Bed Bugs

Yikes … bed bugs!

Top view of a bed bug

Bed Bugs were once thought of as purely a scourge of third world countries or in areas with poor hygiene standards. In fact about 50 years ago, bed bug presence had nearly been eliminated in countries such as Australia, the UK and The USA however with increasing international travel has come the return of bed bugs . . . and at an alarming rate!

Bed bugs don’t pose as high a medical risk such as fleas for example. Their medical implication is more the irritation their bites can effect on human skin. Bedbugs are a rather unique pest in that normal pest control methods can be ineffectual so a specialist understanding of their life cycle and habits is essential in the elimination of bedbugs.

WHAT ARE BEDBUGS?
Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed on human blood by piercing the skin. They usually seek out blood meals at night. They do not live on humans and do not burrow into the skin. Bed bugs are very mobile, but only move short distances to feed, so are commonly found near food (blood) sources i.e. human skin.  Their appearance is small with a dark, rusty colour and quite often they are confused with fleas however there are differences between the two as the following chart indicates:

Bed Bugs Vs Fleas Table (click to enlarge)

HABITS OF BED BUGS
Bed bugs tend to be nocturnal creatures that hide during the day and come out to feed at night. Their hiding places tend to be small cracks and crevices such as:
• bedside furniture
• bed frames
• in picture frames
• behind wall paper
• in cracks and crevices or other areas of a room that will provide them with protection, such as edges of rugs, behind skirting boards, in wooden slats or springs of a bed and between wooden floor boards

When they come to feed off their host (humans) the feeding time is generally three to five minutes and usually goes unnoticed by the victim. Bed bugs can spread to adjoining rooms not so much by crawling, but by being transported by human movement.

Bed bug bites

SIGN OF BED BUG INFESTATION
Aside from the obvious visual sighting of bed bugs on, or under mattresses, there are other signs that show the presence of bed bugs in your home:
• Blood spotting on bedding as well as furniture and skirting boards
• Skin welts and irritation caused by the bites
• Dark spots of bed bug excrement or shedded skin
• Sweet musty smell is sometimes present

With regard to bed bug bites, as was mentioned earlier, these do not lead to transmission of any disease or present any great health threat  . . . they tend to be more of an irritation to the skin of the victim where skin reaction may include redness, swelling and wheals up to 2cm in size and an itching or burning sensation. Humans tend to be bitten on the arms and shoulders in distinct lines. Having said this, it’s also worth noting that some people may not show any reaction at all to bed bug bites.

CONTROL OF BED BUGS
The eradication of bed bugs in your house can be quite detailed and not just a case of vacuuming bedding and furniture. Doing these may remove visible offenders however, as mentioned earlier, bed bugs and bed bug eggs will be hidden in many areas . . . not just in bedding.

Perth Pest Control is well versed in locating and eliminating bed bugs and we follow a proven protocol in the control of these pests:
• Isolation – we ask you, prior to our visit, to bag all clothing, bed linen etc. All these items will need to be washed in hot water with a non-enzyme detergent and by doing all this, the bed bug threat will be contained. Contact us for more details on this step.
• Inspection – we will then make an inspection of the area and this involves checking not just the bedding, but also surrounding furniture, carpet edges, skirting boards, power points etc.
• Non-chemical treatment – once the existence of bed bugs has been confirmed, our technician will provide a steam treatment to all parts of the infected room.
• Chemical treatments – it needs to noted firstly that normal pesticides don’t work with bed bug eggs and it’s imperative that the eggs be destroyed, as well as the adults, to prevent further infestation.  At Perth Pest Control we would assess each situation always keeping human safety as the number one priority. Generally, we would use two types of treatment….a special residual pesticide for areas such as cracks, skirting boards etc, and then a less persistent one (but one with a high safety margin) for areas in contact with humans such as mattresses, furniture etc.
• Follow up – it’s crucial to understand that one treatment for bed bugs from Perth Pest Control will, in most cases, eliminate the problem. However, in cases of severe infestation or improper isolation procedures, a second treatment may be required. Our technician will discuss this with you at the time of the initial treatment.