Bed bugs are small reddish brown parasitic insects that feed exclusively on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded creatures. They are very small, only 5-7 mm long and with a flat body. They are a menace in places where there are many people, such as in hotels. People must learn more about these insects, as these can be potentially very harmful to human beings. Bed bug bites can cause mild to moderate allergic reactions like itching and hives.

The problem of bed bugs has existed for centuries. These parasites are known by many different names such as redcoat, heavy dragoon, and mahogany flat. The world thought that it had totally eradicated them in the last 50 years with the extensive use of pesticides but the bugs have recently come back in big numbers because of the increase in international travel. They are also tougher to kill because they can now resist the old pesticides.
The first signs of a bed bug infestation are actual bites from lying in bed. Some more warning signals are fecal and blood stains on the bed sheet, crushed bed bug corpses, and cast skin. Persons who think that they have a bed bug infestation should consult and employ an expert pest control service to thoroughly inspect the house and plan a way to eradicate the bugs.

When bugs are found to be present, a number of measures can be taken to eradicate the infestation. They can be physically removed through vacuuming. A high efficiency particulate air filtered vacuum should remove almost all bugs and their allergens.

They can also be removed by sticking tape onto them or brushing them into a container of alcohol. Excluding and then sealing off openings to their harbor sites also helps by keeping bugs isolated where they will eventually just die.

Applying extreme heat or cold on bugs is also effective because bugs die at extreme temperatures. Steam cleaners typically generate over 45 degree Celsius heat and this is enough to kill bugs that come into contact. A drawback of this method is that steam cleaners can only cover a small area. Mattresses also are hard to disinfect with this method because they tend to absorb the heat before it can get to the bugs. Commercial efforts are also underway to develop rapid freezing sprays.

Pesticides are far less effective than they were fifty years ago, when they nearly killed off the bed bug population at the time. Present bugs are nearly immune to those older pesticides. To kill off the bugs of today, a properly formulated residual chemical insecticide must be applied on all possible surfaces that bugs may crawl and reside in.

There are many other ways to deal with bed bug infestations. Since a multi-pronged approach is usually the best one to take, a pest control service really must be employed to determine the right mix of methods to be used. For prevention, individuals should look into buying or making a plastic cover for their mattresses.


View the original article here

Bed bugs are small reddish brown parasitic insects that feed exclusively on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded creatures. They are very small, only 5-7 mm long and with a flat body. They are a menace in places where there are many people, such as in hotels. People must learn more about these insects, as these can be potentially very harmful to human beings. Bed bug bites can cause mild to moderate allergic reactions like itching and hives.

The problem of bed bugs has existed for centuries. These parasites are known by many different names such as redcoat, heavy dragoon, and mahogany flat. The world thought that it had totally eradicated them in the last 50 years with the extensive use of pesticides but the bugs have recently come back in big numbers because of the increase in international travel. They are also tougher to kill because they can now resist the old pesticides.
The first signs of a bed bug infestation are actual bites from lying in bed. Some more warning signals are fecal and blood stains on the bed sheet, crushed bed bug corpses, and cast skin. Persons who think that they have a bed bug infestation should consult and employ an expert pest control service to thoroughly inspect the house and plan a way to eradicate the bugs.

When bugs are found to be present, a number of measures can be taken to eradicate the infestation. They can be physically removed through vacuuming. A high efficiency particulate air filtered vacuum should remove almost all bugs and their allergens.

They can also be removed by sticking tape onto them or brushing them into a container of alcohol. Excluding and then sealing off openings to their harbor sites also helps by keeping bugs isolated where they will eventually just die.

Applying extreme heat or cold on bugs is also effective because bugs die at extreme temperatures. Steam cleaners typically generate over 45 degree Celsius heat and this is enough to kill bugs that come into contact. A drawback of this method is that steam cleaners can only cover a small area. Mattresses also are hard to disinfect with this method because they tend to absorb the heat before it can get to the bugs. Commercial efforts are also underway to develop rapid freezing sprays.

Pesticides are far less effective than they were fifty years ago, when they nearly killed off the bed bug population at the time. Present bugs are nearly immune to those older pesticides. To kill off the bugs of today, a properly formulated residual chemical insecticide must be applied on all possible surfaces that bugs may crawl and reside in.

There are many other ways to deal with bed bug infestations. Since a multi-pronged approach is usually the best one to take, a pest control service really must be employed to determine the right mix of methods to be used. For prevention, individuals should look into buying or making a plastic cover for their mattresses.


View the original article here