One of the more popular service requests we have had this summer has been about bed bugs. In the past, this particular pest has had a nasty reputation of being nearly indestructible unless you burn everything you own. That’s a bit excessive. While bed bugs are no laughing matter and require swift and aggressive treatment, you don’t need to destroy everything in your home to get rid of them. A quick call to the pest control professional will do just fine.
So why are these particular pests so difficult? We have always believed the best way to solve a problem is to learn about and understand it. With that in mind we have researched some interesting facts about bed bugs, and the best ways of dealing with them.
The first fact to address is a myth that bed bugs are only found in hotels/motels. In reality bed bugs can live and thrive anywhere. Single family homes, apartments, hospitals, college dorm rooms, business offices, transportation such as trains and buses, movie theaters, and even retail stores. It’s always a good idea to keep this in mind, and know that they can come from anywhere.
And they aren’t just in big, bustling cities, or super poor countries. Bed bugs are no respecter of financial class. Bed bugs are found in all 50 United States, according to surveys. One such inquiry, the NPMA’s ” Bed Bugs in America” survey, “ found that 17 percent of those surveyed reported having bed bugs in the Northeast; 20 percent in the Midwest; 20 percent in the South; and 19 percent in the West. However, the incidence of bed bugs is three times higher in urban areas than in rural areas due to factors such as larger population size, apartment living and increased mobility, which are conducive to the rapid spread and breeding of bed bugs.” (https://www.pestworld.org)
Now that we understand where they live, we must also understand why such extreme measures have been required and even exaggerated for treatment and removal of these pests. Bed bugs are very hardy for their size. They can survive for months without an actual blood meal, hiding in luggage, bedding, furniture, and bags until another human comes along. Bed bugs are also able to withstand extreme temperatures, ranging from nearly freezing to 122 degrees! (That’s probably why people assumed everything had to be burned or heated to extreme temperatures.) However, according to pestworld.org, “Because of this, bed bugs are not a pest that can be treated with DIY measures. Professional pest control is the most effective way to treat an infestation.” (National Pest Management Association, 2022).
In addition to being very hardy, bed bugs are also very smart and methodical. They know how to hide in furniture and mattress crevices, picture frames and electrical face-plates, and stay out of sight during the day. At night, the carbon dioxide that we breathe out draws the bed bugs out for meal time. They are very methodical with their feeding pattern as well. Each one will feed for 5 to 10 minutes at a time, leaving a pattern on the skin of their “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” in the form of three red bite marks in a row. In fact, these red marks are a strong indication of a bed bug infestation.
So if bed bugs bite three times each meal time, why don’t people wake up to the feeling? Most people would assume a bug bite would be painful and noticeable. But bed bugs are special. According to pestworld.org, “components in bed bug saliva act as an anesthetic and promote increased blood flow at the bite site, making the feeding process quick and nearly painless.” (National Pest Management Association, 2022). Once the bed bugs are done feeding, they hide away for 5 to 10 days to digest their food, mate, and lay eggs in their hiding spots.
Now that we understand bed bugs and how they live, we understand why such aggressive measures are required to remedy an infestation. Bed bugs are definitely not one of the pests that should be treated using DIY methods. If not handled swiftly and aggressively by a pest control professional, a small infestation can turn to a serious situation very quickly. If you suspect even the possibility of a bed bug invasion, call or text Precision Pest Solutions at 937-772-7758 to schedule an on-site inspection and quote as soon as possible.
Reference:
Six Facts You Didn’t Know About Bed Bugs: Wacky, Weird but True Bed Bug Facts, (June 23,
2022) National Pest Management Association,
https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/six-facts-you-didnt-know-about-bed-bugs/