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How to Spot a Bed Bug Infestation

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Bed bugs are tiny bugs that like to hide to as best they can during the day. They come out at night to feed on their favorite food, blood. Being that these bugs are very sneaky it makes it very difficult even to the trained eye to correctly identify a Bed Bug infestation. This is why it is very important to not jump to conclusions as soon as you receive a bite during the night. Also, more importantly, why it is very important to remember that just because you don’t see any bedbugs upon investigation, does not necessarily mean you DO NOT have bed bugs.

This is exactly why you should have a professional Bed Bug inspection done by the best in Arizona. AZ Heat Pest Services is here to help you get control of your home again.

LifeCycleThe only way to know for sure if you have bed bugs is to produce an actual sample of the bug itself (methods for doing this are discussed below). Do not automatically assume that any bite-like mark is a bed bug bite. Also it is important to realize that medical professionals cannot give a positive diagnosis simply by examining bite symptoms, they can only suggest some possible explanations for what may have caused the bites/symptoms to occur.

If you are experiencing bites but have not seen any bugs, you should consider the circumstances in which the bites are occurring. For example, there is a very good chance that you have bed bugs if you  waking up each morning with bite symptoms on your body that were not present when you went to sleep. A situation like this would be a good reason to investigate the possibility that bed bugs are present. in the car, at work, etc. are much less likely to be caused by bed bugs. It is also important to realize that just because you have looked for bed bugs and could not find them, does not mean that they are not there. These insects lead a very cryptic and secretive lifestyle and will often go undetected. It is best to have a highly trained professional conduct the inspection for you.

Occasionally you may see evidence of a bed bug infestation without actually seeing any bed bugs. Bed bugs leave fecal stains in the areas they inhabit. These stains are actually partially digested blood but remember that it will not be red unless you crush a bed bug that has just recently fed. As the blood is digested it turns black and therefore the bed bug droppings usually consist of several black spots in one area. The fecal spots will not flake off if rubbed and will smear if wiped with a wet rag.

Remember the key to knowing if you have an active bed bug infestation is to produce a live sample of a bed bug and there are several ways that you can easily do this including:

  1. Visual inspection of sleeping and resting areas such as beds and upholstered furniture.Carefully examine the areas beneath fitted sheets, along the edges of mattress piping, if no bugs or evidence of bugs are found, remove the mattress and continue with inspection of the box spring paying close attention to the four corners under the plastic corner guards and the on the underside  of the box spring where the dust cover is stapled into the frame. Keep in mind that bed bugs can easily be missed during a visual inspection so using one or more of the other methods below is recommended if no bugs are found during a visual inspection.

Read More Here: http://www.bedbugcentral.com/bedbugs101/how-do-i-know-i-have-bed-bugs

Bed Bugs Causing People to use Drastic Measures, Misuse Chemicals

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If you are caught up in the middle of a bed bug infestation chances are your are stressed out, upset, ad tired from your lack of sleep and dealing with your bed bug bites. Not only yourself but you may be dealing with an infestation that has influenced your family as well. This hurried and emotional response to a stressful situation can sometimes lead to people taking drastic and dangerous measures to rid these pests from their lives. Leading to the misuse of OTC chemicals that have been proven to cause serious harm in humans when over exposed.

Check out this article for more information on how NOT to deal with an infestation. Remember that AZ Heat Pest Services are experts in removing bedbugs and our specialized heat treatment will guarantee the removal and extermination of the pests that have driven you up the wall and back. Speaking of backs, we got yours when the time comes!

WebAbout 40 used bedbug bombs greeted Mike Deutsch when he entered a small home in Hempstead, N.Y., last year.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Is everyone okay?'” recalled Deutsch, an entomologist with Arrow Exterminating.

Fortunately, no one in the Hempstead house had been sickened by the chemicals enlisted in the family’s do-it-yourself eradication attempt — although new studies warn of the potential subtle or long-term consequences of exposures to bedbug pesticides, including hormone disruption, reproductive difficulties and behavioral problems. Everyone also escaped unscathed from a duplex in Marion, Ohio, that caught fire during a heat treatment for bedbugs in late December.

Research by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention suggests that people are not always so lucky.

A pattern of desperate, dangerous and often futile measures have Deutsch and other bedbug experts warning the public that bedbugs pose more significant problems than just their notorious nocturnal nibbling. While the epidemic fills fewer headlines today than when it resurfaced in the mid-2000s, experts also recognize that the bedeviling pests only seem to be multiplying further. A report released by Penn Medicine on Thursday suggested that infestations in Philadelphia are growing by 70 percent a year. Nearly all pest management professionals, according to a nationwide survey published in April, reported servicing a bedbug infestation in the past year.

Read More Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/10/bed-bugs-health-risks-pesticides-fires_n_4565660.html

 

How to Avoid Hotel Bed Bugs

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We all enjoy getting out of the weekly grind, putting our feet up, and enjoying some well deserved rest and relaxation at our favorite luxury resort. The scarey part about sleeping in a hotel bed is that you must understand that hundreds perhaps even thousands of people have slept in the very bed you are relaxing on. There is no real way to tell how extensive of a clean the maids did when turning your room over for your arrival. So what are some things you can do to protect yourself from bed bugs while on the road? Check out the article below…

travel bugIf you’re sleeping somewhere other than home, beware. Bedbug prevalence is on the rise, and hotels and motels are some of their favorite hangouts.

These pesky critters can cause severe itching and welt-like bites, and it’s costly to get rid of them if they follow you home. What’s more, research suggests they can cause financial distress, anxiety, and social isolation.

But no need to get depressed just yet. With these easy tips, you can cut your chances of critter trouble while on the road.

Before you check out your hotel room’s minibar or oceanfront view, give it a thorough bedbug inspection—and until you’ve done that, stash your luggage in the loo.

“Bedbugs are least likely to be found in the bathroom,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association. “They don’t like the tile floors and there aren’t as many hiding places. They like to be closer to where people may be sleeping.”

Inspect the bed

Here’s how to check for a bedbug infestation: Pull back the linens, and check all the way around and under the mattress and behind the headboard.

Look for blood stains or small black dots that look like mold or ground pepper, says Christine Johnson, PhD, a behavioral ecologist in the American Museum of Natural History’s Division of Invertebrate Zoology, in New York City. Check for the critters too. Bedbugs are about the size and shape of an apple seed, and you may find them hiding in corners or seams of the bedding.

Read More Here: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20513823_3,00.html

Phoenix Bed Bug Treatment

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Bed bugs have been increasing in Phoenix since 2007, and in 2015 we expect to see the highest number of bed bug occurrences to date. Don’t be surprised when bed bugs are found in your home. With the increased number of bed bug occurrences comes with increased numbers of companies “specializing” in bed bug treatment in Phoenix.

There are half a dozen companies in Phoenix providing bed bug treatment only. Some of these companies are one or two man operations that have only held pest control licenses for a very short time. Other companies specializing in bed bugs are more established and have a large number of employees.

Most of the general pest control companies also offer bed bug treatment of some kind, however many of them are not as experienced with bed bugs as they are with cockroaches, scorpions, bees, and other pest control that is common in AZ.

Only companies who are confident in their bed bug treatment methods will offer guarantees on their bed bug treatments for extended periods. You should look for companies that offer bed bug warranties that last longer than one year. Although it is easy to reintroduce bed bugs into a home that has been properly treated, a reputable Phoenix bed bug company will offer a hassle-free warranty that covers you in the event of re-infestation.  Many companies in Arizona only offer 30 to 90 day warranties with their bed bug treatments. This is not enough time to tell if a bed bug treatment has been effective. Bed bugs can hide and lay dormant for periods of time, and then re-emerge later. Also, bed bugs can be reintroduced from items that are brought into the home after treatment.

These are the different types of Phoenix Bed bug Treatments Offered:

Phoenix Bed Bug Treatment – We use Heat

phoenix bed bug treatment using gas heat

Arizona Heat Pest Services heats the entire space so no bed bugs can escape.

Bed bug heat treatment is only the most effective bed bug treatment if it is performed correctly. There are many different types of heat treatment for bed bugs that are offered from various pest control companies in Phoenix.

Gas heating of the entire space – What We Do

Using the correct style gas heater to quickly heat the entire space and kill all bugs and eggs. Most efficient, effective, and complete treatment. Only choose a company to perform the gas heating if the are highly experienced and hold liability insurance of $2 million or more. (like Arizona Heat Pest Services, the Phoenix bed bug treatment specialists also serving Tucson AZ)

Localized Heat – The “$150 per room Blow Dryer Treatment” (Very Inefficient)

Using a blow dryer, heat wand, heat gun, or steamer to kill all bed bugs that can be found. The heat will not reach all bed bug hiding areas in the furniture, flooring, linens, and walls. Least effective heating option.

Electric Heating of the entire space – The least efficient Phoenix bed bug treatment.

Using electric heaters that are left unmanned inside the home for at least 24 hours. This is one of the most inefficient ways to heat an infested space. It also seems very dangerous to leave a heating device inside a home without anyone there in case of emergency.

Phoenix bed bug treatment using Chemicals – The “no heat” method

Arizona Heat Pest Services can kill all bed bugs without using heat by using very specific pesticides. These pesticides must be applied in certain areas to prevent human exposure to them.

You can not kill bed bugs using over the counter chemicals or bombs as bed bugs are highly resistant to most pesticides. It will actually make the problem worse if performed incorrectly.

The success of a chemical treatment for bed bugs all depends on the type of chemicals that are used and the way that they are used. Most pest control companies in Phoenix fail at chemical treatment for bed bugs because they use the wrong types of chemicals in the wrong areas.