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A bed bug infestation is not simple to deal with. You have to do several things at the same time:

You will need to clean and inspect at least once a week until you are sure the bed bugs are gone. This may take weeks, depending on how bad the infestation was, and, in a multi-family building, on how well everyone co-operates.

Chemical treatment is best done by a PCO. The PCO should give you written information that tells you what time the treatment will be, what chemicals will be used, how long you will need to be out of your home, and what you need to do ahead of time to prepare. It should tell you what cleaning you should do afterwards, as well. Ask your landlord if you arent given information.

There should be information for precautions for people who are sensitive to the smell of chemicals. It is a good idea to check with your doctor if you are concerned about people in your home that are in poor health or who are especially sensitive such as infants, seniors, or those with weak immune systems.

Home owners who want to do the chemical treatment themselves should know that using the pesticides incorrectly can make them sick. Use all chemicals properly. This means that you should follow the directions on the label and ask questions if you dont understand the instructions.

Not using insecticides properly may only cause the bed bugs to move to get away from the insecticide. They may move to new areas to escape the pesticides. Some chemicals that are licensed for use against bed bugs are only available to a licensed PCO.

Using pesticides in dwellings in Alberta is controlled by Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and regulations. Pesticides in Canada are licensed for use by Health Canada.

Heat treatment is a specialized process. You have to have special equipment and know how to heat rooms with bed bugs to a high enough temperature. If the room doesnt get hot enough, the bed bugs may move to a new, cooler area. Heat treatment does not take the place of de-cluttering, cleaning, and ongoing monitoring.

There are several dogs in Alberta that are trained to inspect for bed bugs. There are things you will be asked to do before the dog arrives. The dogs can find bed bugs faster than a trained professional. The dog and its handler work as a team to detect bed bugs. The dog should be trained and certified.

Link:
Bed Bugs - Alberta Health Services

The parts of Bolton with the biggest pest control problems have been revealed. Postcodes in Bolton town centre, Farnworth and Great Lever all feature in the top ten areas visited by pest control in 2019. Crompton Way, Hall Lane and Alberta Street had more than 100 rat-related visits between them while Crescent Road was the most visited for mice. Continue reading

Identifying a Bed Bug Infestation: A severe bed bug infestation can be a nightmare for the homeowners in Edmonton. These hard-to-detect pests thrive in the darkest corners of your home and can be extremely hard to eradicate permanently. But, not when the professional extermination services are available at your doorstep. Continue reading

Bed bugs are human parasites that do more than make a home in your carpeting, bedding, and other areas of the house. These insects also pose a threat to your health. If you have any reason to think that your home is infested, you need the Responders team on the job at once Continue reading

While bed bugs in Alberta may not be as commonplace as ants, spiders, or other insects, getting them in your home is a seriousissue, and not one that can be easily handled by do-it-yourself pest control. After learning a bit more about bed bugs, youll see why.What Are Bed Bugs? These very small pests can be hard to spot at first, especially since they spend most of the day hiding in sheets and bedding, hence the name Continue reading

K9 Bed Bug Detection In Alberta - K9 Knose-It K9 Bed Bug Detection In Alberta - K9 Knose-It Bed bugs can cause so much anxiety;let K9 Knose-It help make sure yourhome is COMPLETELY bed bug free! We are based in Calgary, Alberta and serve residential, commercial and hospitality fields. In recent years there has been a sharp increase in bed bug (or as some people prefer to call them, bedbugs) infestations. For a human, these nasty little critters are difficult to detect Continue reading

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Alberta, Canada Bed Bug Registry Map Bed Bug Infestation ...

Regular inspection is important to prevent infestations. To thoroughly inspect your home, you will need a few simple tools:

Check on, under and beside beds, couches and upholstered furniture. Look for black/brown spots (dried blood or feces), white spots (eggs - very hard to see), or live or dead bedbugs.

If you find signs of bedbugs, you should carefully widen the area of your inspection. If you have a pet, check areas where your pet sleeps as well.

