BED BUGS PEST CONTROL PERTH

This pest gets its name from the fact that it is usually found in close proximity to beds. That’s because bed bugs need the blood of warm-blooded animals to survive.

Unfortunately, bed bugs can mature in about 35 days. They then live about seven to 12 months. This makes bed bug removal difficult to do without the help of a professional.

The name "bed bug" derives from the preferred habitat of Cimex lectularius: warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. Bed bugs are mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed.

Bed bugs extermination can become costly if not acted upon soon, It is best to use a professional service to control your bed bug problem. There are methods of exterminating bed bugs yourself by heat. Heating up a home to a temperature can certainly help control the pest, but bed bug treatments can be complex and specific to different situations.

You can tell if you have bed buds by looking for rusty or reddish staings on the bedding, dark spots or tiny eggs which are only very small and pale. A number of adverse health effects may result from bed bug bites, including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors. Certain signs and symptoms suggest the presence of bed bugs; finding the adult insects confirms the diagnosis.

Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years. At a point in the early 1940s, they were mostly eradicated in the developed world, but have increased in prevalence since 1995, likely due to pesticide resistance, governmental bans on effective pesticides, and international travel. Because infestation of human habitats has begun to increase, bed bug bites and related conditions have been on the rise as well.

THE BED BUG BITE

Bed bugs primarily feed on humans sleeping in bed at night. The bite is painless, and the blood meal takes about 10 minutes.

BUGS ON THE HUNT

How do bed bugs find hosts while they are asleep? Body heat. The carbon dioxide from exhaled breath and other biological signatures help focus the bed bugs on unsuspecting, snoozing hosts.

The bed bug feeds, then retreats back to its place of harbourage for days or even weeks before coming back out. This can make detection difficult until the infestation is well established.

SIGNS OF BED BUGS

Bed bugs are good at hiding, but not good at hiding evidence. The careless clues they leave are the best indicator your room is overrun with bed bugs. The clues to look for include:

1) Shed bed bug skins - exoskeletons or shells

2) Faecal stains on your mattress and bedding

3) Blood stains on your sheets and pajamas

Bed bug bite reactions in skin look similar to those caused by fleas and mosquitoes. Telling which insect caused a bite might not be possible. Look for these signs of symptoms of a bed bug bite:

• Raised re welts
• Burning and itching
• Bed bug bite and rash across a localised area
• Straight lines of multiple bites

WHERE TO LOOK

Proper bed bug control requires a watchful eye and a good deal of diligence. To feed on humans, bed bugs want close proximity to the host. In the bedroom, headboards and bed framing are favourite spots for these pests. They may also settle into furniture and fixtures that are close to a bed.

Bedrooms are not the only place where bed bugs can be a concern and the feeding doesn’t have to be at night. All bed bugs are looking for are human hosts inactive long enough to provide a meal.

Any place that humans sit, rest or sleep can be a place that bed bugs are introduced or feed.

Sitting for two hours in a Cinema makes you a target. A favourite recliner in the living room can also make you a target. You can also become a target taking a taxi across town.

BED BUG WORRIES TO REST WHEN YOU TRAVEL

Bed bugs have an uncanny ability to spread using unsuspecting people and their belongings as carriers.

Following the steps below will help minimize the chances of you running into bed bugs. More importantly, it will help you minimise the chances of you bringing some home with you.

1)  First, check travel reviews before visiting a hotel, and be careful of those with multiple reports of bed bugs.

2) When you check into a hotel, check the mattress, headboard, bed frame and pictures for any signs of bed bugs.

3) Rather than storing luggage on the bed or floor, keep your luggage on the luggage rack.

4) Avoid storing clothes in dressers or adjacent to the bed and hang clothes that can be hung.

BED BUG CONTROL

Following a thorough inspection bed bug control is most effective utilising the following integrated solutions;

Chemical treatments - Includes the use of residual and non-residual insecticides

Non-chemical treatments - Regular inspections, steamers, vacuum cleaners and mattress protectors

Physical Barriers - Includes the use of mattress, bed frame protectors and interceptors

Education and advice - The effective management of bed bugs become a joint effort between the client and the pest manager. This may include quarantine of personal effects and hot washing in addition to the pest managers treatment program.

Note: It is usually recommended that a 14-21 day follow-up inspection and treatment is undertaken due to bed bug eggs hatching in approximately 5-10 days. Repeat treatments may be required, depending upon the level of infestation.

Pests Out WA always work in accordance with the bed bug Code of Practice and copy can be found at www.bedbug.org.au. This is specialised work and should be undertaken by persons well trained in bed bug control and management. Pests Out WA assess all situations and the client is advised of their role in managing and reducing the spread of infestation.

THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INCORRECT TREATMENT

Treatments that are carried out incorrectly may compromise future attempts at management and eradication. This may result in the problem spreading to other locations adversely affecting the total cost of eradication. The following points are common mistakes made by uninformed pest managers:

1) Lack of on-site assessments and sending technicians to treat with no scope of works

2) Lack of information provided to the people who have occupied the room and housekeepers

3) Incorrect choice of chemicals for a particular job. Different chemicals have different effects on an infestation. The wrong chemical used in the wrong scenario can create long term (up to periods of 12 months) issues preventing eradication.

4) Incorrect handling and advice in relation to stored goods and personal effects

The pest manager is pivotal in ensuring the room is prepared correctly and that the post treatment requirements of the client or occupant are understood.

HOW PESTS OUT WA CAN HELP

Successful control of bed bugs requires planning and an extensive and thorough treatment by a professional pest control company. To eradicate this persistent pest requires a close understanding of its biology, lifestyle and habits. Pests Out WA has that expertise and years of practical field experience. We know exactly which products to use, when to use them and where.

In summary, suspected bed bug infestations need proper assessment and a no obligation quote with full and detailed recommendations is always offered.