Bed Bug Extermination Guide

Bed bugs - what are they?
Bed bugs have an oval broad, flat body and a short, broad head. Shaped similar to an apple seed, unfed adults are around 6 to 10 mm long and brown and wingless. After feeding, they swell slightly in size and darken to a blood-red colour. The nymphs are shaped like the adults, but are yellow-white in colour.

Itchy welts on skin and/or black or brown spots on mattresses sheets, bed frames or walls often indicate that there is a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs are also known by several names: wall louse, house bug, mahogany flat, red coat, crimson ramblers as well as others.

The bed bug eggs are white, about 1 mm long (1/25 inch), and are almost impossible to see on most surfaces. The female bed bug lays at least 200 eggs in her lifetime, at a rate of about two or four per day. The eggs have a sticky coating and are deposited in cracks and crevices, behind woodwork and similar hidden locations. They usually hatch in six to 17 days.

Newly hatched nymphs feed as soon as food is available. A bed bug goes through five moults before it reaches full maturity. Adults usually live for around 10 months, but can live for a year or more in a home where the environment is good for reproduction, with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 28°C, making it ideal for breeding year round.

Bed bugs can live from several weeks up to roughly a year and a half without feeding. Older bed bugs can go even longer without feeding.

What can they do?
Bed bugs can cause allergic reactions and itchy welts. Allergic sensitivity can increase if exposure is prolonged. They do not however pose a major health risk and are not known carriers of blood-borne diseases. Bed bug bites may not be noticed immediately because bed bugs typically feed at night when people are asleep.

Bed bugs are wingless and cannot fly or jump, but are able to hide in extremely small locations because of their flattened bodies - under wallpaper, behind picture frames, in electrical outlets, inside box springs, in mattress pads and in night tables. Long considered eradicated in most metropolitan areas, bed bugs are making a comeback. People now travel more than ever before, and bed bugs are hitching rides on clothing and luggage. They can now be found everywhere there is a high turnover of people, from homeless shelters to five-star hotels. They can also be accidentally transported around the house on objects. Bed bugs do not indicate a lack of cleanliness.

How can I manage them?
Because bed bugs are hard to get rid of, a pest control operator is a simple solution. Alternatively, you may decide to control them yourself. Usually more than one chemical treatment is required, and must be done in addition to physical control.

Be thorough in addressing bed bug infestations, because bed bugs travel easily, you may have to treat nearby rooms. Remove or reduce any clutter that might transport bed bugs.

Bed treatment
Infested mattresses should be steam-cleaned. Take care to use steam that is hot enough, and avoid excess moisture which could lead to mould. Inspect your bed thoroughly by examining the seams, tufts and crevices of the mattress as well as the box spring, bed frame and headboard. You may have to remove the cloth underside of the box spring to determine if there are bugs inside. Mattress pads and sheets should be washed in hot water and dried on the high setting. Infested areas should be vacuumed carefully with a brush attachment. Afterwards, dispose of the vacuum bag immediately and inspect the brush attachment for bed bugs. Bed bugs cannot easily climb metal or polished surfaces and cannot fly or jump. Treat the legs of beds to keep them away. Coat the legs with double-sided carpet tape or petroleum jelly, you can also place the legs of the bed inside glass jars or metal cans.

You may have to discard your bed. Holes or worn spots in the fabric may allow bed bugs to lay eggs in areas not easily reached, and there are restrictions on how insecticides can be used on beds.

Treatment of other items
Carefully examine all night tables, baseboards, dressers, headboards (especially padded ones), electrical outlets, any items stored near or under the bed, any nearby carpeting or rugs, picture frames, switch plates, inside clocks, phones, televisions and smoke detectors - in short, anything and everything that is in the room where the infestation has been noted. Upholstered chairs and sofas can also harbour bed bugs and should be treated with careful vacuuming and laundering of all possible parts (cushions, slipcovers, skirts, etc.).

Smaller items that cannot be laundered can sometimes be treated by heating (temperatures greater than 50°C) or freezing. Some items can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed outdoors on a hot sunny day or in sub-zero temperatures in the winter. However, the freezing temperatures must be maintained for a prolonged period of time (e.g., four days of cold exposure at 0°C) to ensure that the bed bugs are killed.

