What is a bed bug?
Bed bugs have been around for thousands of years. Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed on the blood of its hosts. Bed bugs will generally feed a night when their host is a sleep. Adults are about the size of an apple-seed and have a distinct red colouring on its body. Although bed bugs may appear differently depending on the what stage of their life-cycle they’re in and whether or not they have had a recent blood meal. Young bed beds are known as nymphs and are very hard to see, as they are a translucent yellow colour unless they have had a blood meal. A fully fed bed bug will look elongated as compared to an adult that has not had a recent blood meal.
What is the Bed Bug Life Cycle?
The bed bug must feed at every instar or phase of their life cycle. Once adulthood has been reached the bed bug can refrain from feeding for weeks or months on end.
What are the health affects of a bed bug infestation?
Although to date, there have been no studies showing that bed bugs can transmit diseases to humans (e.g. HIV, Hepatitis, etc.). Bed bugs bites can result in a number of health impacts in people, including skin rashes, welts and bruising. Bed bugs also may cause psychological harm to people as they may not be able to identify what is biting them or they may feel traumatized by the experience. Since bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases they are considered to be a nuisance pest.
How do beg bugs enter your home?
Bed bugs can be introduced into your home through a number of ways. Bed bugs are prolific hitchhikers and can be picked up just about anywhere (e.g. at a hotel, while staying at an air bnb, while taking public transit, or sitting in common areas such as a doctor’s office or movie theater). Bed bugs can also enter your home on your guest or their personal affects. We always caution people about bringing used affects into the home, especially used mattresses, boxsprings or other furnishings.
How long after bed bugs have entered my home until I will know I have an infestation?
Infestations don’t happen over night. They take weeks or months to get to a point we have a heavy infection. This is why it is difficult for even training professionals to detect beg bug activity unless it has been entrenched for some time. Inspecting common areas such as the seams and tuffs of your mattress and other furnishings may not produce obvious signs of bed bugs, as they can hide in behind your baseboards, in your electrical outlets or on your curtains. Another thing to considered is that only certain people react to bed bug bites. Generally, only 25% of the population exhibits systems from the bed bug bites. These bites can range from small bite marks to full blown welts as seen below. This is simply a reaction to the bed bugs bites. Normally when we conduct bed bug inspections only one person in the home may be experiencing issues with bed bug bites. This does not mean that the other occupants of the home are not getting bitten, it just means they are not allergic to their bites.
What are some signs of a bed bug infestation?
Signs of a beg bug infestation include seeing live or dead bed bugs in your home. Seeing shell casings or beg bug eggs on your furnishings, seeing blood droplets on your pillow case or your linens or seeing signs of their excrement on your bed or furnishes. This excrement is just the extra blood the bed bug was not able to digest during its last meal. Bed bugs will typically lay their eggs on their excrement as it helps it stick to the surface.
What steps can you take to determine whether you have a bed bug issue?
You can be proactive and take steps to identify whether you have a bed bug problem or not. You can put duct tape on your electrical outlets and along your baseboards to monitor for beg bug activity. You can also place double-sided tape on your furnishings and box spring and mattress. You could also try placing little containers of water under the feet or your bedframe to monitor activity. Some people even place petroleum jelly on their bed frame legs to detect activity. If you have trouble detecting activity, please contact us to book your inspection today. All inspection fees are deducted from any related service costs.
Why are bed bugs a problem in Windsor-Essex County?
Bed bugs had been effectively eradicated from North America due to the use of pesticides such of chemicals such as DDT. DDT however is a systemic pesticide that persists in the environment and had numerous negative impacts on our environment. In response to environmental and safety concerns, most uses of DDT were phased out by the mid-1970s. However, with globalization and mass migration bed bugs have seen a resurgence in most of main urban centres.
What major Ontario city centres have the most bed bug activity and were does Windsor-Essex County rank in terms of bed bug activity?
Toronto which is Canada’s largest city center is known for having the most bed bug activity in the country. In reviewing the top 15 most infested cities, its interesting to note that Windsor, Ontario ranks 13th on the list. This is an interesting fact simply due to our population. We have an enormous amount of bed bug activity given our relatively small population.
More information can be found at the following news article: Worst city in Canada for bed bugs revealed | CTV News
I am a clean person, how can I possibly have bed bugs?
Bed bugs do not discriminate between cluttered or uncluttered spaces. It is a reflection of how clean or sanitary you are. We have performed services for business professionals and airline employees who have picked up bed bugs during their travels. Bed bugs are brought home by everyday people like me and you quite frequently, so its nothing you should be ashamed of. In fact some people put off calling an exterminator because they are ashamed to tell anyone about their issue and may feel they can address the problem themselves – but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Bed bugs are not a pest that can seldom be controlled using-over-the-counter products. You may also run the risk of making the beg bugs in your home resistant to certain pesticides through improper use and not alternating chemical products.
Do I have to throw out my furnishings, bed frame or box springs or mattresses if I have a bed bug infestation?
No. There is no need to disregard or throw out any of these items. Our treatments are guaranteed to get rid of your problem and do not stain or damage your personal affects. In addition to this a mattress or boxspring protector can always be placed on your mattress or boxspring.
What types of treatments do you provide?
We perform traditional insecticide applications which are proven to eradicate your bed bug issue. We also use a product called Aprehend, which is a fairly new product available to exterminators. It is a fungicide as opposed to a fungicide and has no ill affects on people and or your pests. One a bed bug becomes infected with the fungicide spores they carry in with them to their hiding spots where they will also infect the other bed bugs. This is a great product and extremely useful in situations where there is a lot of clutter and our clients are not well prepared for treatment. For more information on Aprehend, please see the information provided below. Lastly, we also use steamers to eliminate bed bugs and eggs from areas where we can not use traditional insecticides and/or Aprehend.
What you should do next to resolve your bed bug problem?
Well that is simple, contact us at Strategic Pest Solutions to book in your inspection or service appointment today.
How much do bed bug treatments cost?
Well, we have base pricing based on the type of structure being treated (e.g. apartment, single detached home, townhouse, etc.) but other factors such as how many bedroom or occupants reside on the property may effect your pricing.
Why you shouldn’t go for the cheapest price when it comes to bed bug removal or elimination?
Well for starters, you will typically get what you pay for. If you want your problem gone and gone for good, it pays to pay a bit more for quality workmanship. In addition to this dealing with a reputable company ensures you are dealing with an experienced technician that is performing the treatment in accordance with the regional laws and regulations and the pesticide label. You can also have the peace of mind that our service is warranted. Contact us for more information on our warranties.
More information on Aprehend can be found at the following link: Frequently Asked Questions | Bed Bug Spray | Aprehend
