Fast facts on bed bugs

Here are some key points about bed bugs. More detail and supporting information is in the main article.

• Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals.
• As humans, we are ideal hosts for bed bugs.
• Bed bugs are so called because of their preferred habitat in human homes: sofas, bed mattresses, etc.
• Most bed bugs feed on their hosts while they are asleep.
• The peak time for feeding is about one hour before sunrise.
• Feeding takes about five minutes, after which the bug returns to its hiding place.
• A female bed bug lays approximately 5 eggs in one day and about 500 during her lifetime.
• Bites can take up to nine days to become visible.
• Unlike flea bites, bed bug bites don’t have a red dot in the center.
• Bed bugs tend to bite in rows. You will likely see two or three bites all in a row.
• Bed bugs are not easy to eradicate. It is advisable to hire a professional in pest control.

Controlling an infestation

Since they can hide in so many places, they are not easy to eradicate. Unless you have a lot of time at your disposal, and limitless patience, it is advisable to get a professional in pest control. PESTCORPS know where to look for them, as well as how to get rid of them.

You can help us by removing excess clutter from your house. If your stuff is strewn about rooms the bed bugs will have many extra places to hide, making inspection and eradication that much more difficult.

We may ask you to move furniture away from walls, and mattresses and box springs stood on edge before we come in, while it’s much better for everything to be left where it is so that we can check before moving them ourselves.

The following procedures are advised

Bedding and garments which are prone to infestation need to be bagged and laundered at 50 degrees celcius minimum because these items cannot be treated with insecticides.
It is not recommended to send your stuff off to be dry-cleaned – this will kill the bugs, but you may be passing your problem onto the dry-cleaning establishment.
You may find it is best to throw some infested items away. A pest control professional will help advise you. Make sure you bag these items carefully before moving them.

Insecticides

Insecticides are a crucial part of getting rid of bed bugs. Baits can’t be used as for ants and cockroaches, as they will not work with bed bugs.
Insecticide applications alone won’t control bed bug infestations it must be combined with infestation prevention measures—a program of removing and cleaning infested beds, bedding, and other harborage sites as mentioned above.
Insecticides are applied as liquids directly to cracks, crevices, bed frames, baseboards, and other similar sites, or they may be applied as dust in cracks and crevices, as well as areas bugs tend to like. Pesticides aren’t generally applied to mattresses or bedding because of potential risk to people.