Bed Bug – Signs, DIY Removal Tips and Hiring Exterminators

Are you facing bed bug problem at home and
want to get rid of it? Many households in America are infested with bed bugs
creating a huge demand for bed bug exterminators. All 50 states of America have
the presence of bed bugs. As it may be an issue related to several households,
it’s relevant to know the details of bed bugs and how to get rid of them.

What are Bed Bugs – Meaning and Definition

In the course of defining and knowing the
meaning of bed bug, let us go through its dictionary meanings first.

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines bed bug
as a small insect that resides in the bed. It bites people and sucks blood.

The definition of bed bug from Collin’s
Dictionary is no different. It defines a bed bug as a small round-bodied,
wingless insect that feeds on people biting them and sucking their blood.

As per Meriam Webster’s dictionary, bed bug is
a wingless insect that sucks blood from the human body. It resides in houses,
particularly in beds.   

To conclude, bed bugs are red-colored insects
that feed on human and animal blood. Bedbugs are wingless so they can’t fly.
However, they move fast over floors, ceilings and walls. Bed bugs have two
variants that are biologically known as Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus.
These insects may be creating discomfort but they are not known for
transmitting disease.

Where Do Bed Bugs Reside?

Bed bugs get entry into your house with
previously used beds, curtains, rugs or any other material infested with them.
As they are smaller in size, they fit in even the smallest of spaces. They are
commonly found in mattresses, bed fittings and partings between two pieces of
furniture among others. You can also spot them in the cracks of wallpaper.

Also Read

Pest Control Services: Find the Right Exterminator

When Do Bed Bugs Get Active?

Bed Bugs get active during the night and they
bite people when they are sleeping. Bed bugs have a beck which they use for
sucking blood. After sucking blood, they walk away from the site of sucking.

Are Bed Bug Bites Painful?

Bed bug bites are not painful and you don’t
even notice when they bite. But you will get rashes after it and you may
mistake it for a bite from some other insects. But you can identify their bite
as it will be followed by swelling and itching.

How To Know (Signs) if You Have Bed Bugs

Bed bugs leave fecal stains, egg cases, and
dead skins that can confirm their presence.

You may find bloodstains on your bed sheets or
pillow covers.

You can also experience an offensive odor that
comes out of the bed bugs scent gland.

However, to ascertain it, you must see a bed
bug in an active state.

How the Number of Bed Bugs Increases in Home

You may have questions like how bed bugs
spread in your home. Here we describe the main elements of bed bug spread.

They get entry into your homes through bed,
luggage and mattresses. They may get entry into your house from a relative’s
home, friend’s place or a hotel.

Once they come into your house, they lay eggs.

As their number increase, they can spread in
many rooms in your home or many flats in an apartment building.

In some cases, they can be found in clothes
and they may spread from one place to another with the person wearing those
clothes.

DIY Tips to Treat Bed Bugs – How to Remove
Them

Are you facing bed bug issue at your home?
Don’t worry as you can control them by following certain home remedies. These
are as follows.

You should keep cleaning your bed sheets,
linen, and other clothes in hot water and dry them in the highest setting.

Use a brush to remove bed bug eggs from the
seam of mattresses and wallpapers.

You should keep vacuum cleaning regularly.
After vacuum cleaning disposes the garbage far from your home.

You should keep your mattress and pillow
covers tightly zipped. Bed bugs can survive for a year without feeding so you
should keep cleaning your clothes regularly and don’t get reluctant.

If you have cracks in walls or wallpapers, you
should fix it. The idea is not to leave a hiding place for bed bugs.

Don’t keep clutter and garbage in your home.

Bed Bug Extermination – How to Hire a Service

There are times when you can’t get rid of bed
bugs on your own as chemical treatment might be required. For sure you might be
looking for a bed bug extermination service. Here is how to hire a bed bug
exterminator.

Qualification Check

Bed bug extermination is a skilled job so you
should ensure that the exterminator you are considering is skilled enough. A
good bed bug extermination service is well equipped with a team of experienced
staff.

As most of the extermination services are
making tall claims of having experienced staff it is essential to check their
certificates to remove the chaff from the grain. If your exterminator hesitates
to show the certificates.

Method – Know How They Work

Before finalizing your bed bug exterminator,
you should know about their method of work. You should know the machines and
pesticides they are using and the machines they have been employing. The kind
of pesticides they are using should also be examined so that the bed bug
removal can be done efficiently.

A good bed bug exterminator should always use
best-in-class machines and chemicals that have little or no adverse effect on the
environment or human health in general. You should know whether they are using
spray or heat treatment or a mix of both. You can also demand a demonstration
from them. Here are the major methods to be used for bed bug extermination.

• Heat Treatment
• Steam Treatment
• Solar heating for packed items
• Sprays and aerosol methods
• Fumigation using resin strips and CO2
• Interceptors and barriers for bed

Cost of Extermination

Believe it or not, cost is an important
consideration while choosing an exterminator. Is the service affordable? Always
go for a service that is affordable and offers the best value for money. The
average cost of bed bug treatment in America is $1,000 to S2,000.

Experience

You should know about the experience of an
exterminator. Ask them how long they are into business. The longer they are in
the profession, the better it is.

Warranty

A bed bug extermination is not a one-off
service as it may need to follow up for complete bug removal. Ask your service
provider whether they are offering a warranty or follow-up service as a part of
the package. If they don’t offer a warranty then it is the time you should look
for some other bed bug exterminator.

Services Not to Hire

• There are some warning signs when you
  shouldn’t hire a company.
• Don’t trust a company if they are willing to
  provide treatment the same day.
• Don’t allow a company to work if they only
  offer chemical treatment.
• Don’t hire them if they are charging dirt
  cheap prices as quality solutions are adequately priced.
• Don’t hire them, if they don’t inspect your
  house.
• Don’t hire them if they don’t have a written
  agreement.
  

Bed Bugs – Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it takes to heal bed bug bites?

You can recover from bed bug bites within a week or two.

How bed bug bites can be healed faster?

Most
of the time bed bugs can heal on their own. For fast healing, you can
wash the site of the bite with soap and water and apply anti-itching
cream.

Can bed bug bites heal on their own?

Most
of the time, bed bugs bite can heal on their own. But before healing,
they could be itchy or swollen and might cause discomfort. Here, an
anti-itching lotion could be of great benefit.

What is the life span of a bed bug?

Adult bed bugs can live for 2 to 4 months.