Bed Bugs
Click the link below for an excellent resource on Bedbugs
A Complete Guide to the Impact, Identification, and Treatment of Bed Bugs
Because of the chemical resistance that has developed in Bed Bugs, we are not able to guarantee a complete extermination. With repeated treatments combining mechanical methods, such as sealing and vacuuming and sprays we do guarantee ‘results’. But only if our recommendations are followed.
The ‘Results’ you can expect will be a reduction of activity over time, this could take months and repeated visits. There is still a chance that one Bed Bug will survive and start the infestation all over again, so there is no guarantee of extermination.
We are reluctant to get involved as they are incredibly difficult to control. If you choose Heat Treatment or traditional treatment you will be spending a lot of money and even then we can not gurantee the full extermination of Bed Bugs.
If you wish to go ahead we need to do a pre-treatment assessment this cost approximately $195 plus GST per room. After that we will know if we can be involved, this will depend on whether we feel we can help you or not
Bed Bugs are wingless insects, roughly oval in shape, 4-5mm long when fully grown, and are fast runners. They are rust brown in colour and change to a deeper red brown following a blood meal. Bed bugs are dorsoventrally flattened and being thin means that they can hide in narrow cracks and crevices, making detection very difficult.
The mouth-parts of bed bugs are especially adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Like most blood sucking arthropods, they inject saliva during feeding, which has anticoagulant properties. Bed bugs respond to the warmth and carbon dioxide of a host and quickly locate a suitable feeding site. They tend not to live on humans and the only contact is for a blood meal. Most blood feeding occurs at night, and they generally seek shelter during the day and become inactive while digesting the blood meal.
However, bed bugs are opportunistic and will bite in the day especially if starved for some time. They can survive for long periods without feeding. While their preferred host is human, they will feed on wide variety of other warm-blooded animals including rodents, rabbits, bats, and even birds. If bed bugs are suspected then Pest Controller from Elite Pest Control should be consulted. A careful inspection must be undertaken and all possible hiding places within infested and adjoining rooms examined.
What health risks do Bed Bugs pose?
A Bed Bug bite affects each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction. Bed Bugs are not considered to be dangerous; however, an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention. What are the signs and symptoms of a Bed Bug infestation? One of the easiest ways to identify a Bed Bug infestation is by the tell-tale bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands, or any other body parts while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if Bed Bugs have infested an area.
These signs include:
- The Bed Bug’s exoskeletons after moulting.
- Bed Bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets.
- Rusty–coloured blood spots due to their blood-filled feacal material that they excrete on the mattress or nearby furniture, and a sweet musty odour.
Non-Chemical Treatments
While none of these may provide complete control in and of themselves, they can be beneficial to the overall long-term control of Bed Bugs.
- Wash and dry bedding and clothing at high temperatures to kill bed bugs.
- Heat infested articles and/or areas through to at least 45 ºC for 1 hour. The higher the temperature, the shorter the time needed to kill bed bugs at all life stages.
- Cold treatments (below -17 ºC for at least 4 days) can eliminate some infestations. Again, the cooler the temperature, the less time needed to kill bed bugs.
- Use mattress, box spring, and pillow encasements to trap bed bugs and help detect them.
Good housekeeping practices and a reduction in possible harbourage such as cracks and crevices will discourage repeat infestations. As bed bugs are cryptic in their habits, complete control is often difficult to achieve with the first treatment. This is especially so with heavy infestations and thus a post control treatment evaluation is always advisable.
How are Bed Bugs treated and prevented? If you suspect, you have an infestation immediately contact your host or landlord. The best way to prevent Bed Bugs is monitoring for the signs of an infestation with Bed Bug Monitor.
Why Pesticides Do Not Always Work!
Because of the chemical resistance that has developed over time, we are not able to guarantee complete extermination of Bed Bugs.
With repeated treatments and using mechanical methods, such as sealing and vacuuming, and if our recommendations are followed, we can get results, but it will take time.
Bed Bug Prevention
As is so often the case with pest control, the best offence against bed bug infestation in your home is a good defence. A few simple precautions to help prevent bed bug infestation are:
- Check second-hand furniture, beds, and couches for any signs of bed bug infestation before bringing them home.
- Use a protective cover that encases mattresses and box springs which eliminates many hiding spots. Light coloured encasements also make bed bugs easier to see. Be sure to purchase a high quality encasement that will resist tearing and check it regularly for holes.
- Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs.
Bed Bugs When Travelling
- In hotel rooms, use luggage racks to hold your luggage when packing or unpacking rather than setting your luggage on the bed or floor.
- Check the mattress and headboard before sleeping.
- Upon returning home, unpack directly into a washing machine and inspect your luggage carefully.
