may not realize that they are seeing the signs of a troubling situation. However, as these bites become more frequent, it soon becomes clear that the victims are experiencing a bed bug issue.

The idea that their home has been invaded by bed bugs is distasteful to people. Anxious to get rid of the problem, they may look for DIY treatment methods which are not effective in most instances.

Unfortunately, bed bug infestations, even new ones, are incredibly difficult to treat. Bed bugs are not like other insects, and this means that different treatment methods are required to eradicate them.

Bed bugs are a resilient species that are well-adapted to survive. Added to this resiliency is the fact that people are traveling far more now than they did in earlier decades, which makes it easier for bed bugs to spread. Moreover, some of the more powerful pesticides were discontinued decades ago. All of this has led to an explosion in the bed bug population throughout the Bensalem area and across the U.S..

Bensalem homes and businesses suspected of having a bed bug issue should contact an experienced pest management professional which is capable of ending the problem for good.

APPEARANCE

Bed bugs are insects having a pair of antennae and six legs. Their bodies are flat and shaped like an oval. Golden hairs cover their bodies, and adults may reach a total length of just five or six millimeters, especially if they have not fed for a considerable time.

Consuming a meal may cause the bed bug to grow to 10 millimeters in length.

Just as their length increases, the bed bug's girth also increases with food. They look oval and flat before a meal but are more rounded after eating. Their color changes from brown to a reddish-brown as well.

Thanks to their small size and relatively flat shape, the bed bug is well adapted to hide in a wide variety of places.

DIET

Bed bugs require only blood for sustenance. The blood is taken from a mammal, which is preferably human though dogs and cats may be used if necessary.

Typically, bed bugs only feed while the host is asleep. Feeding occurs approximately once every three to four days. Nonetheless, it is possible for bed bugs to survive for months without a meal when a host is not available.

People who have an infestation report that they are most frequently bitten on the extremities, neck and face. However, bed bugs do not restrict themselves to these areas.

Regular blood meals are a necessity for bed bug reproduction. When these pests receive regular food, their population is certain to explode.

HABITATS

A small and flat body makes it possible for bed bugs to conceal themselves in surprisingly cramped places. They may be discovered hiding in the seams of a mattress or box spring. The joints and edges of a bed frame provide additional likely hiding spots.

Bed bugs prefer to stay close to beds where they can obtain an easy meal, which means that they may be found on pillows, comforters and other bedding. However, they may spread to nightstands, hanging artwork and behind the trim on walls. As long as a spot is dark and secluded, bed bugs likely will use it.

Bed bugs are also known to use light fixtures, electrical wiring and plumbing to travel from one room to the next. This helps explain why a bed bug problem can spread with surprising speed.

Bed bugs may survive in other places while they are awaiting a blood meal. Infestations have been discovered on buses, trains and automobiles. Purses and luggage frequently transport these pests without people being aware of their presence. The small, flat shape of the bed bug's body makes it easy for them to hide virtually anywhere.

PROBLEMS WITH BED BUGS

Discovering bed bugs is distressing for most people.

While bed bugs are in residence, most people experience a high degree of mental upset. Indeed, it can prove incredibly disturbing to know that these tiny creatures are feeding on one's blood while they are asleep. As such, sleeping frequently becomes difficult, and relaxation can become all but impossible.

Additionally, once bed bugs are found, it is imperative that the initial infestation is contained as much as possible. This means quarantining the room and not removing any objects from it as they may be infested as well.

As a bed bug issue can cause considerable inconvenience and disruption, it is wise to deal with this problem as quickly as possible to minimize the headaches involved.

BEHAVIOR

Bed bugs emerge at night to acquire a blood meal. These blood meals are critical to the female's ability to reproduce. Moreover, blood is required for the bed bug to complete all of its life stages.

A bed bug may be able to survive for between 80 and 140 days without a meal. When they do feed, they can ingest up to six times their body weight, requiring between three and 10 minutes to become full.

During the daylight hours, bed bugs hide in cracks, crevices and other small places. Bed bugs become more active after the sun goes down. Attracted by the heat, moisture and carbon dioxide given off by people, bed bugs emerge from their hiding places to seek a blood meal.

As a result, nocturnal bed bugs are rarely seen in the daytime, which is one reason why bed bug issues may persist. People often misidentify the source of the red bumps they find on their skin in the morning, and with bed bugs being mostly out of sight, it is easy for the problem to remain largely unnoticed until a population explosion makes it impossible to overlook.