You should throw your bed out if you find bedbugs inside the box spring or where holes or worn spots in the fabric of the mattress are. These spots can allow bedbugs to lay eggs in places that are not easy to reach for treatment.

If you do throw out your bed or any other infested items, wrap them in plastic and tape off the edges to prevent spreading bedbugs on your way to the trash. Put a sign on the item saying it has a bedbug infestation, so that no one else takes the problem home with them.

If you find signs of bedbugs, also check:

If bedbugs are on the walls, they could also be hiding in picture frames, light fixtures, smoke detectors or other wall-mounted items. Bedbugs hiding in ceiling lights could mean that they are entering from a room above yours.

For more information on pesticide use and regulation, contact Health Canada's Pest Management Information Service.

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Bedbugs: how do I prevent an infestation? - Canada.ca

Canada's bed bug problem is worse than ever, as experts say the pesky little bloodsuckers are multiplying in record numbers in cities and smaller communities across the country.

Pest control experts say the frequency of bed bug reports has shot up 20 per cent since last year, as the blood-sucking, rapidly-reproducing insects have continued to spread. Mike Heimbach of Abell Pest Control says that increase has been a steady, "compounding growth" in the last six years. And it shows no sign of letting up.

"They've really got a good foothold in Canada and the United States, and we don't see that changing any time soon," Heimbach told CTV's Canada AM on Monday morning. He added that while the bugs were initially an urban problem, they've spread to rural and less-populated areas in recent years.

Heimbach also stressed that bed bug infestations have no link to socioeconomic status.

"Anyone can get bed bugs," he said. "The challenge that we see is that certain people can't afford to get rid of them."

A bed bug is about the size, shape and colour of an apple seed, three millimetres long and oval-shaped, with reddish-brown colouring. When found hiding in the seams of mattresses, the insects are visible to the naked eye. They only emerge to feed late at night. Their bite is similar to a mosquito bite, Heimbach said, leaving behind an itchy welt in the spot where they draw blood from the skin.

The insects spread by hitchhiking in bags and on clothes, but they can also be hiding in discarded furniture and electronics that people unwittingly bring into their homes.

Aside from the small, red bites, there are other identifiable signs of a bed bug infestation. Heimbach said a quick check of your mattress seams and headboard can reveal many telling signs, from leftover insect husks and little black droppings, to blood spots on the mattress.

"They know how to live unseen," Heimbach said. Spotting one of the bugs is, of course, another sign of infestation, he said.

"The key is to learn to identify them and to act quickly if you get them."

Attempting to get rid of bed bugs yourself with over-the-counter bed bug sprays can actually make the problem worse, Heimbach said, as the spray can agitate the insects and drive them to spread out, widening the infestation.

"You can't get rid of them," he said. "You have to call an exterminator."

Heimbach called it a "real skill" to stop a bed bug infestation, as it requires the use of special vacuums, steam, residual spray, and diatomaceous earth.

Peak bed bug season is typically between June and October, when weather is warmest and the insects reproduce fastest, Heimbach said. Bed bugs like to hide in bags and on clothing, making them easily transferrable and more likely to spread in the high-travel summer season.

Bed bug numbers have been steadily on the rise in recent years, going up by an estimated eight per cent annually, Heimbach said.

"The problem, I think, is growing," he said.

Ontario's bed bug information site offers tips for identifying and dealing with a bed bug infestation at home. The site also offers tips for avoiding a bed bug infestation in the first place.

It recommends keeping your home clean and vacuumed, and advises you seal all cracks and crevices in your house so no bugs can get in. Thoroughly inspect any used clothing you buy, and don't bring home discarded furniture or electronics, as they are prime hiding places for bed bugs.

When travelling, check the bed in your hotel room for blood spots and other signs of bed bugs. Also keep clothes in oversized sealable plastic bags to avoid picking up bed bug hitchhikers, and inspect your luggage before you leave.

And if you do find bed bugs at home, Heimbach has one bit of advice: call an expert.

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Bed bugs in Canada: Why this summer may be the worst ever ...