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All You Need To Know About Bed Bugs

How To Deal With Bed Bugs In Hotels

By Janet Wilson MCIJ | No comments
World War II Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Image by Jeff Kubina via Flickr

The number one carrier of bed bugs in hotels is the mattress. This should not be a surprise, as bed bugs are known to lurk in the bed, hence the name bed bug. The growing number of complaints from travelers about bed bugs in hotels where they stayed have been steadily increasing.

Why the infestation? No one exactly knows but there is a rumor about bed bugs in hotels becoming immune to the regular insecticide used on them. A sort of mutated generation of bed bugs in hotels, if you like. Although this could make a great horror B movie, the truth may shock you.

Infestations of bed bugs in hotels were common in the United States before World War II. But the improvements in hygiene, and the widespread use of DDT dusting during the 1940s and ’50s, the bed bugs in hotels vanished. The specie flourished in other parts of the world like Africa, South and Central Europe and Asia.

The bed bugs in hotels have now returned. This is blamed on the increase in tourists and immigrants staying in their establishments and unknowingly leaves behind a souvenir. Just one female bed bug can produce five eggs a day and could leave three generations of bed bugs in hotels.

Some scientists believe that the reappearance of bed bugs in hotels is due to the cutback on the quality of pesticides. DDT was banned in the 1960s and it was the only insecticide used which effectively killed the bed bugs in hotels.

One cause for concern regarding the bed bugs in hotels is that they just dont flourish in cheap, musty motels. Even the expensive ones are being infested. Because of this, these establishments are losing money fast with court appearance for cases filed by unsatisfied patrons.

The bed bugs in hotels are the same bed bugs at home. They are small, nasty, brownish, round and flat insects that closely resemble a tick. These insects choose no one. It is happy just to find a warm place to live and breed in, somewhere near their food source people.

Bed bugs are patient insects. They can live up to a year without blood meal. And their size makes it hard for people to see them. Their victims dont feel even their bites. Bed bugs feed by piercing the skin with its elongated beak and they inject a small amount of anesthesia- like substance that makes them undetectable. The only sign youve been visited by a bed bug is if you have an itchy, swelling welt the next day.

The bed bugs in hotels are becoming a nuisance for the management. It tarnishes their reputation and leaves a bad impression on the customer. But whats more appalling is the way they handle bed bugs in hotels.

Instead of having to provide remedies for the patrons, the staff often just dismisses the incident. This has incurred the wrath of some patrons and the bed bugs in hotels now enter the courtroom. There was one case were bed bugs in hotels were too much that they decided to sue the hotel for damages. They content that because the management did not disclose their problem with bed bugs in hotels, they risked the health and well being of the patrons. The court found the hotel guilty.

Thats the problem with bed bugs in hotels nowadays. Although they bed bugs do not only appear in hotels, the fact that the establishments do not resolve their infestation is what irks patrons.

It is their duty to provide with good service and a clean environment, free from bed bugs in hotels. Or should they really have a bad infestation, there are available pest control experts that can remedy the bed bugs in hotels situation.

As a traveler, you should take the precaution whenever going to hotels. Always bring along an anti-itch cream just in case. Before you check-in, you can ask around about how clean the hotel is. The Internet is a great source of information, with hotel reviews and ratings. Look for comments regarding the patrons personal experience. It can help you decide on what hotel to go to on your next trip.

Now should the hotel misinform you about their bed bug infestation, you can use that as grounds for making a complaint and shutting the place down.

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How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

By Janet Wilson MCIJ | No comments
Preparing for pesticide application.
Image via Wikipedia

There are elements in your life that you mostly want to get rid of. There are unlikely people, events or things you want to erase and forget.

Bed bugs will definitely get into the list. Bed bugs are tiny, crawling insects that thrive in the dark spots of your house, where cracks and little holes abound.

Bed bugs are so tiny, that they can hardly be seen by the naked eye. Observing bed bugs and looking closely at them will require the use of special magnifying glasses or lenses.

Bed bugs suck blood of their hosts. You can be their unwilling and unsuspecting host, as well as your pets and your housemates.

Through, medical experts and doctors will agree that bed bugs are safe pests because they do not carry diseases into their systems, bed bugs bites can be really annoying and discomforting.

