More Bed Bugs

A final word for now on bed bugs, a pest problem that has been increasing exponentially in the last few years here is Southern California. Today we will discuss the intricacies of bed bug control. 

Bed bugs are controlled by various methods, We rely heavily on residual pesticides to kill bed bugs in their harborage areas and, hopefully, areas they travel through. We need to identify and treat all these areas because an infested area missed means the bugs will continue to be a problem. Heat is also an immediate killer, though there is no residual mechanism to kill bed bugs that come later. Sometimes mattresses and/or furniture are steamed at about 120 degrees, which immediately kills adult and nymph bed bugs. This may be helpful with mattresses and sofas, but will provide no residual protection from bed bugs that decide to re-infest the mattress. We strongly recommend special mattress covers that seal bed bugs either in or out of a mattress, thereby eliminating the mattress as a source of infestation through the whole process. Although there are some chemicals labeled for mattresses, safety is a first concern, especially where children or the elderly are involved. Thorough vacuuming can also assist in the treatment of infested areas.

Regardless of what techniques are used, multiple trips, inspections, and applications are essential for control. Generally a minimum of three trips is necessary for control in two to three week intervals, with some follow-up after that to ensure no more bed bugs have survived to re-infest the living area. 

Bed bug control is unlike any other pest control. It is meticulous, requires several visits, sometimes specialized equipment, and even then the bugs may make a resurgence requiring more visits and treatments. Beware of companies who promise an easy "cure." Bed bugs are a complicated problem, and one that will not be easily solved. As mentioned in yesterday's quiz answers, avoid the problem by avoiding discarded furniture at garage sales and thrift stores. This is a major source of bed bug infestation. For an informational slide show, click here. To go to the San Diego County website on integrated pest management for bed bugs, click here. To contact Centurion Pest Control, visit our web site here.

Bed Bug Quiz Answers

Due to technical difficulties, the answers to Tuesday's quiz are not being posted until Thursday. Here are the answers and a bit more information about bed bug control:

1. The correct answer to the question about the reappearance of bed bugs in the United States is (d)  - no one really knows. Experts have posited that the answer may be a combination of (b) more immigration from countries where bed bugs are common and (c) the reduced use of liquid insecticides, especially the abandoning of the use of DDT in this country. Whatever the reason, bed bugs are on the rise here, with populations doubling every year. This adds up to an expensive problem for homeowners and property managers.

2. The first indication of bed bug infestation is usually the presence of bites on their hosts because (d) they hide during the day and come out to feed at night. In fact, they often come out of hiding during the early morning hours, when people are in their deepest sleep, and as they take a blood meal administer a local anesthetic so that the host does not feel the bite until later - when it begins to itch. Because they are nocturnal, it is difficult to inspect for bed bugs. However, it is advisable when visiting a hotel to check the mattress, box springs, and headboard for signs of their presence. You probably won't see the bugs, but the small egg casings or feces may be visible.

3. Bed bugs carry no diseases that we know of, so the answer here is (d). However, their bites can be painful and very uncomfortable - and if the population is great there may be multiple bites.

4. When looking for bed bugs, check EVERYWHERE! The best and first places to look are the mattress and box springs - but you may find evidence in any of the other locations. The answer, again, is (d) all of the above.

5. Bed bugs cannot live at temperatures (a) above 100 degrees. You may actually be able to kill all existing bed bugs by turning up the heat - but there is no residual for any eggs that hatch. Steam cleaning a mattress at temperatures above 120 degrees is helpful in reclaiming a bed.

6. The best way to avoid bed bug infestations is to (c) avoid used furniture from garage sales, thrift stores, etc. Vacuuming and cleaning are essential in control of these bugs, but won't prevent an infestation.

7. Bed bug-resistant mattress covers are recommended because they (b) starve existing bugs in the mattress and prevent further infestation there. Many people believe they will get rid of a bed bug problem by discarding their old mattress and buying a new one. The problem is, if there are still bugs present in the house - hiding on the headboard or beneath base boards, they will come back to infest a new mattress as well. The best method is to cover the existing mattress - but not with plastic sheeting, with a mattress cover which is labeled as bed bug-resistant. If they have infested sofas or other upholstered furniture, it may be necessary to discard the furniture or at least have it steam cleaned.

8. Bed bugs can go without feeding for (c) 80 to 140 days. Because of their hardy resilience, they are a pest that is difficult to control. In most cases, a professional should be called in at the first indication of bed bug infestation. 

