Tag Archives: bed bugs

Watch Out! Bed Bugs Are Not Just In Beds

Leave a reply

bedbug

You may think that you are safe from bed bugs, just because your home’s bedroom is not infested with them. Think again. Bed bugs are in a growing number of locations these days. Leaving your house may mean that you can brush up against bed bugs in taxi cabs, movie theaters, and even hospitals.

According to an annual survey of pest management professionals, bed bugs are in all sorts of places you may not have expected. In February, the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky surveyed the in-the-field bed bug detection experts for the Bugs Without Borders report. ”In the third installment of the Bugs Without Borders survey, according to Pestworld.org, “bed bugs are found to be as much, if not more of a problem today than they were a few years ago.” Yikes!

Places bed bug detection professionals found bed bugs

The survey says that virtually all of the pest management professionals found bed bugs at some point in their work – 98 percent found them in apartments or condos, and 96 percent found them in single-family homes. But that is not the only place bed bugs were discovered. Here are some of the places the survey found bed bugs, and the percentage of pest management professionals who discovered bed bugs there:

  • Hospitals: 33 percent
  • Movie theaters: 10 percent
  • Schools and day care centers: 41 percent
  • Nursing homes: 46 percent
  • Transportation (train/bus/taxi) : 21 percent
  • College dorms: 47 percent
  • Office buildings: 36 percent
  • Hotels/motels: 75 percent
  • Libraries: 12 percent
  • Laundromats: 9 percent
  • Retail stores: 15 percent
  • Airplanes: 2 percent
  • Restaurants: 7 percent.

That means that you could potentially be exposed to bed bugs at a variety of diverse locations whenever you leave your home. Needless to say, this is a scary prospect.

Bed bugs the toughest insects to control

If this doesn’t make you want to itch, here is some more information to make your skin crawl. According to the pest control professionals, bed bugs are the toughest pest to control. The Bugs Without Borders survey says that 76 percent of the experts find the bugs the worst, with 17 percent finding ants the worst, 6 percent say roaches are the toughest, and 1 percent find termites the most difficult.

What can you do to stay away from bed bugs?

Pestworld.org says that “bed bugs are as much, if not more of a problem today than they were a few years ago,” and that “these pests continue to plague people wherever they go.” The site says that raising awareness of the issue and being vigilant about bed bugs can help alleviate the problem.

If you travel, or have had to spend much time away from home, like in a hospital, you can keep bed bugs from being a problem in your home by putting your clothing in the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes before putting them in the washer. You should also put your luggage in a separate area of your home to make sure that any potential bed bugs don’t hitch a ride into your bedroom.

And if you think you might have bed bugs in your home, contact a bed bug professional like Bed Bug Finders LLC. Good luck.

Lisa Swan writes for a variety of home and office websites. She lives in New York City.

Related articles

How To Protect Your Home And Family From Bed Bugs

Leave a reply

The frequency of domestic and international travel has greatly contributed to the resurgence of bed bug problems nationwide. A few years back, everyone thought that bed bugs were a thing of the past. Now, however, with homes, schools, hotels, and all kinds of accommodation facilities, including buses, airplanes and cruise ships all being infested by bed bugs, people have realized how easily a once contained pest problem can become a national issue once again.

Today, it’s pretty difficult to stop the spread of bed bugs because travel, as mentioned earlier, is more common, and the creatures themselves are pretty sneaky. They can easily hide in bags, clothes, linen, and other items. They are pervasive, and they suck blood. All of these characteristics make them scary even though they might only be as small as apple seeds. Bed bug infestations are frightening, and no homeowner would want to be saddled with this kind of problem. Hence, people should take measures to protect their home, especially their kids, from bed bugs.

Here are a few things that will help you protect yourself and your loved ones from the nasty bloodsuckers.

1. Know who their friends are. You have to be involved in your children’s lives so that you’re updated about the latest happenings. Your child might mention something about a classmate who has a bug problem at home. In case you discover this, be extra vigilant and check your kid’s things and his room. It will also help to alert the teacher about this.

2. Be informed before allowing your child to go on a sleepover. Determine if the friend hosting the event has a problem with bed bugs. Try to glean some information about the home life to determine if the family has had pest issues in the past. It would also be better to talk to the parents concerned. Tell them about your bed bug concerns. They will likely open up to you in case they have a pest problem.

3. Clean and vacuum regularly. This way, you’ll easily get rid of lost bed bugs that might have just migrated into your home. Bed bugs also prefer clutter. If you regularly clean, you’re removing hiding places. Don’t forget to caulk cracks or put weatherstripping in gaps so that small pests will not be able to enter your house.

4. Teach your child how to protect his things from bed bugs. Tell him to keep his school bag zipped closed so that the bugs won’t be able to hide in his things. Ask him to check his bag first before taking this inside your house and in his room so that he won’t unwittingly carry bugs in your abode.

5. Use your laundry machine to your advantage. Bed bugs can be killed by heat. In case you believe that your house is infested, regularly launder clothes, bedding, and other things. After washing stuff in hot water, put things in a dryer and opt for the highest heat setting. Expose infested items to very hot air for at least 30 minutes.

