Bed bugs are a worldwide pest that is very annoying to humans.
If you have a bed bug infestation, professional exterminators are highly recommended.
Adult bedbugs can live from six to twenty-four months, and reproduce very quickly: the female bedbug can lay up to five hundred eggs in her lifetime. Neglecting the presence of bed bugs can quickly cause a massive infestation that you will quickly regret.
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Evidence of bed bugs
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to detect the presence of bed bugs before you are bitten. However, it is still possible to detect them in advance by inspecting certain strategic locations where bed bugs like to hide.
Bedbug bites: the most reliable indicator
The place of stinging
Bed bugs usually bite in the parts of the body least covered by bedding. The most exposed areas are usually the face, neck and arms.
THE NUMBER OF BITES
Bed bugs bite in a cluster, i.e. a single bed bug will bite in several different places in the same area of the body.
THE SHAPE OF THE PUNCTURE
The shape of a bed bug bite is flat and tiny. The only exception to this rule is when the bite is inflamed, in which case it will be slightly swollen.
Bed bug bites are fairly easy to recognise and are much more itchy than mosquito bites. If you wake up with all of these symptoms, you are definitely dealing with a bed bug infestation.
These bites can be particularly bothersome in your daily life, not only because of the itchiness, but also because some of the bites are visible and can make you feel socially awkward.
Visible signs of bed bug infestation
Before you are bitten by a bed bug, it is sometimes possible to spot them as a result of a strategic inspection or even by chance. Since bed bugs are secretive insects that only attack their prey at night, if you start seeing them too often in your bedroom, it’s high time to call in the exterminators.
Here’s what should confirm your suspicions about bed bugs if you have suspicious bites.
SEEING BED BUGS
Bed bugs normally only come out at night. If you come across them when you wake up in the middle of the night, this is a bad sign. If you come across them in the daytime, your infestation is already very heavy.
TRACES OF EXCREMENT
Bed bugs, like many insects, leave droppings wherever they go. If you look at your mattresses, box springs or baseboards and see droppings, they are probably bed bugs.
The eggs
These insects can reproduce at an impressive rate. It is therefore not uncommon to find eggs in the middle of your box springs, mattresses or other baseboards. An infestation of bed bugs can quickly get out of control as these creatures are so efficient at reproducing.
Causes of bed bugs
This issue has been addressed and evaded in many ways over the past decades. Where do bed bugs come from? Although it is counter-intuitive, the cause of their appearance has nothing to do with cleanliness. The following is a list of some of the possibilities leading to the appearance of these pests in the home.
A TRAVEL
It is possible to bring them back from a trip to a place already infested with these insects.
Human contact
It is possible that a friend or family member has them at home and has transported them via physical contact.
Second-hand furniture
They can be transported home with a salvaged or second-hand piece of infested furniture.
A public institution
It is possible to have brought them from a recently visited public establishment (hotel, library, workplace, restaurant… etc.)
AT THE NEIGHBOUR'S
It is possible that they have moved from the neighbour’s house to his home through the walls or ceilings.
They were here before you
They may already have been there when you arrived if you have recently moved.
It is likely that you will never know how you got infected with bed bugs. However, knowing how they spread can help you to be more vigilant in risky situations.
Good practices to avoid bed bugs
Very often, bed bugs come from travel, either from the homeowner or from guests.
Bed bugs are very small and can easily slip into a suitcase or onto clothing. This is even more true of their larvae, which can be difficult to see with the naked eye.
So if you are not sleeping at home, you can :
- Inspect bedding, especially mattresses and sheets
- Do not put your suitcase or clothes on the bed
- Wash your clothes at high temperature when you return, or freeze them for a few days before washing them
In any case, prevention is the key word when it comes to bed bugs. They proliferate quickly and their bites are particularly disturbing. Once they have settled in, there is no choice but to call in bed bug exterminators.
The necessary maintenance to avoid bed bugs in your home
Prevention is better than cure! In order to live in a bed bug free home, it is necessary to maintain your home on a regular basis. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, bed bugs do not originate from a lack of cleanliness; they can even be found in the largest hotels that have impeccable hygiene. Nevertheless, certain conditions favour their reproduction. It is still necessary to keep your home clean and disinfected throughout the year.
Indeed, the following practices – carried out regularly – serve to prevent a mass infestation of bed bugs:
- Washing sheets, pillows and blankets twice a week.
- Showering and washing clothes every time you visit an unfamiliar place or person.
- Reinforcing the watertightness of the walls and ceilings of your home.
- Scrupulous and regular vacuuming of household surfaces.
In the event of an infestation, professional insect control is essential.
The dangers of bed bugs
Although they may look harmless, bed bugs carry a number of dangers.
Indeed, there is a fairly high probability that these pests are vectors of disease. One study concluded that bedbugs appear to be a qualified vector of Trypanosoma cruzi. In this experiment, bed bugs effectively acquired the parasite by feeding on infected mice. The bed bugs then retransmitted the parasite to susceptible hosts during cohabitation and through contaminated feces placed on the host’s skin. Quantitative measurements of the defecation patterns of C. lectularius confirm that bed bugs have a high potential for pathogen transmission via faeces.
In addition to this – as is well known in Mother Nature – the presence of bed bugs attracts other harmful and dangerous insects that are their natural predators. Among these predators are the Reduviidae:
- The Reduviidae
- The Pharaoh ant (or Monomorium pharaonis)
- Spiders. (Or Araneids)
- The pseudoscorpions. (Or Pseudoscorpiones or Chelonethida)
- The swift scutigera (or Scutigera coleoptrata)
- Moths
- Cockroaches
Many of these predators are even more dangerous than bed bugs.
Can you get rid of bed bugs on your own?
Getting rid of bed bugs on your own is very complicated.
Few commercially available techniques are really effective in the long term and you could make the situation worse by applying certain insecticides or unsuitable techniques that may at best do nothing, at worst excite them and bring them out of hiding.
If you have a steam cleaner, you can try to exterminate them yourself, knowing that both bed bugs and their larvae will die at a temperature of 60°C.
You can also try your luck with some commercial insecticides that specialise in treating bed bugs, but the results are very uncertain.
Hiring a bed bug exterminator offers by far the best chance of getting rid of bed bugs for good without the risk of recurrence. Professionals often have more powerful products and bed bug expertise that allow them to treat the problem quickly and permanently.
The benefits of bed bug control
Bed bug control is a necessary practice once bed bugs have managed to settle in and reproduce. Among its advantages are:
- The definitive elimination of these harmful insects.
- Restoring a peaceful and tranquil sleep.
- Removing pathogenic parasites that can be transmitted by this disease vector.
- Prevent further infestation of your home by bed bug predators.
Slowing or stopping the spread and movement of bed bugs to other homes.
How much does a professional bed bug treatment cost?
Bed bug infestations can vary significantly from one location to another.
The surface area to be treated obviously plays a role in the price of a bed bug treatment, but the nature of the premises or the extent of the invasion can also influence the cost of the treatment.
Whether you’re a private individual with bed bug problems or a business with public access, such as a hotel recently invaded by bed bugs, our policy remains the same: the quote is 100% free.
Contact our teams to find out how much it costs to have bed bug exterminators come to your location.
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Unfortunately, eradication alone is not enough. It is also recommended to invest in a prevention plan. Following our intervention, our technicians will give you the best advice to avoid being invaded again in the months/years to come. For professionals, it is often necessary to set up a complete prevention plan including regular control by a technician.
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