Bed Bugs are back in Town and there not leaving

Feb. 21, 2013 - PRLog -- Bed Bugs are Back!
M.R. Smoker-Special News Correspondent
BUDGET BROTHERS TERMITE & PEST ELIMINATION

Eggs hatch in about ten days. Under ideal conditions, the young can reach adulthood
with in three to four weeks. Young Bed Bugs must take a blood meal before they can shed their skins and grow. They shed their skins five times before becoming adults.

Phoenix, Arizona- February 20, 2013-The common Bed Bug prefers to feed on humans, but will feed on mice, rats, bats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds, especially chickens and swallows.  Pets such as dogs and cats are not a major host for Bed Bugs. The other species of Bed Bug found in the Northeast, the
bat bug prefers bats, but when the bats migrate for the winter, these parasites may venture into our living spaces; in a pinch, humans will do.  Bed Bugs feed for about five to ten minutes at night, while the host sleeps, then drop off the host and crawl to a sheltered crevice where they will remain for several days while digesting the meal.  They tend to bite all over the body, especially on the areas that are more exposed while we sleep, such as the face, neck, arms, and hands. However, you may not see this evidence of their feeding because people experience a range of reactions to bites from blood-sucking insects.  Some people are hardly aware they have been bitten, but others suffer an allergic reaction to the saliva injected while the insects fed, and may develop painful swellings.  For this reason, people in the same household may have different opinions about how “bad” the infestation is, or whether Bed Bugs are present at all.  Heavy infestations of Bed Bugs have been shown to cause anemia in children and the elderly.  Bed Bug problems in the home may also cause stress and sleeplessness.  Their presence may be undetected for months.  Additionally, because they can survive for about eighteen months without feeding, Bed Bug infestations can persist in abandoned buildings or those that are only used seasonally.

In the early stages of an infestation, Bed Bugs will be found around the seams and tufts of the
mattress, while later on, they’ll spread to cracks in the bed frame and then to gaps behind
baseboards, pictures, window and door casings, wallpaper, and other similar shelters.
Look for the insects, their cast skins, and eggs near crevices.  Check pillowcases, sheets, and the mattress for bloodstains, smears, (the sign of their feeding).  When their populations are high, you may notice a pungent, sickly-sweet odor that smells like raspberries.  Examine the room thoroughly, moving in a logical pattern.  Use a flashlight to peer behind and underneath furniture and woodwork. Look under all items that are attached to or against the wall.

Check possible hiding places such as
• Seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box spring
• Cracks in the bed frame and head board
• Underneath chairs, couches, beds, dustcovers
• Between the cushions of upholstered furniture
• Underneath area rugs and the edges of carpets
• Between the folds of drapery or curtains
• In the drawers of nightstands, dressers, etc.
• Behind the baseboards
• Around door and window casings
• Behind electrical switch plates
• Under loose wallpaper, paintings, posters, etc.
• In cracks in the plaster
• In telephones, radios, clocks, and similar places


It’s also important to inspect new and used furniture before bringing it inside.  Look in narrow spaces, along the seams, under folds of cloth, and under cushions.  If you find signs of bats in the building, then you could be dealing with bat bugs.  

First, call Budget brothers Termite & Pest Elimination to remove and exclude bats from the space. In addition to treating the living spaces the bat bugs may have invaded, Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination will find the location of the bats’ roost and clean that area.

There’s no getting around it: if you want to get rid of Bed Bugs, you need to clean.  Clean and get rid of all the clutter, especially in your bedroom.  Remove things they could hide behind or underneath, such as pictures, posters, and area rugs.

Vacuuming is an effective way to remove Bed Bugs and the dirt that provides them with shelter (it works for many other insects, too).  To manage Bed Bug infestations, it’s best to vacuum each area thoroughly, every day. Tilt the mattress, box spring, and furniture upside down so you
can reach all sides.  Concentrate on seams, creases, folds, and around any tufts or buttons.
Vacuum the furniture, the bed frame, the floor, and baseboards—wherever your inspection revealed the presence of Bed Bugs.  Empty the vacuum immediately. If your vacuum has a bag, you can close the bag, and then place the bag in a freezer for at least 24 hours before
disposing of it; this will kill the Bed Bugs.