Prevention
To prevent future bed bug infestations, mattresses must be completely enclosed. They can be wrapped in zippered bed encasements available from allergy supply companies, with duct tape over the zipper. Mattresses can also be wrapped and sealed in plastic film. Be cautious about taking in second-hand furniture, bedding, mattresses or beds. Inspect and clean them before bringing them home. When you travel, inspect the mattress and headboard in the hotel room, do not bring your pillow from home, and do not put your suitcase on the bed.

Products
Domestic class products available to homeowners will generally contain the active ingredients pyrethrin or diatomaceous earth.

Several commercial class products are available to professional pest control operators. These may include low-odour sprays, dusts or aerosols; your pest control operator will select the best product for your particular situation.

Note: Bed bug infestations can be extremely difficult to treat, and repeat applications may be required. Always follow the pesticide label directions to minimize exposure and maximize efficacy of the product. Between applications of pesticide products, keep monitoring the situation to physically control ongoing and prevent future infestations.

Responsible Pesticide Use
Before Purchasing a Pesticide
•Identify the pest correctly.
•Use physical control methods and alternatives to pesticides.
•Read the label directions and safety precautions before buying the product. The label must include the name of the pest to be controlled and the treatment location (e.g., indoor, outdoor, garden uses, pet treatment).
•Purchase only the quantity of product needed for the treatment.
•Consider hiring a licensed pest control operator.

Using a Pesticide
•Carefully read all label instructions and precautions before using pesticides.
•Do not drink, eat or smoke while applying pesticides.
•Persons and pets should vacate the area during treatment. Cover or remove aquaria.
•If kitchen area is to be treated, cover or remove food, dishes and utensils.

After Using a Pesticide
•Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling any pesticide product.
•Do not permit persons or pets to contact treated surfaces until residue has dried completely.
•Provide adequate ventilation of treated areas after use.
•Wipe clean all surfaces that come in direct contact with food, such as counters, tables and stovetops, including indoor and outdoor surfaces.
•Always store pesticides out of reach of children and pets and away from food and beverages.

Accidental Poisoning
•Call a poison control centre immediately and seek medical attention.
•Take the pesticide container or label with you to the emergency facility or physician.
•Follow first aid statements on the label.
•In case of accidental poisoning of pets seek veterinary attention immediately.
•Report pesticide incidents to manufacturers (phone number on label). They are required to send them to Health Canada.

Disposing of Pesticides
•Do not reuse empty pesticide containers. Wrap and dispose of in household garbage.
•Follow the product label instructions or contact provincial authorities for disposal of pesticides.
Note:
•These are general recommendations.
•Consult the label for specific instructions.

How to Correctly Identify Bed Bugs Infestation

HOME :: Home-Improvement / Pest-Control How to Correctly Identify Bed Bugs Infestation

By Markus Jon Skupeika

In getting rid of bed bugs, there is much more to learn than just processes of how the pests could be eliminated. To learn about those other important things is a big aide in completely keeping your home and yourself free from the bugs many ill effects. And among those other things that you must learn is how it is to correctly identify their infestation.


To correctly determine the said pests' infestation is actually the first step of every process of eliminating the pests. If you fail to effectively complete it, you won't be able to successfully get rid of bed bugs. More than that, you'll end up just wasting your money and putting your home and family at risk.

Of course, the opposite of those mentioned are the ones you'll experience if you get to correctly identify the said pests infestation. You can not just stand in your door and look at your home and the things in it though to determine that the pests are there and that they really are the ones infesting your home.

It basically takes some work to be able to correctly identify bed bugs infestation. And along with that, time will be also needed. Specifically, they will be for implementing the following steps.

Know how bed bugs look like - To confirm that they are infesting your home, you have to know what they look like first. There are other bugs that resemble them and they could infest your home too. If you can't differentiate them from others, you can end up implementing an inappropriate elimination process that could possibly cause more negative things.

Know the symptoms of their infestation - There are things that can give you hints about the pests presence. Those are discarded shells, dark spots on fabrics and surfaces, which can be their droppings or an indication that they have been accidentally crushed, and a foul-sweet smell. To know these symptoms can help you detect the infestation earlier and therefore prevent its worse effects.

