A Consumer Guide to Help Stop These Stubborn Insects
General Information About Bed Bugs
While there are many different species of bed bugs, the most common one, the Cimex lectularius is highly adaptable to human environment. They are able to travel great distances with ease as people who travel can carry them in their luggage and clothing. Though they are most often found in bed and bed linen, they can also reside in small cracks in furniture and comforters.
Bed bugs prefer warmer temperatures, but can survive up to a year without eating even in cold temperatures. They are most active during the night when their hosts are sleeping. During the day, bed bugs typically hide in cracks such as mattresses folds and chair upholsters. They mostly prefer places near their food source.
Where can you typically find bed bugs?
Bed bug infestations can happen in places that are more exposed such as wall paintings, loose wallpapers and old doors and window frames. Basically, bed bug infestation can happen in any place that is isolated, protected and dark, so most bed bug management procedures need to focus on these types of areas.
Bed bugs are a very common pest in hotels, restaurants, cafes, boats, trains and even residential houses and other commercial areas. On top of that, they can cause severe loss of income for business owners due to the stigma of uncleanliness associated with having a bed bug infestation.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are tiny, nocturnal insects that have no wings and belong to the insect family of Cimicidae. They feed on our blood and blood of other warm-blooded animals. They have an oval shaped body and can be as long as 5 mm once they reach their adult stage. Bed bugs have a rusty brown body colour which can sometimes be a dark reddish brown.
They are often called as red coats, chinches and sometimes mahogany flats. They are dorsoventrally flat and very thin which gives them the ability to hide in hard-to-reach places such as floor cracks, behind furniture, under carpets and beds. This makes them very difficult to detect.
Not only that, but bed bugs prefer to stay in groups and have a distinctive unpleasant smell. They have a distinctive and unpleasant body odour which is produced by the glands on their thorax. Fecal residue on your mattresses and bed linen are a strong sign of a bed bug infestation. Bed bug bites are very itchy and can often lead to serious allergic reactions for some people. They have been here since the beginning of time and are present in all parts of the world.
Both the adult and nymph bed bugs are considered as pests and should be exterminated immediately. To consult our experts, call (02) 8007 4666!
What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
- You can see bed bugs with your own eyes. Once in their adult stage, bed bugs are the size of an apple seed.
- You can find that they shed and leave their carcasses behind. As bed bugs grow in size, they shed their skin.
- There are bed bugs faeces on your bed or other furniture. Once bed bugs finish feeding, they return in their hiding place and defecate black and brown stains on porous surfaces and black or brown mounds on surfaces that are not porous.
- If you have unexplained bug bites. If you feel a bite like feeling, this can be a sign that you have problems with pests such as bed bugs. However, this is not the strongest sign of an infestation so we advise that you start searching for other signs mentioned above.
How do bed bug infestations start?
Bed bugs can easily hop on your clothes or your bag. They can even reach your home by jumping on your luggage after coming from a hotel that's infested with bed bugs.
Once they find a way inside your home, they can be very difficult to manage without calling a professional pest manager. The earlier you make a call, the better the results will be and the less money you will lose.
Here are some things you can do to avoid a bed bug infestation in your home:
- Try to remove all clutter from your HOME which will enable you to detect bed bugs more easily.
- Always use the highest allowed temperature when washing or drying your bed linens.
- Make a detailed inspection of all used furniture or carpet before taking it into your home.
- Make a detailed inspection of your apartment before any moving, trips, service calls and guests.
Do you have a bed bug problem?
If you think that you might have bed bugs in your home or your business, contact us immediately so we can start with a bed bug management. Bed bugs can reproduce and multiply very quickly, so early detection and treatment are a key for preventing the infestation from causing you even larger problems and possible costs. Bed bugs multiply fast and can quickly infest your home or business. This is why it is very important to accept that you have an issue and call a professional pest manager.
At Masters Pest Control Sydney, we have a team of experts that is able to help you with all your pest issues. Our knowledge, our skills, our expertise and our pest management solutions are unmatched across all of Sydney.
Pest control is what we do best. We are professionally trained, insured and licensed in all areas of residential and commercial pest control and fumigation.
We provide eco-friendly pest control treatments. If you still struggle with pest issues or if you want a complete pest solution that protects your commercial property from any harmful effects, check out our professional services below: