ABOUT BED BUGS WHAT ARE BED BUGS l

ABOUT BED BUGS

WHAT ARE BED BUGS! l l l Bed bugs are small, brownish insects with flat, oval-shaped bodies. Young bed bugs are no bigger than a pinhead and sometimes not detectable by the naked eye. Their name comes from their tendency to live between mattresses and feed on bed occupants at night. Bed bugs don’t fly, but move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings Female bed bugs lay up to five eggs a day and 500 during a lifetime

BED BUG LIFE CYCLE

BED BUG STAGES OF GROWTH

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BED BUGS l HOW DO THEY GET IN MY HOME – – – Bed bugs hitch rides in luggage, boxes, shoes and other mobile objects. Infestation are not tied to unsanitary living areas. World class hotels have reported bug problems. Use of second hand beds, couches, and furniture Sometimes even new mattresses arrive infested with bed bugs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BED BUGS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BED BUGS l WHAT ARE THE BED BUG SIGNS – – The first sign of bed bugs is the small brownish or reddish dots on bed linens and mattresses Sweetish smell “buggy” odor Bed bug “bites” (red dots with a lighter red ring around them) Bed bugs feed while you sleep on exposed skin; face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, etc

BED BUG SIGNS

WHERE DO BED BUGS HIDE? l Bed bugs are not like ants or bees. They crawl into very small crevices around human environment: – – – Mattresses, linens, upholstery Furniture Wood trim Electrical boxes and outlets Floors Behind wallpaper and picture frames

WHERE DO BED BUGS HIDE

BED BUGS HIDE

GETTING RID OF BED BUGS l l l Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eliminate. Do-it-yourself measures won’t work. First step should be to call a pest control professional. To apply the proper treatment to infested areas. Future inspections and treatments may be necessary.

HOW CAN I PREVENT INFESTATIONS? l l Inspect items coming into your home NEW OR USED: – – l l Clothing Furniture Shoes Boxes, etc. When on a trip inspect your luggage and clothes Pull bed covers down at night and look for movement or spots on the sheets. Vacuum frequently and remove excess clutter If in doubt call a pest control professional.