Even as winter ends, Bed Bug control remains a huge problem. This is one of nature’s most relentless infestors. They do not stop with the weather. This is because they’re indoor pests, and indoor pests are always comfortable at the same temperatures as you or me. But, there are things that you can do. So we’ll be discussing how to handle bed bugs in your home.
What are effective methods of bed bug control?
Now, to start off with, we’re going to be talking about control today. That means that you’re almost never going to get rid of an infestation of these pests 100% on your own. It’s just not really feasible for a layman. This article is more to help you curb their numbers while you book an appointment with your local natural pest control specialist. Anyway, let’s begin.
There’s a few steps you’re going to need to take, and also a few variants that you should keep in mind when you start your bed bug control methods. To start with, try to see how many bed bugs you have. If it’s only a small number, you’ll probably be able to keep them fairly manageable with minimal effort while you book a pest control company. If there’s an entire swarm already, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
Also, take into account how much clutter in your house is available for the bugs to hide in. The more hiding spaces they have, the less likely you’ll be able to pinpoint every single place they are in the house. And if you don’t live in your own house on a nice piece of property, your neighbors are going to affect this as well. If they’re the ones that spread the bed bugs to you, you’re going to need to have them help as well. Because if the other residents in your building aren’t participating, the bug populations in their homes will simply continue to grow and steadily move back into your house while you try to control these pests.
Identification
This is one of the hardest things about bed bug control. They spread easily in connecting housing units, and have massive negative effects on the well-being of the people inside as well as the housing markets. That’s why it’s up to you to identify and start to rectify this problem as soon as it arises.
To start with, go ahead with the eye test. Bedbugs are small, flat, wingless insects with six legs that, like mosquitoes, feed on blood from animals or people. They range in color from almost white to brown, but they turn rusty red after feeding. The common bedbug doesn’t grow much longer than 0.2 inches (0.5 centimeters) and can be seen by the naked eye to the astute observer. Bedbugs get their name because they like to hide in bedding and mattresses.
If you can’t quite make the eye test work, try to collect a sample of the pest to show to an insect expert. A lot of places will take a quick look at an image of a bug to help you identify it and give you a free consultation. And then, if you have a landlord, make sure to notify them that you have bed bugs. Many places have laws regarding this, so it’s better to be safer than sorry.
Of course, check multiple places in your home. This circles back to what I mentioned about clutter. Basically, any piece of furniture in your house can become a new nesting site: check them all.
bed bug control: Keep them from spreading
Don’t forget, bed bug control is more about doing your best to keep them from spreading. Keeping this in mind, you’re going to want to remove infested items. Any old pieces of furniture you’ve seen them nesting in should be placed in a sealed plastic bag and treated. Otherwise, you’ll just have to toss it. Items that cannot be treated should be placed in a sealed plastic bag and left there for up to a year to ensure any active bugs are dead.
Vacuum up as many of the bugs as you can with a hose attachment. Obviously, don’t stick it into or around any electrical sockets if that’s where the bugs are. But things like holes in the wall, your bed frame, etc, could probably use a good vacuuming. Make sure to empty out the bag after every use, because otherwise, you risk the bugs simply climbing back out.
And if you have an infested piece of furniture, try not to just throw it away if you can treat it. Not only will this save you a piece of furniture, but if it sits out by the curb or in the dumpster, there’s a chance of those bedbugs making their way into another home, if not back into yours.
Bed Bug Control: How can you kill bed bugs?
To start with, I don’t advise anyone without the proper training or equipment to use chemicals or poison. There are a few non-chemical methods that you can try to get these bugs out of your houses, such as heat and cold methods.
You can use a clothes dryer on high heat. You can also use black plastic bags in a hot, closed car in the sun, but success depends on your climate and other factors. Do-it-yourself heat treatments might not work. Professionals have access to more intensive and proven methods that can even treat whole houses with heat. You may also purchase a portable heat chamber, which is usually quite effective.
Then there’s the cold treatment method. Cold treatments can be successful in the home environment if the freezer is set to 0o F. You must leave the items in a sealed bag in the freezer at that temperature for four days. Always use a thermometer to check the temperature, since home freezers are not always set to 0o.
All in all, if you find bedbugs, immediately contact a pest control specialist. There’s no way you’re going to be able to handle this one on your own. Bed bug control is just too tough on your own without a pro.
