07 Jul 2014

Bed Bugs: The House Guests That Just Won’t Leave

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professional bed bug treatmentIf you’ve ever experienced bed bugs in your home, dorm, or hotel room, you are certainly not alone. One in every five Americans has either encountered bed bugs or knows someone else who has. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones who hasn’t personally experienced bed bugs, you probably know that they are particularly difficult to get rid of. But why is that? Here are a few fun — okay, maybe not really fun, but definitely interesting — facts about bed bugs, and why a professional bed bug treatment is necessary to get rid of ‘em:

1. The aptly named “bed bugs” do, in fact, live on and around beds. A bed bug is capable of traveling over 100 feet in one night, although they prefer to spend their days close to areas where people sleep (beds, couches, etc.).

2. Why do they want to live around beds? Because they are primarily nocturnal creatures and, like mosquitoes, they survive on the blood of other animals. Which animal do they prefer to steal their food from? Yep, you guessed it: humans. It really only makes sense that these little pests like to hang out near beds, because they take their meal time when people are fast asleep.

3. After a meal, bed bugs have a mini-hibernation period which involves digesting, resting, and laying more eggs. Usually this lasts for about a week, but a bed bug can actually survive for months without another meal.

4. Unlike other bugs, insecticides really don’t work on bed bugs. Modern bed bug strains have evolved to respond to human defense mechanisms (i.e., chemical pest controls) and are often completely resistant to even the most powerful insecticides. It’s nearly impossible for a homeowner to turn exterminating bed bugs into a Do-It-Yourself project. A bed bug pest control service isn’t just thorough and convenient — it’s quite literally the only effective way to solve the problem.

5. What does professional bed bug treatment involve? Well, it’s pretty intense; the most effective bed bug treatment involves heating up a living space — and all of its contents — a little bit like an oven. Bed bugs can survive in temperatures close to freezing, as well as temperatures as hot as 122 degrees Fahrenheit, so a thermal heat treatment for bed bugs involves heating up a room to 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit, and holding the temperature for two-three hours. Professional bed bug treatments use this type of heating method because it is nontoxic (unlike many insecticides) and it kills bed bugs in every stage of life, so it’s both a treatment and a preventative measure.

Bed bugs really are resilient little creatures, and if they didn’t target humans, we might be content with living peacefully beside them. But no one wants to wake up every morning with itchy red bug bites, and if you find yourself in that situation and you suspect it might be a bed bug problem, your best bet is to contact a service that can provide professional bed bug treatment ASAP.

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