World, Bed Bug Registry Map – Infestation Reports

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Paul Ramone

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Bed bugs can turn up unexpectedly in large numbers. People are often unaware of an infestation until they recognize large, red bites on their body. Thankfully for homeowners, there is a solution that can help eliminate the bug problem. With some simple materials, you can build a trap and catch the bugs over the course of a few weeks.

Attach the fabric to the exterior of the pet dish with standard glue or duct tape. Make sure that the entire outside is covered so that no plastic is showing. For fabric, you can use old shirts.

Flip over the fabric-covered pet dish so that the hollow underside faces upward.

Dust the inside of the pet dish with talcum powder. A small paintbrush is effective for this application.

Pour dry ice cubes into the thermos. Wear gloves while handling the ice.

Seal the lid of the thermos and open the spout just a little bit.

Place the pet dish next to the infested bed and place the ice-filled thermos in the center of the dish.

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Are you bugged by bed bugs? Do you find that, after airing out your bed linens and trying all kinds of things, you still have these pests creeping over your skin? Do not despair. Following some simple methods will help you kill bed bugs once and for all. However, if the infestation is severe, consider enlisting the services of a professional exterminator.

Bed bugs can not survive in hot water. Wash everything that is infestedor that could have been infestedwith hot water. This will get rid of any minor infestations.

Thoroughly vacuum your living space. If your bed bug infestation has happened due to travel, vacuum your travel bag and everything else that you had taken on your trip. Be thorough, because hatchlings can move even through tiny stitch holes.

Place any items that can not be vacuumed or washed in hot water in direct sunlight. This will not only kill bed bugs, but will also prevent their eggs from hatching.

Sprays and other pesticides have limited impact on bed bugs. These are just a waste of money since the only pesticides that work on bed bugs are the ones that work in direct contact with them. The aerosols have little or no effect.

Buy a mattress encasement. This will form a casing around your mattress so that bugs can not get out and will starve to death. However, this will not be effective in cases of severe infestation.

The best way to get rid of bed bugs is by making use of a professional exterminator. This might be a bit more expensive than sprays and other methods, but this is the most effective method to get rid of them permanently. Exterminators would usually use steam to kill bed bugs in places that you are more likely to touch. In other places, they use steaming with chemicals to flush them out.

When choosing a professional exterminator, keep the following ideas in mind:

Approach companies that are qualified pest-control companies. There are numerous people who claim to offer new and less expensive approaches to exterminate bed bugs. However, there is no guarantee that these will work and that you will get your moneys worth. The best companies to go with would be those who are in the market for at least five years.

Ensure that the exterminators use effective bug control methods and pesticides. If heat is going to be used, remember that bugs die only when the temperature is at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not let pest control companies to drain your pocket and then use methods such as bug foggers or bug bombs. These do not work.

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Bed bug, Cimex lectularis

Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pest problems to eradicate quickly. By far, the best solution for bed bugs is to hire a pest control company with experience successfully controlling bed bugs. Unfortunately, this can be expensive and beyond the means of many people. If you feel you cannot afford to hire a professional, and want to attempt do-it-yourself bed bug control, there are some things you can do. With diligence and patience and some hard work you have a fighting chance of getting rid of bed bugs in your home.

If you live in an apartment or condominium, its best to alert the property manager. A coordinated bed bug control effort using a pest control company is generally needed in such situations. Bed bugs readily move from apartment to apartment, with many people unaware that they have a problem. If one apartment is infested, adjoining units (left side, right side, above and below) should be assumed to be infested unless shown otherwise through inspection or monitoring. Simply asking tenants whether they have bed bugs is not enough. In one recent study only half of residents in a large apartment with bed bugs knew (or admitted) they had a bed bug problem.

Pesticides alone are not the answer to bed bugs. Most of the commonly used pesticides today, including professional products and consumer products advertised for control of bed bugs, are at best moderately effective at controlling these pests. Pesticides must be used with care for safety and with attention to proper application to work well. Aerosol bug bombs or fumigators are also mostly ineffective in eliminating bed bugs. Aerosol insecticides mainly kill insects that are exposed, and out of their hiding places, not those hidden behind baseboards, in cracks and crevices of the bed, under carpet edging and in walls.

A bed that has been treated, encased and isolated from the rest of the room with Climbup Interceptor cups is a safe place to sleep.

Bed bugs are flattened for hiding in cracks and crevices. This bed bug was hiding along the welting on the edge of a mattress.

A last warning

Pesticides should always be used with caution, and especially when used indoors. Never use a pesticide for bed bugs that does not bear clear directions stating that it can be used indoors. Never spray yourself, children or pets with a pesticide. And follow the label safety directions carefully. Pesticide labels contain directions for use that are not merely suggestions. Failure to follow directions exactly is illegal and can result in poor control and possible harm to yourself and family. For more information, see the EPA Consumer Alert on pesticides and bed bugs.

For more information about bed bugs, including their biology and how to recognize them, see other factsheets on the Citybugs bed bug page. Also, if you decide you need professional help, check out our advice on How to Select a Bed Bug Control Professional, ENTO-033.

Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Urban Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dallas.

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