Bed Bugs are sensitive to extreme temperatures in each of their life stages; the young are more
vulnerable than the adults.  So toss your sheets, pillowcases, bed skirt, and blankets into a hot dryer for forty-five minutes to kill Bed Bugs. Steam cleaning is another option if it is done properly at a high temperature.  You don’t have to throw out your bedding.  Both extreme heat and freezing can also be used to remove Bed Bugs from clothing and other objects that can
with stand that temperature.

Move your bed away from the wall, and make sure the linens, bed skirt, and blanket don’t touch the floor.  This will make it harder for the Bed Bugs to crawl into your bed.  They don’t fly or jump, so crawling is their only option.  You may also want to slip the mattress into a mattress encasement, cloth or nylon cover that zips closed all the way around mattress.
Popular remedies in the early 1900s included smearing petroleum jelly on the bed legs or standing the legs in jars of soapy water.  Some now advise wrapping bed legs with double-sided sticky tape or silicone tape.  While it’s true that Bed Bugs can’t navigate an extremely sticky or
smooth surface or pass through soapy water, these techniques could damage the bed.  In some cases, it might not be possible to wrap the tape around the legs tightly enough to keep the insects from crawling underneath the tape.

Do your best to eliminate their shelter by sealing the crevices you found during the inspection. Caulk will work well in many areas, such as around windowsills or along baseboards, but if you need to fill cracks in the floorboards, furniture, or the bed frame, you may wish to consult with a furniture maker.  Repair or remove peeling wallpaper, and tighten any loose light switch covers. In addition, while you’re at it, take the time to try to prevent future invasions.  That’s critical, because you don’t want more Bed Bugs to enter your home!  Bed Bugs travel along routes created by pipes and electrical conduits.  So seal any openings where pipes, wires, or other utilities come into your home.  Pay special attention to walls that are shared with other apartments.

Pesticides are another option for killing Bed Bugs, but as early as 1948 there were reports of Bed
Bugs that were resistant to such insecticides as DDT; such resistance complicates efforts to
manage populations using pesticides.  Luckily, several types of less toxic products for killing Bed Bugs are now available, and because some of these products work in different ways, Bed Bugs also won’t be able to develop resistance to them as easily.  For example, silica gel dusts work by chafing the outer waxy cuticle of an insect, causing it to rapidly lose water and die. Silica gel is sometimes combined with pyrethrums, which are toxic to insects. They’re often used in wall voids and inaccessible places around the home.  Please contact Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination.

For most people, Bed Bugs are more of a nuisance than a medical threat.  Humans are generally responsible for introducing Bed Bugs into new areas; they have a limited home range, and spread slowly by themselves.  Therefore, with some diligence, you should be able to eliminate the infestation
using an I.P.M. approach, Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination.  First, identify the insect.  Inspect the rooms thoroughly, focusing on the bedroom.  Look for signs of Bed Bugs, for possible hiding places and for openings that would allow them to enter your home.  Clean and get rid of clutter to eliminate their shelter.  Choose the removal methods that best fit your situation; if that includes a pesticide; opt for a less toxic one.  Make any repairs needed to prevent future invasions. Success will depend on your cooperation.  Allow the Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination technicians, access to every location that could hide Bed Bugs, including closets and clothing dressers, and follow their recommendations—especially concerning preparing, vacuuming and cleaning.  Contact Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination to learn about insecticides that are registered for use against Bed Bugs in Arizona.

Whatever techniques you use to manage the Bed Bug infestation, give them time.  It’s extremely difficult to penetrate all of the Bed Bugs’ hiding places, so even if your approach is working, you may see a few living Bed Bugs for a week to ten days.  After two weeks, if you still see many Bed
Bugs restart your efforts.  A Bed Bug Treatment may consists of three to four services over a three to four week period depending on the level of infestation