Bed Bugs Archives - J&J Exterminating

Archive for the ‘Bed Bugs’ Category

What To Do About Bed Bugs In Comforters

When bed bugs enter the home, they will look for narrow, hidden spaces in which they can hide. This can mean that they can end up in bedding, linens and comforters. Let’s take a look at what to do when that happens.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, flat insects that hide in a variety of textile materials and small spaces, and they will feed on blood. While they are not able to spread diseases with their bites, the bites can still cause infections and allergic reactions. The bites are also uncomfortable, and they can be itchy or become blisters.

How bed bugs enter the home

Bed bugs can take up residence pretty much anywhere, it doesn’t matter how clean the room is, or how often it is cleaned. Once the bed bugs start an infestation, they will not go away without the help of a pro. This means that you can expect to deal with bed bugs in any hotel room across the country and have some of them sneak into your luggage as you travel. In fact, you could even get bed bugs from bus or airplane chairs, so there are multiple ways in which the infestation can start.

How to tell if you have bed bugs in your comforter

It’s fairly rare to actually catch bed bugs out in the open, so you will have to look for other signs of their presence. The main things that indicate the presence of these insects are the stains that they leave behind, which are either brown or red. They are brown if they are bed bug droppings and they are red if they are blood.

Controlling a bed bug infestation

Bed bug infestations can be difficult to remove, since these insects like to hide in crevices and other hard to reach areas. This is why it’s best to work with a pro, who will have the tools and materials needed to thoroughly remove the bed bugs from the home. A DIY approach will yield very little results, and you will just end up spending more money on products that are not that effective. If you would like to know more about the bed bug control process, or if you suspect that you have a bed bug infestation in your home, contact us today and one of our team members will assist you with everything you need.

Can Bed Bugs Be Prevented From Infesting Hotels?

11th April 2022
Bed Bugs
Robert John
no responses

Bed bugs are an increasing problem in the hospitality industry, as hotels, motels and B and Bs are being sued by guests who have fallen victim to bed bug bites within infested rooms. While bed bugs do not transmit disease, they are not necessarily harmless, as bed bug bites sometimes produce allergic reactions, and people in inhabiting infested conditions can lose sleep due to constant bites sustained during the night, leading to psychological distress. It is no surprise that hotels, motels and B and Bs become infested with bed bugs frequently, as the insects spread to new areas by hitchhiking on people’s clothing and within luggage. Naturally, bed bugs are most frequent spotted within hotels located within big cities that appeal to tourists, as these cities see the greatest amount of lodgers from nearly all regions of the world. Surprisingly, it is also not uncommon for hotel deliveries and hotel staff workers to inadvertently transport bed bugs into lodging establishments. While the hospitality industry is quite profitable, hotel owners are beginning to lose millions over lawsuits relating to injurious and nuisance bed bug infestations within their establishments.

The presence of bed bugs within a hotel room can give guests the impression that the room may be unsanitary and contaminated with bacteria, this is especially the case when clusters of bed bugs are discovered on bed mattresses and within bedding. However, even the wealthiest people sustain bed bug bites while staying within luxurious hotels where rooms are expensive and thoroughly cleaned. A lodging establishement’s internal conditions never serve as an indication of a bed bug infestation, as bed bug pests, unlike roach and fly pests, are not attracted to filth or bacteria; instead, the bugs are attracted solely to the blood of various warm-blooded animals, such as rodents, bats, cats, dogs, and even birds, but they seem to have a particular taste for human blood-meals. Unfortunately, there is no way to keep bed bugs from infesting hotels, but due to the increasingly expensive bed bug issues within lodging establishments, managers, housekeepers, and other hotel staff are now being trained to detect bed bugs within rooms before they become inhabited by guests. Hopefully, this recently initiated practice will make staying at a hotel less risky for travelers.

Have you ever found bed bugs in any public or private building?

8 Warning Signs of Bed Bug Infestations

Bed bugs are creepy, itchy, nasty, and the bed bug problem in your property is extremely uncomfortable. Bed bugs are masters in sneaking in and hiding in places that are beyond human reach. They can scout in your property, stay hidden, and yet feast on you every night. Since they are nocturnal critters, detecting them becomes difficult, and by the time we find them, the infestation becomes out of control.

To make things easier for the untrained eye, we have listed out 5 warning signs that indicate a bed bug problem in your property.

So, if you;

suspect bed bugs in your premises,
want to know about the early signs to stay prepared,
just curious to know about bed bugs,

Then keep scrolling!

1. Bite Pattern

One prominent hallmark of a bed bug infestation is waking up with bites with a very distinctive pattern on your skin. Bug bites create red, small, itchy bumps that are different from the bites of other insects, such as fleas or mosquitoes.

2. Musty Odor

A strong, musty odor is another symptom of a bed bug problem. Bed bugs release pheromones that give an unpleasant smell, and when the population is huge, and the infestation is severe, the smell can become quite strong. So, if any room in your property smells like a dirty locker room or a wet towel, inspect your home thoroughly for bed bugs.

