Bed Bugs

What Is A Bed Bug?

This is become a more and more common question these days for the pest industry, as bed bugs are making a resurgence. Known by their scientific name, Cimex lectularius, these critters are ectoparasites, meaning they strictly feed on blood. Bed bugs acquired their name for the fact that they normally like to take up residence in the mattress or bed. This is because they want to be near as their human host as possible. Combine this with the fact that they feed when you sleep, and it only makes sense that they’d take up residence in the mattress or bedroom. They’re extremely small in size with broadly oval bodies. They usually only range anywhere from ¼ to 3/16 inches in length, about the size of an apple seed.

What Do People Have Bed Bugs?

While bed bugs are strictly known for hiding in the mattress and taking up residence in the bedroom, they are also notorious hitchhikers. They’ll latch right on a piece of luggage, clothing, or furniture, and ride it right into your home or place of business. Due to this fact, there have been a lot of outbreaks today linked to domestic and international travel. As you can imagine, these pests can be a particular problem for hotels, motels, and apartments. Pretty much anywhere where the turnover rate of occupants is high.

While most bed bug infestations are inadvertent, it is the homeowner or business owner that introduces the pest to the structure. They usually bring the bugs into the structure via a mattress, piece of furniture, or clothing. What makes matters even worse is, these critters can travel between walls. They’ll go back and forth from apartment to apartment or unit to unit, feeding on residents or occupants along the way. They usually travel between walls by taking advantage of areas where wires and pipes protrude. It can be hard to completely seal off these areas, as they need constant access for maintenance and repair.

Can Bed Bugs Be Dangerous?

With children and pets in the structure, this might be one of the main questions right at the forefront of your mind. And, why shouldn’t it be? Numerous pests have been known to carry and transmit a wide array of diseases. Fortunately, this is not the case with bed bugs. While they do not carry or transmit known diseases, they can have adverse mental effects. Some people grow so overwhelmed with infestation and the thought of them they are unable to sleep, causing them to stay up for days at a time. You probably already know how detrimental this can be to your overall health.

The Elimination Of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can easily be overlooked and more times than not are. Combine this with their quick-witted nature and they can be one of the hardest pests on the planet to eradicate. This is especially true in specific settings like apartments, connected condos, schools, and hotels. In these environments, they can easily venture from one place to the other, hiding and waiting out treatment. This is why it is highly recommended to take advantage of pest management professionals when dealing with these types of insects.

Our Findlay, OH pest management professionals started utilizing bed bug canines to help with quicker and more accurate bed bug detections. We used specially trained dogs to sniff out bed bugs. Once we have discovered bed bugs in the home, we will then have to devise a means of attack. Each situation is different and not every solution will work in every situation. Some situations might be privy to one or more treatments, while some infestations may only be treatable by one type of treatment.

Whatever the situation, if you want to choose the best treatment solution for you and your property, you’ll need to understand what’s available to you. Here are some of the treatments that we offer, but just remember not every solution will work for you. Our assessor will be able to provide you with the best possible course of elimination after a 10-point assessment.

Manual Services:

The Most Cost-Effective Solution: Manual service is also known as our conventional treatment. This involves the use of pesticides to treat a specific area of the structure or building.

Residential Preparation: There will be extensive customer preparation involved for this type of treatment. All occupants will have to be removed from the home along with some specific materials and items.

Chemical Applications: During the conventional treatment, our highly trained and certified techs will apply specific pesticides and chemicals to suspected areas of infestation.

Heat Treatment Services:

The Most Cost-Effective Solution: Our heat treatments are the most cost-effective solution in areas where there are large infestations in cluttered conditions. If the home or building cannot be cleared out, heat will be the most cost-effective solution, as it not only kills all stages of bed bugs in one visit but can be applied without disturbing too much of the clutter.

Residential Preparation: The great thing about this type of treatment is, there is little residential preparation required. Homeowners need to do little to nothing to prepare the home or area for treatment.

Chemical Applications: This type of treatment is completely chemical-free. There is no use of chemicals required for this treatment, making it an extremely safe alternative. While it is not recommended, occupants probably wouldn’t even need to evacuate the home during application.

Fumigation Services:

The Most Cost-Effective Solution: This is the best solution for cluttered and large areas. Where there is a potential that bed bugs might travel from area to area during treatment, fumigation treatment will be the best option.

Resident Preparation: While there is no resident preparation for this type of treatment, residents will be required to evacuate the area for 2 to 3 days at a time.

Chemical Applications: Heavy chemicals will be utilized during this type of treatment. This is why the premises must be evacuated for days usually.

Are There DIY Treatments Available?

Just do a little bit of research and you’ll find that there are all kinds of do-it-yourself bed bugs treatments. Homeowners can purchase all kinds of pesticides and chemicals over the counter to apply to potentially infected areas. Unfortunately, just because these options are available, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be your best solution. They likely won’t, and this is because you never know what you are buying when you shop online. In addition to this, pesticides and other chemicals can be dangerous. If not applied in the right circumstances, under the right conditions, there can be major consequences.

Is The Treatment Safe?

As you just learned, pesticide and chemical treatment for bed bugs can be dangerous, especially not when applied in the right circumstances. This is why we make sure our techs are trained to distribute such chemicals. Along with this, we offer a handful of other treatments that are more eco-friendly. When conventional treatments and pesticides are the best solutions, we have highly trained techs that are certified and licensed via the EPA. Our techs know how to apply these pesticides and chemicals in the safest manner possible.

How Can You Prevent Bed Bugs In The Future?

As with any pest, the best means is prevention. This is something we offer miles above the competition. Not only are our techs willing to work with you to help you eliminate your bed bug infestations, but we are willing to provide you with the tools and information to eliminate future infestations.

How Soon Can Help Arrive?

We stay pretty busy year-round just like most pest management professionals in Findlay, OH. However, we make it a high priority to get to our customers as soon as possible. After contacting our offices and requesting a visit, you can expect to see a tech within at least 24 to 48 hours.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.