Citations:

Claire Trent is a pest professional who wants to help spread awareness about bed bug infestations. In her articles, she talks about Maryland bed bugs exterminator, how to identify the bugs, and what to do in case of a widespread invasion.

Related articles

Houston Ranks 12th in Top Bedbug Cities

1 Reply

bedbug

According to this report of the top bedbug infested cities, Houston, TX now ranks 12th on the list of 50. This year’s rankings have Cincinnati coming in second and New York City — the most-infested city for the past two years — coming in third. Cleveland, Miami, Indianapolis and New Haven joined the top 15 this year.

Bedbugs feed on human blood and prefer to live in beds or other household furniture. Victims are usually attacked while sleeping, oblivious to the fact that they are being bitten. Here is an informative graphic breaking down everything you need to know about bedbugs:

Symptoms of bedbug attacks can include irritating red welts on the skin and allergic reactions that are generated by the pest’s saliva. Because the bites remove some of the victim’s blood, prolonged bedbug contact can lead to anemic conditions although it is rare.

If you think you may have contracted bedbugs, you better call a Houston pest control professional: bedbugs are infamously challenging to eliminate on your own. TIME magazine reports, consumer “bug bombs” or “foggers” have been proven to be unproductive in exterminating the bedbugs and can even make an infestation worse. Consumers also frequently overuse home pesticides, which can cause illness and even death.

Bulwark Exterminating
10900 Brittmoore Park Drive
Houston, TX 77041
(281) 668-4930
bulwarkpestcontrol.com

AAAnimal Pro: Wildlife Control
8280 Golf Green Circle
Houston, TX 77036
(832) 248- 7804
houstonwildlifepatrol.com

Terminix
16155 Park Row, Suite 190
Houston, TX 77084
(832) 460-3698
www.terminix.com

Related articles

Houston, we MIGHT have a problem.

Leave a reply

Bed bugs have recently been receiving a bit of the spotlight, as they’ve shown up in mass numbers in various cities across the country. New York is usually the first state to come to mind with this problem. This is probably due to the media attention given to some of the higher profile sightings. News of the Hollister and Abercrombie stores’ infestation in New York City spread as fast as wild fire. The Empire State Building had a sizable sighting of its own, which seemed to originate in the changing lockers. They figured that the bugs may have hitched a ride on an employee. And who knows if that employee is a resident of an apartment complex.

Speaking of. It seems we have a local apartment complex of our own that is battling these little critters. An apartment complex in The Woodlands is apparently having quite an issue, as reported in the Montgomery County News, and some of the residents say they have been having issues for over a year. Thirty miles from downtown Houston doesn’t seem that far away when all they need to do is hitch a ride in a sport coat, or in a gym bag.

In reality, just because you saw your first one yesterday doesn’t mean they haven’t been there for much longer. Bed bugs can go undetected for weeks, or even months, because many times their bites go undetected. Not everyone will notice bed bug bites because your reaction to those bites is individualized. So unless you, or someone nearby, has visible marks which are typically an allergic reaction to their saliva, you may be their constant source of food. Itchy red blotches are also indicative of a bed bug infestation. Currently, bed bugs are not known to carry or transmit infectious diseases.  Here’s a nice video on how to inspect for bed bugs around the room.

Bulwark Exterminating does not necessarily specialize in bed bugs, but there is a similar chord between a bed bug infestation and a scorpion infestation (which we DO specialized in). We, at the office, typically chuckle when we hear the claim “My neighbor has scorpions, but I don’t.” Or, “We had scorpions last year, but haven’t seen any yet this year, so they must be gone.” To which we reply, “If your neighbor has them, then YOU have them.” and “If you had them then, then you have them now.”  In the case of bed bugs, your neighbor would have to be be living in a completely sealed environment (no cracks or crevices to the outside world), and said neighbor would have to have never left his/her house since the first sighting.  Basically live in a vacuum.  But even before the first sighting it was probably already too late.

So keeps your eyes peeled, Houston. We may, or may not, have a problem.

Bed Bugs Back and Booming

Leave a reply

Bed Bugs are Back and Booming!

Bed bugs are not only a problem here in Houston, but they are booming everywhere. Uncertain to why they are back so rampant after almost 50 years of extinction in the US, many are blaming international travel, and some blame immigration… however, its highly doubtful that immigrants could be the sole cause. The Bed Bug problem reaches as far North as New York city, where they estimate an 30% increase over the past year. No matter the cause, the bed bug news goes from bad to worse. The recent Bed Bug Summit came away with no real solution.

Here are a few quick tips:

  • 1- Wash your sheets regularly.
  • 2- Wash your clothes after staying in hotels. All clothes, both used and unused.
  • 3- Cover mattresses with plastic bed bug sheets.***

    • *** Probably the most important tip. As mattress covers not only prevent them from nesting in your bed but can also help eliminate those that already have infested mattresses.

    Get Mattress and box spring covers here: www.pestprojoe.com- Bed Bugs