Bed bugs can thrive in a regular mattress, find their way into
the home and cause considerable health risks. With infestations becoming more
common, there is a call for increased knowledge of the risks of these insects
and seeking a bed bug exterminator Phoenix company helps
prevent their occurrence.
About Bed Bugs
Although most commonly found in hostels and B&Bs, bed bugs
can be carried into the home on bags, clothes, bedding or even on people.
Infestations of bed bugs have been on the rise recently, with changes in pest
control methods being blamed.
We are moving away from pesticides like DDT and on to
bait-based methods of pest control in buildings. Bed bugs, however, thrive on
blood, so the baiting method doesn't work.
Bed bugs can lay between one and five eggs a day, so a
traveling bug can take over your mattress in no time. Incubation time for eggs
is about ten days, and some people do not develop a reaction to bites until
they have been exposed for a few nights in a row.
Although healthy adults may suffer from itchy welts at worst,
children can become anemic if exposed to bed bugs for nights in a row, so
prevention is vital.
How Else To Prevent Them?
There are numbers of ways you can reduce the risk of both these
unwelcome bugs:
●
Good hygiene can reduce the risk considerably, with
mattresses and bedding regularly inspected, and areas in the room such as
curtains, headboards and behind picture-frames also being checked and vacuumed
regularly.
●
If you visit a hotel or hostel with a bed bug problem,
it is vital that you ensure you don't unwittingly bring some of the insects
back with you to your home. Inspect all clothing, fabric items and bags very
carefully for signs of infestation. Washing all clothes and thoroughly
vacuuming travel bags and suitcases is crucial.
●
Do ensure that
any bugs you find are actually bed bugs. They are flat, oval, about one-fourth
of an inch in length but can look considerably bigger after feeding. If you
treat a room for bed bugs but in fact, the insects are something else, your
pest control methods may not work.
●
If you find a bed bug, there are going to be more. You
will need to clean the room thoroughly - including pulling out drawers,
emptying contents, taking apart furniture, etc.
There are sprays available on the market for killing bed bugs,
and in the case of infestation, these may be a useful tool, albeit temporarily
and not quite long-lasting.
You will not, however, want to use these on fabrics that are
going to come into contact with your body and you may need to check the
potential effects pesticides may have on any household pets. To rid mattresses
of the hiding insects, the crevice tool on your vacuum is the best idea.
If you find signs of infestations the best idea is to employ a
bed bug exterminator Phoenix-based pest control company to deal with the
problem. Empty clutter and mess from the relevant rooms (but clean and inspect
them first to ensure you're not just moving bed bugs to another room!) to make
their jobs faster and easier.
In the end, prevention is better than cure with these bugs, and
with infestations on the increase, it is wise to regularly check your bedding
in particular.
Reducing the amount of clutter and fabric in your bedroom areas
can make this job a lot easier, and also significantly reduce the number of
dust mites and other microscopic insects that can live in materials around the
home.
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