Check their possible hiding spots - Know where the said pests would usually go to hide. Where the infestation starts can help you determine if they really are bed bugs.

In order to successfully eliminate bed bugs, you have to determine first that they indeed are the ones infesting your home. And so, you should really learn how to correctly identify their infestation from others.

The correct identification of bed bugs infestation is a big part of its elimination. Learn how to get the process done to get rid of bed bugs more effectively.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Jon_Skupeika

Toronto Public Health

Bed Bugs


Introduction
Over the last couple of years, Toronto Public Health has received an increase in calls regarding bed bugs. It is possible for anyone to become infested with bed bugs, which are small biting insects that multiply quickly and travel easily. An infestation can cause anxiety and a feeling of shame. They can also cause secondary infections, allergic reactions and financial hardship.






For the public
If you are concerned about bed bugs.
http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/infoforpublic.htm


Fact Sheets
Learn how to prevent or treat infestations.
http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/factsheets.htm


Toronto Bed Bug Project Survey
Fill out our confidential online survey
http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/survey.htm


The Toronto Bed Bug Project
Community partners seeking solutions.
http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/torontobedbugproject.htm

Bed Bug Stats

Bedbug treatments by Orkin Pest Control in Canadian cities (2005 & 2006)
The following statistics are just a sampling of a pest control company's treatments in Canadian dwellings, including houses, apartments, dormitories and hotels. The company, Orkin Pest Control, is just one of many large pest control agencies. Time periods range for each region. The 2006 stats are for January to October, unless otherwise stated.

TORONTO NORTH
2006: 200 treatments thus far for 2006 or about 10% of total service for branch
Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Hotels
Motels
Dormitories

2005: 150 treatmentsFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Hotels
Motels

VANCOUVER/BURNABY
2006: 50 treatments thus far (huge hotel/motel business) or 25% of total service for branchFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Hospitals
Dormitories

Note: This branch performs so many bedbugs treatments that they are hiring 2 more technicians who will do nothing but handle bedbugs treatments.

2005: 35 treatments Facilities treated:
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Dormitories

STONEY CREEK
2006: 200 treatments thus far or about 5% of total service for branchFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes

2005: 100 treatmentsFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes

SASKATCHEWAN
2006: 125 treatments thus far or 10% of total service for branchFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Dormitories

2005: 75 treatments Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Dormitories

OTTAWA
2006: 500 treatments thus far or 30% of total service for branchFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes
Dormitories
Low income housing (surge in the number of infestations in these residences)

2005: 200 treatmentsFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes

NOVA SCOTIA
2006: 300 treatments thus far or 10% of total service for branchFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Government buildings
Group homes
Dormitories

2005: 250 treatmentsFacilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes
Low income housing (surge in the number of infestations in these residences)

CALGARY
2006: 200 treatments thus far or 20% of total service for branch Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes
Dormitories

2005: 200 (the past 5 years have been steadily busy) Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Group homes
Dormitories

VANCOUVER ISLAND
2006: 250 treatments thus far or about 5% of total services for branch Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Correctional facilities
Government buildings
Military bases
Group homes
Dormitories
Cruise ships
Airplanes

2005: 200 treatments total Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels
Correctional facilities
Government buildings
Military bases
Group homes
Dormitories
Cruise ships
Airplanes

VALLEY/MAPLE RIDGE
2006: 100 treatments thus far or about 10% of total services for branch Facilities treated:
Single-family residences
Apartments
Condominiums
Hotels
Motels

2005: 85 treatments Facilities treated:
Apartments
Hotels
Motels

Bed Bug Resurgence

What do you need to know about bed bugs?

'Educating yourself can be helpful and reassuring,' says Dr. Harold Harlan

Scientific name: Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are also known to feed on bats or household pets.


Strangers In The Night
Legions of tiny bloodsucking bed bugs are biting their way through America, leaving unsuspecting victims with itchy bites. View pictures of the bed bugs and what an infestation might look like. Harold Harlan, who was a career bug expert for the military, is a prominent authority on bed bugs. Below, he answered a few frequently asked questions:

Are bed bug attacks a sign of dirty living conditions or living in older homes/building, or is anybody at risk?