3. Bloodstains

If you have bed bugs on your bed, they will feed on you while you are asleep. You may also squash a bug while unconsciously during the night. This will result in a bloody polka dots pattern on your bed linen, pajamas, or your skin. If you wake up with your sheets sprayed with blood, it may signal a bed bug problem.

4. Fecal Stains

Check for dark, rust-colored spots on your walls or mattress. Bed bugs tend to leave their fecal stains on wherever they assemble. These spots have an unpleasant odor and get smeared when touched. If you find dark spots on your bed sheets or mattress, the possibility of bed bugs is high.

5. White Spots

If you notice white small spots in your furniture joints or the dimples of your mattress, suspect an infestation and inspect the rest of your stuff immediately. You may use a flashlight to check between cushions and behind headboards. You can also peel the fabric stapled to the bottom of your chairs if deemed necessary.

Wrapping Up

As it is clear that, we may remain uninformed about a bed bug infestation in our premises. Learning about early warning signs is a sure-fire way to know if bed bugs are camping on your property. This will help you to handle the infestation before it gets serious. However, in case of a serious infestation, hire professional pest control services immediately to tackle them safely and efficiently. Contact us today for a bed bug control estimate!

The Many Bed Bug Relatives

The common bed bug belongs to the relatively small genus Cimex in the order Hemiptera. Only around 90 insect species belonging to the Cimex genus have been documented worldwide, but the Hemiptera order is one of the most species-rich insect orders in the arthropod community. Insects belonging to the Hemiptera order are commonly referred to as “true bugs,” and somewhere between 50,000 and 80,000 true bug species have been documented worldwide. True bugs are characterized by their needle-like mouthparts that are designed for piercing tissue and sucking out internal fluids like a straw. Most true bugs use their mouthparts to pierce plant tissue for the purpose of sucking out various types of sweet-tasting sap, but some true bug species use their mouthparts for bloodsucking.

The most well known true bugs include cicadas, aphids, leafhoppers, and brown marmorated stink bugs. With the exception of the common bed bug, the most well known bloodsucking true bugs in the US include kissing bugs in the Triatoma genus, and other Cimex species like tropical bed bugs, chimney swifts, swallow bugs, and bat bugs. Several herbivore species of true bugs are known for biting humans when they become disturbed or are mishandled. These occasional biting, but non-bloodsucking true bug species include wheel bugs, minute pirate bugs, thrips, masked hunters, and assassin bugs. Bites inflicted by herbivore true bugs are extremely painful due to the relatively large size of their piercing mouthparts, and most bites occur when gardeners reach into dense vegetation and unknowingly disturb the insects.

Herbivore true bug bites are reportedly around ten times more painful than wasp stings, and the pain that results from these bites can last for days or weeks. In rare cases, herbivore true bug bites may also trigger serious allergic reactions, such as throat swelling that closes the airway, which requires the administration of epinephrine within a 15 minute time frame following the bite. Kissing bugs invade southern homes where they bite sleeping humans, sometimes resulting in the transmission of a parasite, T. cruzi, that causes chagas disease. Kissing bugs infect tens of thousand of people in South America with chagas disease annually, but the disease is quite rare in the US. However, the most recent case of chagas infection in the US occurred in Louisiana. Although bed bugs are considered the most pestiferous true bug pests, they are not known to transmit disease.

Have you ever woken up in the morning to find fresh bug bites on your skin?

PREVENT BED BUGS FROM RUINING SUMMER VACATIONS

J&J Exterminating offers tips to avoid bed bugs during upcoming travels

Summer is here, which means millions of Americans are eagerly gearing up for vacation. However, before hitting the road to enjoy some rest and relaxation, J&J Exterminating, encourages travelers to learn and practice bed bug prevention tips to help avoid bringing home these unwanted souvenirs.

Bed bugs can turn a relaxing vacation into a nightmare, especially if they return home with you. Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to control, but taking precautions, such as inspecting hotel rooms, beach rentals and cabins prior to settling in, is a critical first step in helping travelers avoid coming into contact with these blood-sucking pests.

Keep these tips from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) top-of-mind when traveling this summer:

Thoroughly inspect the entire hotel room or rental before unpacking, including behind headboards, and around the bottom of cushions and seams of other furniture.
Pull back bed sheets and inspect mattress seams and box springs, particularly the corners, for pepper-like stains or shed bed bug skins.
Use a large plastic trash bag or a protective cover to store your luggage during your stay.
Do not place luggage on upholstered surfaces. The safest place is typically in the bathroom in the middle of a tile floor or on a luggage rack after it has been thoroughly inspected. Do not use a luggage rack if it has hollow legs, where bed bugs may hide unseen.
If any pests are spotted, notify management and change rooms or properties immediately. If staying in a hotel, be sure your new room is not adjacent to the possibly infested room.
When you return home, inspect and vacuum your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the home. Consider using a garment hand steamer to steam your luggage, which will kill any bed bugs.
Wash all your clothes – even the items not worn – in hot water or dry on high heat.

If you suspect that bed bugs may have hitchhiked a ride into your abode, contact us to recommend a course of treatment.

For more information, please visit www.jjext.com