Pest Control Palmerston North Ltd – How can I tell if we have bed bugs?

Nov 2, 2022

Pest control companies have the advantage of using chemicals and other treatments that are not available to you. They have insecticides that both kill bugs on contact and that stay inside furniture and cracks to kill bedbugs in the long term. https://pest-control-palmerston-north-ltd.business.site

Pest Control Palmerston North Ltd - How can I tell if we have bed bugs?

When it comes to Palmerston North pest control the bed bug species present are a public health nuisance, rather than a public health risk and are not thought to transmit infectious diseases. There are a number of preventative measures that can be taken to ensure that bed bug outbreaks do not occur.

The two common species Palmerston North pest control deal with are Cimex hemipterus (the Tropical bed bug) and Cimex lectularius, (the Common bed bug). Bed bugs (Cimex spp.) are insects (True bugs, order hemiptera) that are wingless and flattened. Adults are a reddish brown, 5-6mm when unfed to almost 10mm when fully blood engorged. For all pest control issues including bedbugs simply contact the experts at https://pest-control-palmerston-north-ltd.business.site

Bed bugs are typically active at night and hide during the daytime. Human dwellings provide ideal habitat (temperature, humidity) as well as a blood source and humans are the preferred host for a blood meal. They don’t tend to live on people like lice do, generally the only real contact is during feeding, which may take five to ten minutes. In the absence of humans, bed bugs will feed on other warm blooded animals including dogs, cats, birds & rodents. But usually they live within 2-3m of where people sleep. However for a feed they can travel up to 30 meters up walls, across ceilings, through air conditioning ducts, along wiring, behind walls & even out one window and into another.

As they are very flat they can squeeze into almost any cavity, including mattress seams, beneath loose flooring, behind loose wallpaper, inside box springs, behind pictures and headboards, upholstered furniture, within electrical appliances and behind light switches.

Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be hatched and un-hatched eggs, the tannish shed skins of maturing nymphs, and the bugs themselves. Another possible sign are rusty or reddish smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushed engorged bed bugs. Although it’s often stated that bed bugs have a telltale “buggy” odor, the smell is seldom evident except in extreme infestations and should not be relied upon for detection.

Eggs are approximately 1mm, cream in colour with a slight bend. They are laid individually in crevices in dark areas, preferably onto textured materials (Fabrics, wood, behind pictures, in furniture, along edges of baseboards, under floor boards etc). They will be cemented firmly onto the surface and not easily removed.

Bed bugs are often associated with dirty conditions, but can live in very clean new homes as there are still plenty of harborage sites and hosts for feeds. However in very cluttered homes obviously more habitat is provided. Also when buildings are in a state of deterioration more habitat is provided behind peeling wallpaper, cracks around doors, windows, floorboards etc. Bed bugs can shelter from insecticide by living in piles of toys, clothes etc. They can be transported from place to place on clothing or in suitcases but do not typically venture too far once they have established in a new suitable habitat.

Conventional insect repellents, like those used to deter ticks and mosquitoes, do not appear to be as effective against bed bugs. Therefore, attempting to avoid being bitten by applying insect repellent at bedtime is not recommended. Sleeping with the lights on is also not likely to deter hungry bed bugs, as they will adjust their feeding cycle to the host’s sleeping patterns

The best option for preventing bites is by reducing the likelihood of exposure to bed bugs. This can only be achieved by reduction of potential habitat, and regular inspections. Decluttering is one of the best ways of reducing potential harbourage sites and also makes detection easier. General maintenance (i.e. keeping paint, walls, flooring etc. in good condition to reduce number of potential harbourage sites) can also help. To protect yourself when travelling and to reduce the likelihood of collecting “hitch-hikers”, it is wise to put luggage on a stand (or other hard surface) while inspecting the room for signs of bed bugs.

For more information, simply visit https://www.facebook.com/PestControlPalmerstonNorth

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