Bed Bug FAQ's
HISTORY
•Bed Bugs have been around and have fed on man since the beginning of time.
•They were a problem in the US until the 1950's with the advent of DDT. At this point in time DDT would not be effective due to RESISTANCE. Right now bed bugs are growing resistant to many of the products used to treat them. All avenues of control must be utilized to eliminate bed bugs.
BIOLOGY
•An adult bed bug is about 3/16 of an inch. Nymphs or young are much smaller and almost colorless. Once Bed Bugs feed they turn mahogany color.
•Bed bugs can live up to 1 year. In that time period they can lay up to 500 eggs. Eggs are deposited on rough surfaces and appear almost like white seed.
•On average females lay from 1-5 eggs per day which take 21-120 days to develop into adults, depending on temperature. The eggs hatch in about 10-14 days.
•Adults can live for several months without a blood meal. Nymphs survive a much shorter period of time.
•5 nymphal stages occur before adulthood is reached, each requiring a blood meal for its further development.
•Bed bugs have been found to be infected with over 25 disease organisms, such as plague, relapsing fever, tularemia and q fever. Comclusive evidence is lacking as far as transmission of these diseases.
HABITS
•Latest Research from Dr. Stephen A. Kells from the University of Minnesota has found the following: Bed bugs will aggregate close to their host due to assembly pheromones. They will also disperse due to Alarm pheromones. Although he has found some will just wander off-especially pregnant females.
•Bed bugs will normally feed just before dawn.
•Disturbed bed bugs will move to quieter areas and can move at the rate of 3 feet per minute.
TREATMENT
•Doctor Kells suggests that some strains are 100-12000 times resistant to our commonly used pesticides.
•All avenues of control must be utilized. This may include steam, heat, cold, mattress covers, laundering and drying, fast acting pesticides utilizing dust, liquid and aerosols, vacuuming etc. If we have it in our toolbox we should employ it for best results. Treatments should focus on CONTAINMENT.
•We must spread out from the primarily infested areas to encapsulate and eliminate and prevent spread. Concentration should be on targeting the insects directly and no reliance should be placed on residual insecticides intercepting bed bugs.
•Cold temperatures below 55 degrees stop bed bug development and egg production. Temperatures over 114 degrees will kill bed bugs. 131 Degrees for 10 minutes will kill all eggs.
•Extreme heat will control bed bugs but achieving these temperatures in domestic habitats is extremely difficult. Luckily we have the equipment and expertise to ensure complete eradication.
•We use the Temp-Air system. Visit them at www.thermalremediation.com
WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?
•We have found that bed bugs enter a structure primarily by being transported in luggage, used furniture, and reconditioned mattresses and couches. We have also found bed bugs arriving via laundry, from the apartment next door when a treatment is done incorrectly and in dry cleaning.
•Remember bed bugs are not associated with filth- bed bugs are associated with PEOPLE.
•Bed Bugs have been around and have fed on man since the beginning of time.
•They were a problem in the US until the 1950's with the advent of DDT. At this point in time DDT would not be effective due to RESISTANCE. Right now bed bugs are growing resistant to many of the products used to treat them. All avenues of control must be utilized to eliminate bed bugs.
BIOLOGY
•An adult bed bug is about 3/16 of an inch. Nymphs or young are much smaller and almost colorless. Once Bed Bugs feed they turn mahogany color.
•Bed bugs can live up to 1 year. In that time period they can lay up to 500 eggs. Eggs are deposited on rough surfaces and appear almost like white seed.
•On average females lay from 1-5 eggs per day which take 21-120 days to develop into adults, depending on temperature. The eggs hatch in about 10-14 days.
•Adults can live for several months without a blood meal. Nymphs survive a much shorter period of time.
•5 nymphal stages occur before adulthood is reached, each requiring a blood meal for its further development.
•Bed bugs have been found to be infected with over 25 disease organisms, such as plague, relapsing fever, tularemia and q fever. Comclusive evidence is lacking as far as transmission of these diseases.
HABITS
•Latest Research from Dr. Stephen A. Kells from the University of Minnesota has found the following: Bed bugs will aggregate close to their host due to assembly pheromones. They will also disperse due to Alarm pheromones. Although he has found some will just wander off-especially pregnant females.
•Bed bugs will normally feed just before dawn.
•Disturbed bed bugs will move to quieter areas and can move at the rate of 3 feet per minute.
TREATMENT
•Doctor Kells suggests that some strains are 100-12000 times resistant to our commonly used pesticides.
•All avenues of control must be utilized. This may include steam, heat, cold, mattress covers, laundering and drying, fast acting pesticides utilizing dust, liquid and aerosols, vacuuming etc. If we have it in our toolbox we should employ it for best results. Treatments should focus on CONTAINMENT.
•We must spread out from the primarily infested areas to encapsulate and eliminate and prevent spread. Concentration should be on targeting the insects directly and no reliance should be placed on residual insecticides intercepting bed bugs.
•Cold temperatures below 55 degrees stop bed bug development and egg production. Temperatures over 114 degrees will kill bed bugs. 131 Degrees for 10 minutes will kill all eggs.
•Extreme heat will control bed bugs but achieving these temperatures in domestic habitats is extremely difficult. Luckily we have the equipment and expertise to ensure complete eradication.
•We use the Temp-Air system. Visit them at www.thermalremediation.com
WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?
•We have found that bed bugs enter a structure primarily by being transported in luggage, used furniture, and reconditioned mattresses and couches. We have also found bed bugs arriving via laundry, from the apartment next door when a treatment is done incorrectly and in dry cleaning.
•Remember bed bugs are not associated with filth- bed bugs are associated with PEOPLE.