Bed Bugs

The adult bed bug is oval shaped, 3/16″ long, and is a rusty brown color. The bed bug is completely flat but becomes elongated as it fills with blood. Bed bugs do not fly or jump but move similar to the way ants move.

The female bed bug can lay one to five eggs per day and 200-500 in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in the span of about 7 days and moults 5 times, taking a blood meal between each moult. Development time from egg to adult takes about 21 days.

Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices during the day and will leave its harborage area at night to feed on its hosts. The blood meal takes about 3-10 minutes to complete and usually goes without notice to the host. After feeding, the bed bug bite may become inflamed and itchy.

A thorough inspection is necessary in order to locate the areas where bed bugs may be harboring. Vacuuming these areas will help collect the eggs and live bed bugs. The vacuum bag should immediately be disposed of so. Treatment with a residual pesticide will be needed and dust may be used in void spaces such as behind electrical faceplates. Significant preparation by the customer prior to any treatment to ensure that bed bugs are not harboring or breeding in closets or drawers.

Using over the counter products in an effort to self-treat will almost always repel the bed bugs and cause them to scatter to other areas of the home, making effective eradication significantly more difficult.

A professionally trained and licensed exterminator is needed for effective bed bug eradication.

Pest Control Plus uses Green products in the control of bed bugs and also offers bed bug eradication through Heat which greatly reduces the amount of customer preparation needed.