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Bed bugs are usually brought into the house from the outside, on clothing, baggage, second-hand furniture or in laundry done in an infested home. Social stigma is attached to them more than to any other insect. This is unfair since the most conscientious homemaker may bring them in on his or her clothing after brushing up against someone while shopping or spending an afternoon at the movies.

Once in the house, they will hide all day in the most out-of-the-way place they can find. Its hiding place may be a good distance away from the bedin wall spaces, floor cracks, behind partitions, in furniture cracksor it may burrow into the mattress tufts or crawl in among the crevices in the bed frame.

Wherever it hides, it has an uncanny instinct for finding its way easily to the bed when the lights are out. They will climb up from the floor, climb walls and drop from ceilings with ease to get at their victims. They are attracted to your body warmth and the carbon dioxide you exhalesure signs that theres a live one waiting to be feasted on.

Because of the increased amount of traveling we do today compared to a few decades ago, bed bugs can be a real problem in hotels, buses, airplanes and other areas where groups of people gather together.

Buildings that house several people or families at once can also cause infestation problems (apartment buildings, condos, senior citizen homes, etc.) since they can travel between walls with ease.

Before eating, the bedbug (Cimex lectulariusalso known as a chinch, a red-coat or a mahogany flat) is a small one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch, wingless, paper-thin insect, oval in shape and dark brown in color. After becoming engorged, the body thickens and is elongated. The ingested blood changes its color to a dull red. The mouth is constructed in the shape of a beak, which it plunges into the body of its victim, sucking the blood up through it. At the same time a fluid is being secreted to facilitate the eating process. This fluid is extremely irritating to the skin of most human beings and causes swelling, irritation and itching.

Tip:

When sleeping in an unfamiliar bed (at a hotel for example), pull back the bed sheets and look at the bare mattressif you see excrement (it will look like rust spots on the mattress), leave the room immediately and find another hotel to stay at.

You can call in a professional exterminator to fumigate the home and furniture inside, this is preferable since professional exterminators are familiar with the hiding habits of these critters and the chemicals they use are usually very effective. However, if fumigation is out of your budget or youd like to try a more natural remedy to kill them, food grade Diatomaceous Earth is a safe and harsh-chemical free method.

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural, effective means of pest control (Ive previously recommended it for fleas and ant control). You can find it in garden centers (make sure to buy the food grade stuff). Its a soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.

Diatomaceous Earth is easily picked up by the hairy bodies of most insects, whereupon it scratches through their protective wax layers and they also absorb some of this material. The result being that the insects lose water rapidly, dry up and die. Further protection is provided by the powders property of repelling many insects. In houses it can be used effectively to prevent the entry of certain insects such as earwigs, ants, and cockroaches, and to control these and others that are present in cupboards containing food, carpets, basements, attics, window ledges, pet areas (for fleas), etc. In all of these examples it is important to place a small amount of the powder in corners, cracks, crevices and other areas where insects might hide.

(Source: Ecological Agriculture Projects, McGill University).

Steps To Take:

It will take a few weeks before they all will be killed (you have to ensure that the entire life cycle has been haltedno new eggs waiting to hatch, etc.). Keep applying the Diatomaceous Earth and petroleum jelly until all signs of the infestation are gone.

Try applying one of the following for relief:

If there is a danger of infection, use iodine as a topical antiseptic to control it.

Source: Some of the information above is from Womans Home Companion Household Book (1948)

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What To Do If You Get Bed Bugs (& Where To Spot Them)

Eliminate Bed Bugs from your Home in 3 Easy Steps

Difficulty: EasyCost: $50-75Time: As little as 1 hour, depending on degree of bed bug infestation

Getting rid of bed bugs can be one of the most difficult pest infestations there is. By nature, bed bugs are extremely persistent. They hide extremely well, can go without feeding for extended periods and females can repopulate very quickly if not all of them are killed, laying up to 300 eggs at once.

Dont give up, we have perfected these simple techniques for eliminating bed bugs cheaply and effectively, without having to fumigate or disrupt your life. Many people spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars hiring professionals, who often still fail to eliminate bed bugs. This guide will show you how to do it yourself for a fraction of the cost, and without having to use any of the toxic chemicals or heat therapies that ruin your furniture.