Bed bugs prefer to conceal themselves in and around the places where people sleep including mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards and footboards. Larger infestations may force some insects to secrete themselves in bedside tables and lamps or behind trim pieces around windows and doors or photographs hanging on walls.

And their small size makes it easy for bed bugs to also conceal themselves in unexpected places. The seams in a piece of clothing or a backpack may be ideal hiding spots. This is an especially useful trait, as the bed bug does not have wings. Instead, it generally relies on people to unknowingly transport them.

When temperatures are consistently between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, bed bugs thrive. Colder temperatures may slow them down, but it does not kill them unless they are exposed to sustained temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit for several days. While bed bugs can survive at higher temperatures, extreme heat does kill them. In fact, this is one of the most reliable methods for eliminating bed bugs.

HEALTH ISSUES

A major part of the bed bug's lifestyle requires blood meals from a mammalian host. People are the preferred hosts, and this means that bites are common in an infested household.

Bed bugs are not known to carry or transmit any diseases to people or pets. Most people have little to no reaction to such bites. In fact, some people find that they do not even itch.

Nonetheless, there are rare occurrences of severe reactions to bites from these pests. The most uncomfortable symptom of this is extreme itchiness. Some people have scratched enough at these bites to cause an infection, which may need to be treated by a doctor.

For others, labored breathing may be an additional symptom. Over-the-counter remedies like medicated creams and antihistamines can help to control these reactions.

SIGNS OF A BED BUG INFESTATION

Indications of a bed bug presence include:

• Bed bugs seen in and around the bed
• Unexplained insect bites in the morning
• Sheets with small reddish stains
• Dark spots of bed bug excrement on bedding
• Seeing bed bugs in bedrooms
• Discovering the shed yellow skins of nymphs

PREVENTION TIPS

Bed bug prevention methods include the following measures:

• Thoroughly inspect secondhand furniture, rugs, draperies, clothing and luggage before bringing them home
• Inspect hotel rooms for signs of an infestation
• Check luggage for bed bugs before bringing it home after travel
• Be vigilant in shared laundry facilities by not folding clean clothing there
• Transport clothing to shared laundry facilities in one bag
• Use a clean bag to bring home clean laundry
• Use protective coverings on mattresses and box springs
• Frequently wash bedding and vacuum mattress surfaces
• Regularly vacuum and mop floors to remove bed bugs, eggs and larvae
• Eliminate clutter from all rooms to minimize hiding spots
• Cover or fill cracks and crevices so bed bugs cannot use them

BED BUG CONTROL

Many people make the mistake of thinking that it is possible to eradicate a bed bug infestation without professional help due to the number of different methods and techniques available for DIY bed bug removal. However, do-it-yourself treatments rarely, if ever, prove either successful or permanent. That is why it is important to call a professional pest control company.

SafeGuard Pest Control, LLC. has been providing area home and business owners with professional bed bug extermination for nearly 30 years. And as a licensed pest control provider, we have the products, tools, and experience to eradicate any type of bed bug infestation.

We provide clients with a 100% guarantee and follow up visits to ensure peace of mind and complete bed bug eradication.

BED BUG INSPECTION

If you suspect you may have a bed bug problem, call us. We will conduct a FREE professional inspection of your home or business within a 10-mile radius of our office, searching for all of the known tell-tale signs of a bed bug problem, in all of the areas that could harbor bed bugs and bed bug eggs.

In the event bed bugs are discovered, we will discuss our findings with you and explain the best treatment options for your situation.

BED BUGS FACT SHEET

FREQUENTLY ASKED BED BUG CONTROL QUESTIONS

CAN YOU GET RID OF BED BUGS ON YOUR OWN?

CAN YOU GET RID OF BED BUGS ON YOUR OWN?

While it is possible to treat a bed bug issue on your own, attempting to do so is not recommended.

Successfully eliminating a bed bug problem without assistance from a pest control provider is usually only accomplished while a bed bug presence is first detected. Unfortunately, detecting a bed bug presence early on is typically difficult for the untrained to do.

As a result, due to the size, feeding habits, and other factors relating to bed bugs, the inability to detect and eradicate a bed bug population at the early stages, can result in a full-blown infestation in only a few weeks.

Therefore, it is often best to acquire the services of an experienced bed bug exterminator in order to eliminate a bed bug problem.