Infestations of common bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., are not directly related to sanitation levels. The cleanest living area can have a very large infestation , and improving sanitation alone will not eliminate an established bed bug population. Cluttered conditions can offer the bugs a lot of excellent harborages very near their human blood-meal hosts. Almost anyone is at risk of having an infestation if bed bugs are brought into their home.

Can you get anything serious from a bed bug bite? Are there physical/physiological effects if you are living with bed bugs?

According to scientists, naturally occurring populations (infestations) of common bed bugs have been documented to have at least 28 different kinds of human pathogens in their bodies. However, very careful and detailed studies by both entomologists and medical doctors have never shown that those bed bugs could transmit (infect) even one of those pathogens to humans or lab animals. Bed bugs simply have not been shown to transmit any human disease known so far.



When a bed bug feeds, it injects saliva into its blood-meal host, and that saliva contains several proteins which can routinely cause an allergic response from most hosts. The severity and timing of those reactions depends on the bitten person’s immune response to the salivary allergens, and they can vary greatly from one individual to another.

Typical reactions to bed bug bites usually include some level of local reddening, minor swelling, inflammation and itching (which can be very intense, and can sometimes recur without another bed bug bite) at each bite site. A person being repeatedly bitten by bed bugs can be very uncomfortable, develop lots of reddish, itchy welts (at bite sites) and often have difficulty sleeping.

The more bed bugs present, the more bites they inflict, and the worse the problems usually become (tending to be progressive as the bug numbers increase – usually rapidly). Also, some people can be significantly affected by the social stigma of having a bed bug infestation in their home.


If you are a home owner and have an infestation, and you do all the preliminary cleaning and self-help steps, is an exterminator really necessary? Are there sprays/home cures?

Most people who work in urban pest control in the U.S. would prefer to be called Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) rather than exterminators. Unfortunately (as stated above), cleaning alone will not usually have much impact on an established bed bug population. Successful programs to eliminate bed bugs require detailed knowledge of their biology and exact harborage (hiding) locations determined by thorough inspection.

PMPs must also know a lot about the strategies, techniques and products which can be used effectively, safely, and legally to control bed bugs. The vast majority of laymen could not expect to effectively control even a very small and localized infestation; and they probably could not even tell if their efforts had any impact.

Under current conditions, the use of some kind of residual (long lasting), properly labeled insecticide is needed to effectively control bed bugs in the U.S., and any practical control effort could not be carried out without use of such a product. The U.S. EPA-approved insecticide products that are currently labeled against bed bugs must still be used properly and applied at the proper sites (in the proper formulations and concentrations) to be effective.

No “home cures” I have encountered so far have much affect at all against bed bugs. Regardless of any specific material used, self-help efforts seldom have a noticeable impact because individuals do not have the background knowledge or technical support needed.

Why are the bugs hard to kill?

Common bed bugs are small, thin, and can hide deep in very narrow cracks. They are mainly active at night. Bed bugs will routinely travel as far as a 20-foot radius from their hiding places (and back) in one night to take a blood meal. Bed bugs are very adaptable.

They move much quicker, and can pass through much smaller openings or cracks, than most people expect. Even Ph.D. entomologists who work with live bed bugs for the first time are often surprised. Bed bugs can detect (and often avoid) chemical deposits such as some cleaning agents.

Adult bed bugs can live longer than a whole year without feeding and most currently labeled insecticides used against them in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, do not last more than one to three months when applied by a well-trained and competent PMP. In addition, there are reports in older literature that state that certain populations of bed bugs have developed physiological resistance to specific chemical insecticides in past, making these products ineffective.

Although such true resistance has not been documented or reported against any currently labeled and commonly used insecticides, it could be developing in field populations and it should be screened for by professional diagnostic labs. Such testing (screening) in North America and Europe has only recently begun and has been very limited, so far.

If you don’t have an infestation in your home, are there things you can do to prevent one?

Take steps to try to avoid picking up bed bugs from hotels, hostels or any other sources when you or your family members travel, even to local destinations (e.g., within the same or a nearby city).

Do not buy used furniture (especially bedding items or upholstered items), or at least do not bring them into your home until you, or a competent expert, have inspected them carefully for any signs of bed bugs (live or dead bed bugs, their eggs, fecal spots, or cast skins). Also consider covering all of your mattresses and box springs with a bed bug cover which you can seal shut to prevent such pests from getting into them (or to permanently trap any already there).