Tuesday's Quiz: Bed Bugs

Last week we visited the topic of bed bugs, so the quiz today tests your knowledge of these blood feeders. Answers to today's quiz will be posted tomorrow, along with more information on bed bug control as it impacts San Diego homeowners and property managers. Here's the quiz:

1. Why have bed bugs made a reappearance in the United States after years of virtual extinction here?

a. a new "super" strain of bed bugs developed

b. immigration from other countries has increased

c. fewer and less effective liquid pesticides are being used

c. no one knows exactly why

2. The first indication of bed bug infestation is usually the presence of bites on their hosts because:

a. bed bugs are too tiny to be seen with the naked eye

b. bed bugs are transparent

c. bed bugs run away from people

d. bed bugs hide during the day and come out to feed at night

3. Bed bugs can be carriers of which of these diseases?

a. typhus and malaria

b. salmonella and plague

c. all of the above

d. none of the above

4. When looking for bed bugs, the best places to look are:

a. on mattresses and box springs

b. bed frames, headboards and wall hangings

c. baseboards, closets, window and door casings

d. all of the above

5. Bed bugs cannot live at temperatures

a. above 100 degrees

b. above 120 degrees

c. below 50 degrees

d. below 60 degrees

6. The best way to avoid a bed bug infestation is to

a. vacuum and clean your home thoroughly every day

b. set off bug bombs in your home

c. do not buy furniture at garage sales or from thrift stores

d. throw away your mattress and sleep on the floor

7. Bed bug resistant mattress covers are recommended because:

a. they kill all bed bugs within a 10-foot radius

b. they starve bed bugs on the mattress and prevent further infestation

c. bed bugs will not go near a mattress cover

d. all of the above

8. Bed bugs can go without feeding for 

a. 20-30 days

b. 60-80 days

c. 80-140 days

d. up to two years

Look for answers tomorrow, and more bed bug information in Friday's blog.

Bedbugs, revisited

Although we have discussed bedbugs in a previous post, it seems like a topic for frequent discussion. With bedbug populations growing each month, these pests have become a major problem for homeowners and property managers. The following is part 1 of a lengthy letter Centurion has sent to property managers who are dealing with this frustrating and expensive problem. The hope is that more information will help all our customers prevent a bedbug infestation. 

Up until the last several years, bedbugs have not been a significant problem in the United States. Prior to the mid 20th century, bedbugs were much more common. With the advent of chemicals like DDT and the "generous" use of such pesticides, bedbugs were virtually eliminated and for about the past 50 years very few pest control operators ever saw one. It was hard to get specimens to study because their occurrence was so rare. No one is quite sure why there has been a resurgence of this pest, but it is possibly a combination of more immigration from foreign countries with bedbug infestations, and the Integrated Pest Management practices that minimize the use of pesticides and other chemical treatments. In any event, bedbugs have returned as not only a major pest throughout the United States, but also one of the most difficult pests to treat.

Bedbugs are blood feeders, and prefer humans as their hosts, though some species of bedbugs feed on other hosts. They like to hide in any small hiding place or void that will give them access to the host. They can befound in the joints of furniture, on and in sofas, in the tufts and seams of mattresses (a favorite), in the construction of box spring mattresses, under baseboards, ini picture frames, in small holes in ceilings, in clocks, in light sockets, in bed frames (also a favorite), virtually anywhere they can find a place to hide. They are easily seen by the naked eye, but are flat enough to get through most small openings. This gives you some idea of the scope and of the initial inspection and treatment. Most of the time the bed has to be taken apart, and furniture with drawers need the drawers removed and inspected along with the cabinet itself. Every hiding place has to be identified and treated. What follows is what adds to the difficulty of treatment.

Each female lays about 200 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs are basically "glued" in place in a crack or crevice or other suitable place. These eggs resist chemical treatment and are very difficult to vacuum up. The eggs hatch and the resulting nymphs go through five stages before becoming adults, each stage requiring a blood meal. If conditions are optimal, this can be completed within a month and a half. If not, it may take nearly six months to complete this development. As adults they live about another six months unless food is not readily available, in which case they can survive up to about a hear and a half, waiting to feed.

Monday's blog will continue the discussion with part 2, control and prevention of bed bugs. The more you know, the better prepared you'll be to avoid these difficult pests. To view an informative slideshow on bedbugs, click here.

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

When early Americans told their children to "sleep tight," they were being practical. Their mattresses were suspended on a grid of ropes, attached to the bed frame, which kept them off the floor - and marginally safer from the nocturnal bed bug. Although bed bugs are an ancient pest, thought to have been around for thousands of years, they were all but extinct in the continental United States until just over 10 years ago. Today, they are back with a vengeance - doubling every year. Theories on why these nasty blood-suckers have returned include the increase in world travel and a decline in the use of liquid chemicals for pest control. Regardless of why, they have multiplied into a serious problem for homeowners, tenants, and hotel patrons across the United States. 

Attracted by warmth and the presence of carbon dioxide, bed bugs sneak out of hiding places in bedrooms or hotel suites to feed - often in the early hours of the morning, before dawn. They pierce the skin of their host with two hollow tubes. While one tube sucks a blood meal, the other injects the bug's saliva, which contains anticoagulants to keep the blood flowing and anesthetics so you won't know what's happening until later, when the bite begins to itch. To watch an informative video from National Geographic, click here.

Treating bed bugs can be difficult and expensive - because they hide in small and varied places. The best protection against these critters is to avoid taking in discarded furniture or mattresses. If you already have an infestation, vacuum furniture and baseboards thoroughly; buy a mattress cover especially designed for sealing bed bugs out; and call a pest professional. For  more information on bed bugs, see the University of California's pest management page here. And don't let the bed bugs bite!