February's Pest of the Month - The Bed Bug

The Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius)

A flat, red-coated parasite that has re-emerged in United States to take its place at the top of our unwanted list in hotels, homes, and anywhere people sit or lay still.

The male Bed Bug is capable of fertilizing serveral females by forcing insemination to one female after another. Each Female Bed Bugs will deposit one to five eggs per day and may lay up to 200 or more eggs during a lifetime.

           1:  Inspection:

                    Bed Bugs are mostly active at night, so when on the trail of this elusive creature; the inspector must understand that the extremely shy nature of the bed bug may lead us on a the chase of very limited clues. Detection of a bed bug problem can start with stains or smears on light colored materials. The tufts of bedding is an ideal spot for evasion from everyday sightings; so those areas must be inspected inch by inch. It is not an overstatement to say that everywhere and everything must be inspected.

                    In the cas of a serious bed bug infestation in homes, visible signs will likely be more apparent. Also, an abnoxiously sweet odor may also be present.

          2:  Treatment:

                    First of all; appropriately designed bed bug mattress covers must be used to encase the mattress and boxspring of each bed. This will ensure that any population living in either the mattress or boxspring will be cut off from their life supply - you. We can supply industry approved and recommended covers once we identify the sizes needed.

                    An application of liquid, dust, or aerosol insecticides (most likely a combination of all three will be employed) can be made to cracks and crevices, known travel areas, and harborage sites. Any bed framing, nightstands, baseboards, electrical outlets, phone jacks, and many more sites will be targeted treatment locations.

          3:  Follow-up:

                    The follow-up is very important to the success of the program. Bed bugs are very difficult to eliminate. For many months after the initial treatment; several inspections and treatments should be expected. If monitoring and necessary treatments are not routinely performed, bed bug populations can make a come back.