Periodically inspect bedding and other places in your home which are typical harborage sites for bed bugs. No control efforts (or products) are needed unless an infestation is detected and verified by an expert.

If an infestation is confirmed, it is wise to consider contracting with a properly licensed, trained, and experienced (with bed bug control) local PMP or company. They should help with effective and thorough inspections, to provide you with information you may want, and to carry out any needed control effort under a suitable contract. Be sure to ask any questions you may have before you sign a control contract.

Extension offices (at the state government level) and Universities, as well as trade associations (like the NPMA), and urban pests management (often called ‘pest control’) trade journals, currently offer fairly good, informative and balanced fact sheets and additional information on bed bugs. Educating yourself can be quite helpful and re-assuring.

How would one go about avoiding them at hotels?

Inspecting fairly thoroughly for signs of bed bugs when you first arrive in a room can be very helpful. Include checking the bedding (especially near any attached type of bed headboard), the luggage holding rack, night stands by any bed (remember to check underneath and inside drawers if possible), closet shelves, dresser drawers, and along carpet edges under and near (e.g., within about 5 feet of) any bed.

Report any evidence of bed bugs to the management immediately for their corrective actions. Just moving to a different room may not be the total answer. You should repeat the thorough inspection of any new or different room you are offered. When you pack to leave, inspect your luggage carefully first, and inspect every item as you pack to help detect any bugs or their signs.

Laundering most cloth items with typical hot water and detergent followed by drying on low heat for at least 20 minutes (or standard dry cleaning) should kill all bed bugs in or on such items. Sealing freshly-laundered items inside a plastic bag should help keep any more bed bugs from getting in those items later to hide (and be carried back with you). Initially detecting and then excluding the bugs is the usually best strategy.

Bed bugs were almost eradicated years ago – why are they back these days?

Many factors probably have contributed to this apparently sudden bed bug resurgence. It is hard to say any one factor is the most important in every situation.

A few of the most probable factors include:

Much more rapid travel over greater distances on both a local and global scale (e.g., flying to or from Europe, Africa, Asia, etc., or any closer destination, in less than 24 hrs.)

Much less current overall public and PMP knowledge about these bugs, their biology and effective control strategies (i.e., many PMPs in developed countries have only begun trying to learn about and control bed bugs in the last 3-5 years)

Changes in available properly-labeled insecticides to less toxic, less persistent, chemical active ingredients and formulations; and some construction practices and furniture design choices in hotels, motels, and homes.

Grossly ineffective self-help “control” practices which probably help spread infestations include:

Throwing out infested furniture (without any inspection or treatment to try to remove the bed bugs present) which is often picked up by someone else for their own use

Leaving a room vacant for a few days as a means of getting rid of bed bugs present (this does not work and may make them migrate and spread out to find a blood meal)

Very inadequate partial or spot treatments by occupants of infested rooms or homes (even the use of most kinds of total-release aerosols or “bug bombs” is very ineffective)

Placing infested items outdoors in either hot sun (by day) or below freezing temperatures (overnight) to kill infesting bed bugs (both of which are generally not effective).

The story is on 'Dateline' and all over local news all over. It has even been called the “scourge of America.”

Is the threat as bad as it appears?

It may not be quite as bad as that, but there is no doubt that bed bug infestations are being reported more often and from more and more places world wide. Currently, controlling bed bugs in most situations is certainly not a simple or easy thing to do. It requires considerable time, technical knowledge, and assistance by occupants or property managers for the most competent and best trained and experienced PMPs to effectively eliminate established bed bug infestations.

Occupant compliance, especially regarding reducing clutter, making infested spots fully accessible for inspection and treatment is crucial for successful bed bug control. Under the best of situations, at least two separate visits by a PMP should be expected as a minimum. Thus the cost of technical labor, and related overall cost for control, is often higher than expected.

Litigation is becoming a significant concern for the hospitality industry in the U.S. and abroad (you can check recent news stories for good examples). Personal discomfort and the distasteful aspect of “being bitten” by bed bugs can be very significant on a personal level and must be considered a growing problem for the general public.

There are also a few cases of true allergy (anaphylactic reactions) being infrequently reported, and as more people are bitten or exposed to the bugs, those cases should be expected to increase, too.