HOW DO EXTERMINATORS GET RID OF BED BUGS?

HOW DO EXTERMINATORS GET RID OF BED BUGS?

An experienced bed bug control professional has the knowledge and training in order to detect and eradicate bed bugs. Typically the first step in the process for the bed bug exterminator, is to conduct a full inspection in order to detect the presence of bed bugs, and to assess the size and scope of the infestation.

Then, the technician will utilize one or more treatment methods necessary for successful eradication, based on the type of infestation, size and type of structure involved, as well as the needs and preferences of the customer.

The various processes that can be utilized by bed bug control professionals for bed bug extermination include standard chemical treatments, heat remediation, stream treatments, or Co2 treatments.

DOES BED BUG SPRAY AND INSECTICIDES WORK?

DOES BED BUG SPRAY AND INSECTICIDES WORK?

Today, there are many types of bed bug sprays and insecticides available. Although many of these do-it-yourself products can provide a fairly reasonable degree of effectiveness, this is usually only accomplished by treating bed bugs directly. That is because most sprays are only formulated to provide noticeable results on direct contact.

While there are also some insecticides available to consumers that contain some residual properties which enable them to kill bed bugs indirectly that come in contact with the agent, most products cannot offer the same level of effectiveness as the professional-grade products made available only by the EPA to licensed exterminators.

WHAT IS THE BEST INSECTICIDE TO KILL BED BUGS?

WHAT IS THE BEST INSECTICIDE TO KILL BED BUGS?

Two of the leading insecticides used for bed bug eradication are pyrethrin and pyrethroid.

Pyrethrin-based products can be considered a type of natural insecticide since they are derived from chrysanthemum plants. These products provide quick results due to their ability to attack an insect's nervous system, and are therefore used to eradicate mosquitoes, lice, fleas, as well as bed bugs.

Pyrethroid-based products are synthetic insecticides that are similar to that of pyrethrin, in that they also affect the nervous system of many insects, and likewise are used to treat various insects in addition to bed bugs.

While bed bugs have begun to build an immunity against these insecticides, nevertheless studies have shown that these insecticides can still be effective for bed bug eradication when used in combination.

WHAT CHEMICAL KILLS BED BUGS AND THEIR EGGS?

WHAT CHEMICAL KILLS BED BUGS AND THEIR EGGS?

As noted above, Pyrethrin-based and Pyrethroid-based products have been used to successfully treat bed bugs. They have also been found to be able to treat the eggs of bed bugs.

However, some strains of bed bugs have been able to hatch their eggs whether pyrethrin or pyrethroid was used alone or even against products that contain both insecticides. Yet, when other newer agents are added, pyrethrin or pyrethroid can still be used to successfully treat bed bugs and their eggs.

Additionally, some of the latest agents being developed can prevent many insect eggs from even hatching, such as with Beta-Cyfluthrin and Imidacloprid.

WHAT KILLS BED BUGS INSTANTLY?

WHAT KILLS BED BUGS INSTANTLY?

There are several methods of treatment capable of killing bed bugs instantly.

STEAM

Steam can be used to kill bed bugs instantly when applied directly by utilizing a delivery method capable of producing steam with surface temperatures registering 160-180°F.

CO2

Whereas steam can be used to kill bed bugs immediately, so too can cold. CO2 can be utilized to freeze bed bugs on contact when delivered at temperatures of at least 120°.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN EXTERMINATOR TO GET RID OF BED BUGS?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN EXTERMINATOR TO GET RID OF BED BUGS?

How long it takes for an exterminator to get rid of bed bugs can vary since treatment times vary with the type of treatment being used.

For instance, by utilizing the standard chemical method of bed bug eradication, a bed bug control technician can complete treatment within a matter of a few hours, generally requiring about a half-hour up to a two-hour period depending on room size, amount of furnishings, and degree of infestation.

Conversely, a whole-house heat treatment could take 6-8 hours or longer depending on the type of system used.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET RID OF BED BUGS BY AN EXTERMINATOR?

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET RID OF BED BUGS BY AN EXTERMINATOR?

What an exterminator charges to get rid of bed bugs will vary according to the treatment type, size and type of structure, and to some degree, level of infestation, though a schedule of follow-up visits/treatments is usually included in the original price.

As such, national averages for bed bug eradication range from $450 to $1,500.