Saying Goodbye to Your Bug Problems for Good

Bugged by bed bugs a lot? You’re not alone. Every homeowner has their share of pest problems, from roaches and rats to termites and bed bugs – the list goes on and on but effective solutions are so few. This may be one case when an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure or more specifically a pound of pesticide.

Among the many pest problems causing homeowners way too much grief are bed bugs. These are flat, reddish-brown or chestnut brown insects with oval-shaped bodies measuring between 4 to 5 mm long or about the size of an apple seed. They usually hide in cracks and crevices during the day near sleeping areas or where people gather most. They usually feed at night just before dawn and defecate after doing so leaving brown stains on the bedding which is one of the first signs of an infestation. Check A1PestControl website to see what bed bugs look like up close.

In addition to cracks and crevices, they can also be found in mattress seams, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. They are most commonly found in hotels and travel from room to room or place to place by latching onto guests’ luggage, purses or briefcases. They feed on blood to grow and reproduce and are known to cause allergic reactions and secondary bacterial infection from scratching and in cases of severe infestations can even cause mild anemia.

Another sign of bed bug infestation would be the shed skins of nymphs or immature bed bugs which go through 5 molts or stages before they are fully mature and need to suck on blood to ensure growth. They can be hard to detect and can often be seen up close using digital microscopes. You can check A1PestControl to learn more information about bed bugs and the health risks they bring.

Once you confirm that you do have a bed bug infestation (and not just fleas or ticks), the first thing you should do is not panic and don’t start throwing away stuff you think is contaminated because they can be treated and saved. Besides, throwing out stuff will only cause the bed bugs to spread more, resulting in even bigger problems. Also, don’t immediately reach for the pesticide spray as bed bugs have been proven to have developed an immunity to pesticides so spraying it can cause them to become even more immune and therefore, more difficult to kill.

This is one reason why instead of spraying, you need to start calling professional pest control services like A1 Pest Control to help you say goodbye to your bug problems for good. Companies like these usually utilize environment-friendly methods in eradicating bed bugs by using non-toxic pesticides and utilizing the IPM or integrated pest management system to limit your contact with dangerous pesticides.

The good news is that bed bug infestations can be controlled with a few preventive measures that are easy to follow and must be done as soon as you confirm the presence of bed bugs in your home. Keeping a clutter-free home for one, will ensure that bed bugs won’t have a place to hide so that they are easier to locate and eradicate. If bed bugs are found in your mattresses, use special bed covers or encasements on your mattress and box springs to make it hard for the bed bugs to bite you in your sleep.

You should also regularly wash and heat-dry your bed sheets, blankets, bed spreads and any articles of clothing that touch the floor. Also, since bed bugs are temperature-sensitive, you should know that while freezing can kill them, temperatures need to remain very low for more than 72 hours and home freezers are not usually cold enough to kill bed bugs.

Make sure as well that you place your beds at least 6 inches away from the walls and wrap the legs of your bed with 2-inch wide sticky tape, sticky side facing outwards to catch the bugs. Vacuum the mattresses, box springs and bed frames and keep your bedroom as cool as possible at night to slow them down. You can visit A1 Pest Control to learn more tips on how to keep the bed bugs from biting.

And last but certainly not the least, the best way to say goodbye to your bug problems forever is to hire a professional pest control company and have them inspect your home for bed bugs and to allow them to come up with a treatment plan to get rid of them safely and effectively. Make sure that you hire a reputable company that utilizes EPA-regulated methods and treatments and employs licensed and certified pest control technicians who will handle the problem in the right way. Also, learn more about A1 Pest Control to ensure that you hire the right people for the job.