Bites of bed bugs are often itchy and swell, just like mosquito bites and bites of other insects. That is why, though they pose no serious medical threat, they can still be treated skin hazards.

You might accumulate lots of small wounds from scratches.

How do you get rid of bugs?

So how do you get rid of bed bugs? The answer can be plain and simple. To get rid of bed bugs, have determination.

Getting rid of bed bugs will entail lots of patience and perseverance. Allot a substantial amount of money, too.

The best, safest, most effective and most intelligent way or measure to get rid of bed bugs is to hire or seek professional help from pest control companies.

Pest extermination companies get rid not just of bed bugs but also of all other unlikely house transients—insects and pests.

To get rid of bed bugs, pest control professionals have invested in equipment. You will be amazed how bed bugs extermination process has gone so sophisticated.

The process has really gone so far, that the first movie scene you will remember upon seeing them with their equipment is a scene from the classic movie Ghost Busters.

Understanding technical aspects of getting rid of bed bugs

To get rid of bed bugs efficiently and effectively, pest control experts use certain chemicals in the form of pesticides or insecticides.

Because the chemicals contained in these substances are so harsh and deadly, it is advised that you leave the handling to them. In other words, let the pest control experts have it their way.

You have your own profession so do not mess with other peoples professions. Pest control personnel know what they are doing because they have been doing it for so long.

Trust them and let them do their job, Take the side step, and only get in when they tell you.

Pest control experts will also brief you on how to handle the furniture that may contain residues form the pesticides. Listen very carefully to instructions, not unless you want to be exterminated and poisoned yourself.

Remember, no matter how smart you are, there are still a lot of things around you that you know very little of. Chemicals and poisonous substrates can be one of them.

When professionals are out

If ever you can not seek the help of pest control professionals for lots and various reasons, you should not despair.

Having the knowledge about the harms and health risks of harsh chemicals in pesticides, you are expected to handle each substance with utmost care and cautiousness.

Remember, to be able to get rid of bed bugs or to be able to kill bed bugs, these pesticides formulations have to be really strong and fatal because insects, including bed bugs have strong and resilient systems.

Humans, unfortunately, are not as resilient. There are hundreds of reported cases of poisoning and fatalities from pest control contacts and inhalation.

Several of those cases really got so far to be really fatal and deadly.

To be able to prevent such instances, you have to make sure you handle every pesticide carefully, avoiding spraying at areas unnecessarily.

Clean up the sprayed areas for possible residues after.

Getting rid of bed bugs can be really hard, but you will get away with it, if you act accordingly and smartly.

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Die Bed Bugs Die

By Janet Wilson MCIJ | No comments

Getting rid of bed bugs has been a problem documented as early as medieval times in Europe or during the time of Aristotle in Greece. Often attacking when one is fast asleep, bed bugs are smart creatures that choose to move when the target least knows it. Every person will have his own version of a bed bug story and most likely it will be bad.

Bed bugs are scientifically known as Cimex lectularius, they are wingless with a brownish ultra thin body. Various studies indicate these creatures originated from Asia but now can be seen in all parts of the world. Bed bugs thrive in areas with a warm and dry climate but they have been able to invade the northern regions because of the proliferation of heated buildings.

The adult bed bug is to 3/8 in length when it is unfed but its size will expand considerably after a hearty meal. A starving bed bug looks far more different compared to one that is well fed. Young bed bugs or nymphs resemble the adults but have a yellowish color after molting. A nymph can develop into a fully grown bed bug for as fast as one month depending on how much it is able to eat.

When they become a pest

Bed bugs start to become a problem when they become hungry for blood. They typically stay in their homes in between meals and are only forced to go out if they are starving. The warmth of a nearby body is what attracts them but they cannot detect a food source that is around 5-10cm away.

Bed bugs use their highly developed mouthparts to bite and suck blood from the skin of an unsuspecting person. Engorgement time can last as long as seven minutes or as short as one minute. An adult bed bug can absorb around seven times of its own body weight in blood. The bed bug immediately retreats to its hiding place after feasting and then lays eggs again.

A person will only realize that he has been bitten by a bed bug once he discovers the large wheals in the affected part of the body. These wheals eventually develop into a tiny read mark that will stay for at least two to three days.

