Bed Bug Information.
So Just What Are Bed Bugs

They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. The immature (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded areas, depositing 1, 2 or more eggs per day and hundreds during a lifetime. The eggs are tiny, whitish, and hard to see on most surfaces without magnification (individual eggs are about the size of a dust speck). When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to surfaces. Newly hatched nymphs are straw-colored and no bigger than a pinhead. As they grow, they molt (shed their skin) five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive molt. Under favorable conditions (70-80°F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year. Cooler temperatures or limited access to blood extends the development time. Bed bugs are resilient. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Infestations therefore are unlikely to diminish by leaving premises unoccupied. They prefer feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents

Bed bugs can live in almost any crevice or protected location. The most common place to find them is the bed and the baseboards. Bed bugs often hide within seams, tufts and crevices of the mattress, box spring, bed frame and headboard.

Bed bugs are not so easy to find in your home and are very tiny about 3/8 inches long and move quickly. If you do a proper inspection and you happen to find larvae and eggs, then, you probably have bed bugs in your home. Bed bugs are active mainly at night between 3.00 and 5.00 am. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices — especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be eggs and eggshells, the brownish molted skins of maturing nymphs and the bugs themselves. Another telltale though less frequent sign is rusty or reddish blood smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushing an engorged bed bug.

Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed usually about 10-15 feet from their next meal. Initial infestations tend to be around beds, but the bugs eventually may become scattered throughout the bedroom, occupying any crevice or protected location. They also may spread to adjacent rooms or apartments. Bed bugs usually bite people at night while they are sleeping. They feed by piercing the skin which they withdraw blood. Engorgement takes about three to 10 minutes, yet the person rarely knows it’s happening. Conventional insect repellents, like those used to deter ticks and mosquitoes, do not appear to be effective against bed bugs. Attempting to avoid being bitten by applying insect repellent at bedtime is not recommended. Sleeping with the lights on is not likely to deter hungry bed bugs either.

Do I Have To Throw The Bed

Eliminating bed bugs from beds can be 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, companies sometimes recommend that beds be discarded, especially when heavily infested or in poor condition.

Another option is to encase both the mattress and box spring in a protective cover like those used for allergy relief. Encasements specifically designed to help protect against bed bugs are available through Mattress Covers Canada or Pest Services. Once the cover is installed and zipped shut, any bugs which happen to be inside are entombed and eventually will die. Encasements also help protect newly purchased beds, and make it easier to spot and destroy any bugs residing on the outer surface during subsequent examination. Keeping the cover on for more than 12 months will ensure that they do not survive and you can get a peaceful sleep Encasements will not, however, keep bed bugs from crawling onto a bed and biting a sleeping person. Remember to hire a trained professional to combat the problem and encase your mattress.