Before starting, you will want to confirm that it is indeed bed bugs that are the source of your pest problem. If you are unsure, please read our guide on How to Know if You Have Bed Bugs. With these 3 simple steps, youll learn how to get rid of bed bugs and ensure they stay gone for good!

Click here for a full explanation of the supplies recommended in this guide. You will need the following:

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1 Isolate the Bed Bugs

This may sound obvious, but before you start trying to get rid of bed bugs, you need to find exactly where in your house they are, and prevent them from spreading to any further areas. Be sure not to move any furniture around your home, or even move clothes and bags, unless in sealed bags, as bed bugs are notorious for hiding in them.

Step 2 Seal the Bud Bugs Out

As mentioned before, bed bugs can be very good at hiding, so our next step needs to be sealing them out. For this step you will need some tape, to prevent bed bugs from getting through any vents or heaters into another room, and something called diatomaceous earth.

Diatomaceous earth is a white powder, naturally occurring and made from sedimentary rock. It is completely harmless to humans, but to bed bugs, it acts like razor wire. If a bed bug happens to walk through diatomaceous earth it will be killed in its tracks.

Using the tape, seal off anything that the bed bugs could use to move into a different part of your home; Vents, radiators and windows are obviously something youll want to close off, but be sure not to forget about baseboards and crown moldings, as often bed bugs can hide behind these and even move through the wall into the next room over.

Once you have done this, create a thin perimeter of diatomaceous earth around the bed bug affected area, as well as in any doorways and window sills, and move onto the next step.

Step 3 Drive the Bed Bugs Out with an Ultrasonic Pest Repeller

Now for the most important step, the ultrasonic pest repeller is one of the best kept secrets when it comes to finding how to get rid of bed bugs. These devices emit sound on both ultrasonic and magnetic wavelengths, making it undetectable to humans but unbearable for bed bugs. They simply cannot handle the sound, and it causes them to vacate their hiding places and abandon your bed almost immediately. There are many pest repellers on the market, but the one we recommend is Pest Repeller Ultimate AT. It is not only our highest reviewed product but also one of the cheapest at only $49.95 and if you buy two you get a third for free. For more information on Pest Repeller Ultimate AT, read our review here. You can buy it here using our exclusive 2 for 1 discount:

Once you have your ultrasonic pest repeller, all you need to do is plug it in. The bed bugs will quickly be driven either into the diatomaceous earth which will kill them or out of your home entirely. You will notice results almost immediately, and the entire infestation should be gone within a period of mere hours to several days.

Step 3B Prevent the Bed Bugs from Coming Back

Now that all the bed bugs are either dead or gone, youll want to make sure they dont come back. The most important thing is to keep your ultrasonic pest repeller plugged in and active. While at this point weve killed all the adult bed bugs, there may still be some eggs that could hatch, and having your pest repeller will ensure they dont bother you and quickly go away.

One thing we often recommend is to take a hand held vacuum and manually inspect your mattress, box spring, and any other areas where there eggs may hide, vacuuming them all up and safely disposing of the bag so they cant come back.

Also, as an added precaution, many people advocate buying mattress, pillow and box spring covers that have extremely tight knit threads which bed bugs are unable to get through. If you have properly done all of the previous steps this should not be entirely necessary, but it will give you added piece of mind.

Once youve done all this, you can sleep peacefully knowing that your bed bugs are gone for good, and you can finally feel at home in your bed once again. We hope you have found our guide on How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs helpful. We always like to hear from our readers, so please leave a comment below with your experiences.

If you are looking to learn how to get rid of bed bugs without hiring a pest Control Company that could put a hole in your pocket, look no further. Before spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars are intrusive, and often dangerous methods to get rid of bed bugs, try Pest Repeller Ultimate AT, our recommended solution for only $49.95!

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UltrasonicPestRepeller.Org How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Just spraying pesticides is not the solution

Control of bed bugs is best achieved by following an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that involves multiple tactics, such as preventive measures, sanitation, and chemicals, steam or heat applied to targeted sites.

