Bedbugs - Not Just in Beds
The Mayo Clinic reports that bedbugs have feasted on sleeping humans for thousands of years.
After World War II, they were eradicated from most developed nations with the use of DDT.
This pesticide has since been banned because it's so toxic to the environment.
Bedbugs are becoming a problem once again.
Occasionally you see a report on the news of another out break, but how much is not reported? The risk of encountering bedbugs increases if you spend time in places with high turnovers of night-time guests - such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.
Know that bedbugs do not indicate a "dirty house".
Bedbugs can be transmitted from movie theater seats, book bags at school, and of course, hotels.
Also, bed bugs don't just reside in beds.
In fact, these critters don't usually inhabit the sleeping surface of your mattress.
They are found in the piping around the mattress, in the box spring, in cracks in the wall, the edges of carpets, and in curtains.
Amazingly they can go for months without a meal, and therefore, survive in vacant properties as well.
Bedbugs are reddish brown, oval and flat, about the size of an apple seed.
During the day, they hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards and bed frames.
With the proper equipment, monitoring can be set up to catch any infestations right in the beginning.
This means that even if you do not have bedbugs, but believe you may be at risk to catch them, or the thought just really causes anxiety, there are ways to be on the look out.
First, monitor your skin.
It can be difficult to distinguish bedbug bites from other insect bites.
In general, the sites of bedbug bites usually are:
You should also look at other areas such as under wallpaper, behind picture frames, in couches and other furniture, in boxsprings and under mattresses, and even in articles of clothing.
Usually, once an infestation has occurred, things like mattress, which are difficult to clean and treat, must be discarded.
The best preventative measure is to have a professional pest control company inspect and use preventative products to protect you and monitor for any signs of bedbug activity.
Be proactive and keep your family free of disease! The monitoring process is fast, easy, and cost effective.
Especially when you think of what is involved in trying to eliminate and infestation (treatment of couches, mattresses, clothing, stuffed animals, walls, carpets, blankets).
Best of all, once the monitoring program is in place, you can see, as often as you want, whether or not there is a problem.
No more worries about what guests are staying at your house, or if you should travel, and what precautions need to be put into place.
After World War II, they were eradicated from most developed nations with the use of DDT.
This pesticide has since been banned because it's so toxic to the environment.
Bedbugs are becoming a problem once again.
Occasionally you see a report on the news of another out break, but how much is not reported? The risk of encountering bedbugs increases if you spend time in places with high turnovers of night-time guests - such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.
Know that bedbugs do not indicate a "dirty house".
Bedbugs can be transmitted from movie theater seats, book bags at school, and of course, hotels.
Also, bed bugs don't just reside in beds.
In fact, these critters don't usually inhabit the sleeping surface of your mattress.
They are found in the piping around the mattress, in the box spring, in cracks in the wall, the edges of carpets, and in curtains.
Amazingly they can go for months without a meal, and therefore, survive in vacant properties as well.
Bedbugs are reddish brown, oval and flat, about the size of an apple seed.
During the day, they hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards and bed frames.
With the proper equipment, monitoring can be set up to catch any infestations right in the beginning.
This means that even if you do not have bedbugs, but believe you may be at risk to catch them, or the thought just really causes anxiety, there are ways to be on the look out.
First, monitor your skin.
It can be difficult to distinguish bedbug bites from other insect bites.
In general, the sites of bedbug bites usually are:
- Red, often with a darker red spot in the middle
- Itchy
- Arranged in a rough line or in a cluster
- Located on the face, neck, arms and hands (skin areas that are exposed)
- Some people have no reaction at all to bedbug bites, while others experience an allergic reaction that can include severe itching, blisters or hives.
(Mayo Clinic)
You should also look at other areas such as under wallpaper, behind picture frames, in couches and other furniture, in boxsprings and under mattresses, and even in articles of clothing.
Usually, once an infestation has occurred, things like mattress, which are difficult to clean and treat, must be discarded.
The best preventative measure is to have a professional pest control company inspect and use preventative products to protect you and monitor for any signs of bedbug activity.
Be proactive and keep your family free of disease! The monitoring process is fast, easy, and cost effective.
Especially when you think of what is involved in trying to eliminate and infestation (treatment of couches, mattresses, clothing, stuffed animals, walls, carpets, blankets).
Best of all, once the monitoring program is in place, you can see, as often as you want, whether or not there is a problem.
No more worries about what guests are staying at your house, or if you should travel, and what precautions need to be put into place.
