HOW TO CONTROL BED BUGS

Bed bugs

Bed bug control: Bed bugs are pests that leave with Human or animal and also feed on their blood. They are categorized as insects and more active at night to feed on their prey, with the ability to detect their prey even in a complete darkness. The adult bed bug is like an apple seed in size, they leave swell and reddish color on the skin after feeding on it.

Bedbug reproduction

Bed bugs begin life as eggs, as big as a grain of rice the eggs hatch into a nymph, which looks like a smaller version of an adult bed bug the nymph goes through five stages called instar, after which it’s a fully mature adult. At each stage, it molts its shell, once the nymph becomes an adult, it can start to mate

The insect’s biology reflects its role as an external parasite: high fertility (a single female can lay up to 500 eggs), the ability to resist deprivation (it can go three months or more without feeding) and high mobility. Blood meals are needed for the adults to lay eggs and for the larvae to complete their development. The insect’s bite and its saliva causes itching and allergies, as well as social phobias and even out sized fears

Male breaks the female’s shell to inject their sperm directly into the abdomen of females using a syringe-like organ, a process called traumatic insemination; it travels around the bed bug’s ‘bloodstream’ to the ovaries and fertilizes the eggs. The female will then leave to find another harbor age and lay eggs for 6-8 weeks after mating just once.  This whole process happens over the course of about two months, and each female can lay more than two hundred eggs in the right conditions.

While the bed bug long ago lost its wings, it’s perfectly adapted to be transported by its hosts and their belongings – it can hitch a ride on clothing, furniture, luggage and more.

Danger of bedbug

Bedbugs are pests that can live anywhere in the home. They can live in cracks in furniture or in any type of textile. Bedbug infestations are most common in beds, including the mattress, box springs, bed frames etc. Bedbugs are most active at night. These pests may bite any exposed areas of skin while an individual is sleeping. Common locations they bite are the face, neck, hands, and arms.

How do you know if you have bedbugs?

Fecal stains or rust-colored dark spots, egg cases, and shed skins. But only observing the bugs themselves can confirm an active infestation. A professional pest-control company may be required to help identify and remove bedbugs from the home.

Where do they live?

They can live in polar latitudes, high altitudes, deserts and… everywhere else. These little insects aren’t particular about where they set up shop – hospitals, public housing and rich neighborhoods are all equally attractive to them. Given that bed bugs like to hang out where people congregate in the largest numbers.

Bedbugs do not fly, but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. Female bedbugs may lay hundreds of eggs, each of which is about the size of a speck of dust, over a lifetime.

If some insects could save the Earth, others do their best to seriously complicate life on Earth; among them are bed bugs, which can be found in our homes, hotels and public facilities to seriously disturb us.

Bed Bug Control | How do we get rid of them?

1. Remove all of them from the Headboard and the Bed Frame

In two out of three cases of bed bug infestations, the bugs are present either in the bed frame or in the box spring/mattress; this is why it is important to start the cleaning from here. In the end, the reason why they are referred to as “bed bugs” is because they thrive in and around the bed area.

You may use a combination of vacuuming and some light natural insecticides for this, because if it turns out to be that your mattress serves as a host, washing it would be impossible – at least not without turning your mattress into the proper environment for mold and mildew to develop, both of which are more dangerous than the bed bugs. Also, it is of utmost importance to make sure that you have removed all the eggs as well; otherwise all your work will be in vain.

2. Try a Natural Pesticide

Fortunately, there are many natural pesticides that you can opt for and that are at least as efficient as the commercial grade ones. These are non-toxic and cost-effective, and the most widely used one for beg bug control infestations is certainly DE or diatomaceous earth.

In a nutshell, DE is a highly potent and 100% organic powder that is made of water plants, and it can be found at most gardening stores for effective bed bug control. It efficiently kills the bed bugs and all their eggs, and all you have to do is to gently sprinkle the powder in all the places where the bed bugs gather.

3. Lavender Oil Works like Magic

Essential oils, such as that of eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint or tea tree have always been used to address bug and mite infestations of all kind, and it is usually their strong scent that keeps these tiny critters at bay. That being said, it was proven that lavender oil acts as a natural and efficient bed bug repellent, as the bugs seem to hate the smell and taste. Essential oils is good for bed bug control.

If you opt for the concentrated form, then you can easily add a few drops of the oil across the corners of the bed frame and the strong scent will last for days – not only will it destroy the existing bed bugs and their eggs, but will also leave a pleasant smell that will certainly appeal to you.

4. Vacuum Everything

Another efficient way to get rid of beg bugs or control bedbug naturally and efficiently is by simply vacuuming everything you can get your hands on, from the chairs, carpets and soft furnishings to the box springs, the curtains and the mattresses. Bed bugs can basically hide everywhere, especially in obscure places, and it is not uncommon to even find them in your electrical appliances. Vacuum the entire room at least once a week and make sure not one stone is left unturned!

5. Wash Your Bedding at Very High Temperatures

High temperatures kill everything, from bed bugs and mites to bacteria and microbes, and this is the best way to sanitize your clothing and bedding. Once you have done so, make sure to thoroughly dry them in the dryer and then put them in clean plastic bags to prevent further infestation with bed bugs.

6. Steam Cleaning For Your Fabrics and Soft Furniture

There are some items that cannot be washed at high temperatures, and although vacuuming does work like a charm most of the time, sometimes you need to take radical measures to ensure complete extermination. Steam cleaning is very good for bed bug control.

Steam cleaning is highly efficient for killing bed bugs, as neither the bugs nor their eggs can tolerate the steam. Besides this, one of the greatest benefits of steam cleaning is that it penetrates deep into the fabric and it can also reach the areas that are otherwise unreachable, such as small cracks and corners.

You can use the services of a professional who has state of the art, portable steam cleaning equipment or you can buy a small handheld steam cleaner that has a strong vapor flow and do it yourself (these devices come with a plethora of different attachments that allow you to access even the most troublesome spots). These devices create a fog-like steam that will immediately exterminate these little critters, even if you do not see them.

Regardless of the chosen steaming method, it is crucial to make sure that the steam is dry, not wet, otherwise it can destroy the fabric or the soft furniture. Steam everything, just like you did when you used the vacuum cleaner, from the bedding and the furniture to fixtures, cabinets, flooring, wall cracks and any other object that may seem like a good hiding spot for bed bugs.

7. CALL EOA PEST CONTROL®

Of course, the best method to destroying bed bugs is to call EOA®. Our Technician is ready to professionally inspect and attend to your situation, eliminate bed bugs where they live and get them out of your home at once. Call us, and let us help you protect your family.