Bed bugs are challenging pests to control. They hide in many tiny places, so inspections and treatments must be thorough. In most cases, it will be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest control firm. (see professionals who specialize in bedbug control)

Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal. Owners and occupants will need to assist the professional in important ways. Affording access for inspection and treatment is essential, and excess clutter should be removed. In some cases, infested mattresses and box springs will need to be discarded. Since bed bugs can disperse throughout a building, it may also be necessary to inspect adjoining rooms and apartments.

Bed bugs were treated years ago by wholesale spraying of pesticides. This practice is no longer permitted. Thoroughness is still important, but treatments today are generally more targeted and judicious. It often takes hours to properly inspect and treat a bed bug infestation, and follow-up visits are usually required.

Infested bedding and garments will need to be bagged and laundered (120F minimum), or discarded since these items cannot be treated with insecticides. Smaller items that cannot be laundered can sometimes be de-infested by heating. Individual items, for example, can be wrapped in black plastic bags and placed in a hot, sunny location for at least a few days (the 120F minimum target temperature should be monitored in the centermost location with a thermometer). Bedbugs also succumb to cold temperatures below freezing, but the chilling period must be maintained for at least two weeks. Attempts to rid an entire home or apartment of bed bugs by raising or lowering the thermostat will be entirely unsuccessful. Vacuuming can be very useful for removing bugs and eggs from mattresses, carpet, walls, and other surfaces. Pay particular attention to seams, tufts and edges of mattresses and box springs, and the perimeter edge of wall-to-wall carpets. Afterward, dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed trash bag. Steam cleaning of carpets is also helpful for killing bugs and eggs that vacuuming may have missed. Repair cracks in plaster and glue down loosened wallpaper to eliminate bed bug harborage sites. Remove and destroy wild animal roosts and bird nests when possible.

While the former measures are helpful, insecticides are important for bed bug elimination. Pest control professionals treat using a variety of low-odor sprays, dusts, and aerosols. (Baits designed to control ants and cockroaches are ineffective). Application entails treating all cracks and crevices where the bugs are discovered, or tend to hide. Eliminating bed bugs from mattresses and box springs is challenging. If there are holes or tears in the fabric, the bugs and eggs may be inside, as well as outside. There also are restrictions on how beds can be treated with pesticides. For these reasons, pest control firms often recommend that infested beds be discarded. If disposal isnt an option, encasing the mattress and box spring will be helpful if bugs are still present. (Allergy supply companies sell zippered bed encasements for dust mite prevention). Some pest control firms treat seams, tufts, and crevices of bed components, but they will not spray the mattress surface, bed sheets, blankets, or clothing. Vacuuming and brushing will further help to remove bugs and eggs from mattresses and box springs that cannot be discarded. Some pest control firms also treat beds with portable steam machines. The technique is useful, but does not kill bugs or eggs that are hidden inside the box spring or mattress.

Just spraying pesticides is not the solution! Residual insecticides (usually pyrethroids) are applied as spot treatments to cracks and crevices where bed bugs are hiding. Increased penetration of the insecticide into cracks and crevices can be achieved if accumulated dirt and debris are first removed using a vacuum cleaner. Many readily available aerosol pesticide sprays will cause bed bugs to scatter making eradication more difficult. Dust formulations may be used to treat wall voids and attics. Repeat insecticide applications if bed bugs are present two weeks after the initial treatment since it is difficult to find all hiding places and hidden eggs may have hatched.

Insecticides should not be used on bedding or linens. These items should be dry cleaned or laundered in hot water and dried using the hot setting.

Starting from the top left, moving counter clockwise: eggs (1mm), 1st stage nymph (1.5 mm), 2nd stage nymph (2 mm), 3rd stage nymph (2.5 mm), 4th stage nymph (3 mm), 5th stage nymph (1.5 mm), unfed adult (5.5 mm), and fed adult.

COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State University entomologists have found that over-the-counter foggers or bug bombs commonly usedby consumers are not effective at killing bedbugs providing the first scientific evidence that such products should not berecommended for control of this increasingly worrisome, bloodsucking pest. The study appears in the June 2012 issue of theJournal of Economic Entomology, a peer-reviewed publication of the EntomologicalSociety of America. There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effectiveagainst bedbugs and might make matters worse, said Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the universitys Ohio AgriculturalResearch and Development Center (OARDC) and a household and structural pest specialist with Ohio State University Extension.But up until,now there has been no published data regarding the efficacy of foggers against bedbugs.

