Bed Bug Prevention, Detection and Control

Bed Bug Prevention, Detection and Control

Pesticide Safety First! Read the Label

Day-to-Day Prevention Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers, so be extra careful when traveling (see tips below). Change and wash bedding regularly. Do not bring second-hand furniture into your home unless you have thoroughly inspected and cleaned the items first. Reduce clutter. Traveling Tips Inspect the mattress and headboard with a flashlight. Keep bags, luggage, and backpacks off the bed. Inspect and then use a luggage rack. Never place clothes, or jackets, on the bed or couch. Do not store clothes in the dresser. If you are concerned about exposure, after travel, seal all items in plastic bags until time for washing or treatment. Unpack clothes directly into the washer/dryer. Inspect luggage closely with a flashlight and magnifying glass for bed bugs upon returning home.

Bites and Disease

Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease. Bites are often painless and occur at night while you are sleeping. Some people suffer allergic reactions and develop painful swelling. The important thing is to act fast — before they have time to multiply.

How to Hire a Pest Control Operator

• Call several licensed and insured companies, compare services, and get written estimates. Insist on and check references.
• Look for companies that: offer an IPM solution offer both chemical and non-chemical treatment options give a pre-treatment check-list perform pre-treatment inspection recommend both interceptors and encasements offer two or more service visits and follow-up

Before Using Pesticides

Some pesticides are considered minimum risk. EPA does not register and check for the effectiveness of these products. These products do not have EPA registration numbers on the label. Never use outdoor pesticides indoors. Some pesticides and total-release foggers are highly flammable. Improper use may cause a fire. Never overuse pesticides.

More is not better!
Read, understand, and follow the label-use directions.  Bed bugs are parasites that seek out sleeping people or animals for a blood meal. After feeding, they hide. It is challenging, but not impossible, to prevent, detect, and control bed bugs due to their small size and ability to squeeze into cracks and crevices, where they are often unnoticed.  Pesticides alone generally will not eliminate bed bugs. Effective bed bug control requires Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on knowledge of the pest, plus common sense practices, such as inspection, monitoring, reducing clutter, the use of physical barriers, and the judicious use of pesticides. Early detection and prompt response will avoid larger problems.

Bed Bug Identification

• Eggs: tiny, white, and glued to surfaces. Nymphs are light-colored, from 1/16th”.
• Adults are rusty red, apple seed-sized, 3/8”. Six legs, oval, flattened from top to bottom. Do not jump or fly, but are good runners. They tend to congregate together.
• They can live for several months without a blood meal.
• Important: Capture several examples of the pest and have them identified by a qualified expert before taking any further actions.

Signs of Bed Bugs

• Small, whitish shed skins and rusty spots on bed linens which are droppings and blood stains from crushed bugs.
• Live bed bugs of any size.
• Eggs and casings among droppings or in crevices where adults hide.
• An offensive, sweet, musty odor from the bed bugs when infestations are severe.
• You may have red, itchy welts or rashes from bites; however, bite marks are not a reliable indication of a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are no one’s fault. They don’t discriminate – anyone can have them.

Where do Bed Bugs Hide?

• Mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards (along seams and piping, under handles and labels).
• Under the thin dust cloth on the bottom of the box spring.
• Seams and fabric folds in curtains and under furniture, including chairs and sofas.
• Under wall-to-wall carpeting and padding. Anywhere there are cracks, crevices, or nail holes in walls, and underwood moldings and baseboards.
• Under loose wallpaper and seams, and where ceiling and wall meet.
• In and behind picture frames and mirrors. Clothing and clutter are stored in closets, under beds, and elsewhere.
• Inside switch plates, electrical outlets, clocks, computers, phones, televisions, and smoke detectors.
• On and in recently used luggage, backpacks, and bags. Don’t pass bed bugs onto others!

Integrated Pest Management

Physical Control Methods
Vacuuming reduces bed bug populations. Clean and vacuum bed bug-prone areas daily. Immediately seal and dispose of the vacuum bag. Install encasements on the mattress and box spring. Install bed bug interceptors under the bed and furniture legs. Make the bed an island: Keep the bed away from the wall and do not let the bedding touch the floor. Remove clutter where bed bugs can hide. Isolate-infested items in sealed plastic bags or containers. Treat items in a hot dryer for 30 min. Clean and scrub seams/folds with detergent. Seal cracks where bed bugs can hide. If you live in an apartment or other multi-family dwelling, and you see a bed bug, contact your landlord immediately.

Non-chemical Controls
Items that cannot be washed or dried may be steamed, heated, or frozen using specialized equipment. Raising the indoor temperature with a thermostat or space heaters will not work, nor will placing items in the home freezer. Contact a bed bug management professional for advice.

Pesticide Controls
Pesticides are an important part of the IPM toolbox. Please view the cautions listed — above.  Mattress and box spring encasements

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