Bed bug bites can also be distinguished by the orderly way the wheals are formed, unlike mosquito bites that have a random pattern. It is always advised that the affected area should never be scratched to avoid infection and immediately washed with soap and water.

Bed bugs do prefer any part of the body that has good blood flow so the reproductive organs will always be included in their list of target spots.

Solving ‘em bugs

Treating bed bug bites is only a small part of solving the problem, as the next step is actually getting rid of these unwanted visitors. Those often traveling to areas with a tropical climate are very susceptible to bed bug infestations, as the luggage they carry might become their new home. Seeing bed bugs crawl into boxes, suitcases and belongings is very difficult, as they are tiny, agile and cryptic. Homes not yet infested could inherit this problem from the use of second hand furniture, couches or beds.

Those that want to get rid of bed bugs in beds will have a difficult task at hand. Fabrics with holes and tears are perfect locations for them to lay eggs. During the 40s and 50s the use of DDT was popular, as it helped minimize the spread of bed bug infestations but was eventually outlawed due to concerns over their effects to humans.

Pest control firms have a wide array instruments to help get rid of beg bugs ranging from pesticides, aerosols and other chemical agents. Beds in poor condition or heavily infested should be automatically discarded. Regardless if the bed is thrown out or not, encasing the box spring and mattress is very helpful especially if the bugs are still there.

Vacuuming could also help in getting rid of bed bugs and some pest control experts even use portable steam machines to treat beds. Whether the infestation is minor or major, bed bugs are always a pest especially for those that want to get a good nights sleep. Perhaps, the most effective way to avoid a bed bug problem is to practice good hygiene and observe cleanliness.

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Battling the Distribution of Bed Bugs

By Janet Wilson MCIJ | No comments

Bed bugs are insects that do not have wings. They are roughly shaped oval. They measure, once fully grown, from four to five millimeters long. You might find the next piece of information unexpected, but bed bugs are fast runners.

There are easy to see on white linoleum or marble floors, but very difficult to spot on brown wooden floors. This is so because bed bugs are rust brown in color and they even change into a deeper red brown when they finish a blood meal.

The fact that bed bugs are dorsoventrally flat assists their distribution. Since they are so thin, they can squeeze in and fit in very narrow cracks and crevices, oftenly ones that may be found on the floor. Because of their great skillful hiding, bed bugs are very hard to detect.

Bed bug distribution also adds up to the any pieces of information about the two main species of bed bugs that bite human beings.

First, is the common bed bug, more scientifically called cimex lectularius. This kind of bed bug is found in any crevice as long as it is around room temperature. They are of greater distribution in Australia. May it be remote or urban, common bed bugs do not care, only as long as they are distributed to an area that copes well with their needs.

Another kind of bed bugs is the tropical bed bug, or cimex hemipterus. This bed bug has been guessed to be distributed in the tropics a long time ago. However, it was only recently recognized by the medical entomology department. This department can tell you more information about the distribution of the cimex hemipterus in the tropics.

Bed bugs are also distributed finely in human dwellings, bat caves and birds nests. In truth, the habitats that have been recently mentioned are the ones found to be most suitable for these said bed bugs. Why? It seems to be quite obvious. Bed bugs are distributed to these habitats because of their offered warmth and hosts they can feed on.

However, you must always remember tht bed bugs are never evenly distributed throughout the environment. You will come to notice that instead of being distributed in the environment, bed bugs are distributed mainly in harborages.

When human dwellings is the subject, the harborages are inclusive of the crack and crevices that you can find, sometimes not find, in your houses walls, behind your wallpaper, furniture and wood paneling, or even under your carpetting.

Bed bugs are more usually not so prone to activity during the night, but will feed on anything during the day, especially when hunger strikes them. So, most likely, these said bed bugs would be distributed to trees and leaves and roots and absolutely anything that they can land on and strike their fancy.

Bed bugs can also be distributed to clothing, in bedding or even your luggage. However, much to their dismay, they do not have appendages that could allow them to cling, possibly to hair feathers or fur. This would bring you to the conclusion that bed bugs leave to feast on their hosts but once done with that thing they do, they leave their hosts since they have nothing to cling with in the first place.