Because a majority of bedbugs spend most of the time hiding in protected sites (under sheets and mattresses, in cracks and crevices,deep inside carpets, etc.), Jones said it is very unlikely that they will be exposed to the insecticide mist from foggers. And even if theycome into contact with the mist, she added, many bedbug populations found in Ohio and throughout the U.S. have varying degrees ofresistance to pyrethroids and will most likely survive application.

Bug Bombs or total release aerosol insecticides never work for bed bugs and can be very dangerous when used.

The mobile nature of bed bugs limits their prevention. Avoidance is especially challenging in hotels, motels, and apartments because occupants and their belongings are constantly changing. This affords many opportunities for the bugs to be introduced. Householders should be wary of acquiring secondhand beds, bedding, and furniture. At a minimum, such items should be examined closely before being brought into the home. When traveling in countries where bed bugs are prevalent, it might be prudent to examine the bed and headboard area for signs of the bugs, and elevate luggage off the floor. Warehouses, storage facilities, trucks and railroad cars may be infested so common bed bugs can infest homes by stowing away on new furniture stored or shipped from these places. Familiarity may help to avoid infestation, or at least prompt earlier intervention by a professional.

Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture:

Bed bugs are challenging pests to control. They hide in many tiny places, so inspections and treatments must be very thorough. In most cases, it will be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest control firm. Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal.

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Bed Bug Control

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How to Get Rid Of Bed Bugs - PEST CONTROL CANADA

What is a bed bug?

Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects with flat, oval bodies. They are usually 5 to 7 millimetres long (3/8 of an inch). They cannot fly, but can travel quickly. Bed bug nymphs (babies) are about 1 to 4 millimetres long and yellow-white in colour.

Bed bugs feed on the blood of humans and animals. Unlike some parasites, such as fleas or lice, bed bugs do not live on their hosts, but only visit them to feed. They are most active at night and usually feed weekly. Most live for 4 to 6 months, but some may live up to a year with no food. Female bed bugs can lay about 500 eggs in their lifetime.

A bed bug bite usually causes a red bump or flat welt that may be itchy. Bed bugs tend to bite exposed parts of the body (not covered by clothes) such as the face, neck, arms and hands. Several bites may occur close together on the body because bed bugs usually feed more than once. The bites take 1 to 2 weeks to go away.

Bed bugs prefer to hide close to their hosts, which is why their first choice is beds. They can be found in homes, hotels, student residences and shelters. Bed bugs can hitch a ride on such things as clothing, backpacks, luggage and even books.

There is no evidence that bed bugs spread disease to people. However, public health officials remain concerned about bed bugs because scratching a bite can sometimes cause a skin infection, which can become serious. Applying an antiseptic lotion or antibiotic cream to the area can help prevent infection.

Bed bug infestations can cause significant stress, worry, and insomnia (not being able to sleep). In addition, getting rid of bed bugs can be expensive and time consuming.

Symptoms of an infection include:

If you have symptoms, contact your health care provider or call 8-1-1 to speak to a registered nurse.

Some people may have an allergic reaction to a bed bug bite, usually a small skin reaction in the bite area. In rare cases, some may have severe reactions. Allergic sensitivity may increase the more a person is bitten. If you are concerned about your symptoms, see your health care provider.

Bite marks on your body, especially around your face, neck, arms and hands, are a sign of bed bugs. To know for sure that you have bed bugs look for the following signs:

You should inspect the following areas for bed bugs:

Try to collect a bed bug for identification. Contact a pest control professional or your local health authority if you need help.

To stop bed bugs from entering your home:

There are nonchemical and chemical options for treating bed bug infestations. Often, both types of treatments will be required. Getting help from a qualified pest management professional is recommended. Pest control companies often use chemical insecticides or very high heat. More than one application will likely be necessary.

Building owners should check municipal bylaws before trying to treat infestations on their own.

For more information on how to get rid of bed bugs or to find a licensed pest control company in your areas, visit:

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Bed Bugs | HealthLinkBC File 95