Adult bed bugs live exclusively as parasites that feed mainly on warm-blooded animals, the best example, and probably the most usual, would be human beings. Since bed bugs can be distributed to poor housing conditions, then it would be conclusive that the infestations o fbed bugs can be found in these places too. And if these said bed bugs do get distributed to domestic premises, then the room they will most probably attack is the bedroom.

You already know of the fact that bed bugs are distributed to cracks and crevices where they most typically hide, but you probably would find this quite surprising. Throughout this essay, have you ever wondered or asked yourself why these insects are called bed bugs? It is because they love to distribute themselves in bedrooms, specifically in the vicinity of where the host, in this case, human beings, sleeps. Oftentimes, they would even habitate in the hosts sleeping place itself, the bed. Its distribution in bedrooms are also inclusive of bed frames, behind skirting or wallpaper and the matress itself.

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Bed Bugs Bites

By Janet Wilson MCIJ | No comments

Bed bugs can be everywhere. Most probably, your bed contains hundreds to thousands of bed bugs that crawl and creep into your body when you are asleep.

Bed bugs are like insects equipped with intelligence. They really can get smart. Bed bugs suck the blood of their host, which of course are humans, and sometimes animal pets like fogs, cats, birds and even bats.

Long time ago, bed bugs are most prevalent among birds nests. But because just like the human species, bed bugs are evolving and adapting to environmental changes, they have learned to crawl into peoples homes, particularly beds and room surfaces.

Bed bugs take their sumptuous meals by using their elongated beaks to pierce through the skin of the host. After that, they start the feast and harshly suck on blood until they can no longer take more.

What a fortune! While people find it hard to find food, bed bugs find it very easy. And more often, they feast and not run out of supplies.

Diseases from bed bugs

Doctors and medical practitioners assure, however, that bed bugs bites are not that harmful. Mosquito bites are far more threatening because they can sometimes transfer a number of serious ailments like malaria, dysentery, elephantiasis or h-fever.

In comparison, bites of bed bugs do not pose much health risk. Bed bugs can be a host to a number of diseases but they seldom pass this on to their hosts or victims.

Good thing that bed bugs are safe biters when it comes to ailments and diseases transferred through that way.

Understanding how bed bugs bite

As described earlier, bed bugs use their beaks to pierce skin and get or suck the abundant supply of blood. By doing so, it is inevitable for them not to transfer or leave their saliva into the pierced skin.

This saliva, thankfully, can never contain diseases or pathogens. But, these saliva can cause allergic reactions. Some peoples systems will react harshly to such bites.

Hence, most bed bugs bites swell after 10 minutes to 24 hours. Just like mosquito bites, they swell and appear reddish. They are also accompanied by little discomfort and itchiness.

The itch from bed bugs bites can be so persistent and annoying that if you keep on scratching, you will be tempted to make it harder. By that, you will be creating little wounds.

At most, that is what bed bugs bites can do.

Avoiding bed bugs bites

Of course, the beat and most effective way to prevent or avoid bed bugs bites is by making sure the insects will not appear during sleep hours. And how can that be?

By ensuring that your bed or your room as a whole is not infested by bed bugs. To prevent bed bugs from attacking, maintain hygiene and cleanliness. Regularly clean the room and be thorough in cleaning crevices and cracks on floors and walls.

If you like traveling, make sure the place you are staying in is not infested with bed bugs. Otherwise, bed bugs can get into your baggage, and voila, when you unpack your things at home, bed bugs will be spread into your room.

There are also insect-repellant products in the market. There are those products that can be applied to your skin like lotion. Once you have these repellant, bed bugs will be reluctant to get near you. They will find your skin a danger zone and will find you unappealing as a food source. Isnt that appealing to you?

Bed bugs, wrapping up

Bed bugs bites are hard to avoid especially if you are not living alone in your room, or you have thousands of bed bugs families in your bed. Prevention is better than cure.

Might as well be very careful not to make your room and bed breeding grounds for bed bugs. In the market, you can also find dozens of lotions or skin products that serve as repellant to bed bugs.

Being bitten by bed bugs can never be serious, dont worry. All you have to do is treat the bitten skin part the way you treat mosquito bites. They normally fade out and heal by themselves over a little time.

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