Adolescent bed bug (Photo credit: StarMaster)

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs have gotten a lot of publicity lately. You want to keep them out of your house, but may not even be sure about what the actual bug looks like or, what a real bed bug bite looks like.

What Bed Bugs Look Like

To explain a bit about their appearance, Bed bugs generally look similar to seeds. They are relatively small in size and are flat. The problem with bed bugs is they go through many changes throughout their life and they look different at each stage of their life cycle. They also have a different appearance before a feeding as to after a feeding.

Reproduction of Bed Bugs

The first hatched bed bug is very small and almost clear in color. It is visible by the naked eye but is only about 1.5 mm long. That means, it is about the size and shape of a small seed from an apple. Once it feeds, the bug becomes swollen and turns a reddish color.

After it molts, it grows to about 2 mm long. A bed bug molts five times before reaching the adult stage. It slowly grows and slowly turns brown. An adult bed bug is about 5.5 mm long and is solid brown. A female bed bug has the capability of laying up one to five eggs day, which hatch only 7 to 10 days later. Female bedbugs can lay 500 eggs in their lifetime and considering their life span can only extend to up to 300 days, you can only imagine how quickly these pesky bugs multiply.

eaten alive (Photo credit: The Guncle)

Identifying Bed Bug Bites

Bed bug bites are small red bumps that have a tendency to itch. They are normally found in clusters or straight lines on the body. A large rash may develop, if there is a severe reaction to the bite. Bites can also become infected so it is important to keep bed bug bites clean to avoid any potential infections.

Even if you don’t have bed bugs bites, it is important to check your house for these pests. I recommend doing this because most people aren’t aware that they could have bed bugs even if they don’t have bites. This is because every person reacts a bit different when bitten by a bed bug. Plus, it is predicted that about thirty percent of people don’t show any reaction at all when bitten by a bed bug.

Common Places to Find these Bugs

Bed bugs like to hide out near their food, which is why they are most commonly found in mattresses and bedding. They have also been known to hide in closets and behind picture frames. They are small so any small cracks in walls, furniture or flooring make for a good home for bed bugs. They also like televisions, phones, and radios.

Getting rid of the bed bugs is not any easy task. The help of a bed bug control expert will be needed. The bed bug expert will be able to guide you through the process to make sure that the bed bugs are gone for good.

Article was written by Sarah Smith who encourages those living in or around Connecticut, contact Bed Bug Finders LLC at first sign of a possible bed bug infestation.

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Guest Post Published by Bulwark

Spring cleaning is a time to start fresh. For many families, that means getting rid of clutter, scrubbing down surfaces and implementing new organizational systems. Although not often thought about, pest prevention should be part of the spring cleaning process as well. As temperatures increase, a wide variety of pests make their move on unsuspecting homeowners. To keep them at bay, it is important to implement the following tips.

Take Away Their Food Source

If pests are able to find food inside your house, it is going to be difficult to get rid of them. Start the prevention process in your kitchen. Make sure that your trash can has a tight fitting lid; if it does not, consider picking up a new one. Also, clean both the outside and inside of your receptacle. A small tear in your trash bag can mean a large mess that pests will find appetizing. Finally, commit yourself to daily maintenance. It is important that you load your dishwasher each evening rather than allowing dishes to remain in the sink. In addition, keep the counters clean and the floors swept for best results.

Clean Up Standing Water

Go into all of your bathrooms, as well as your kitchen, and check under the sinks to make sure the pipes are not leaking. If you spot an issue, have it corrected as soon as possible. In addition, if you have an area of your home, like the basement, that seems damp or humid, set up a dehumidifier to take care of the problem. Pests are attracted to water, so leaving these issues unresolved is a recipe for disaster.

Prevent Nesting

Walk around the perimeter of your home, and examine the foundation closely. In order to keep bugs from viewing your home as their home, it may be necessary to complete a few projects. For instance, there should be at least once inch of space between the wood on your home and the soil from the yard. In addition, all mulch should be kept approximately a foot and a half away from the foundation. Finally, if you notice any cracks or small holes, make sure you close them up right away.

As a general rule, it is also a good idea to make sure that all your doors and windows have screens on them. This will make it much more difficult for a pest to gain access to your living space. In addition, keep all shrubbery trim and down away from your home.

As you get ready to begin the spring cleaning process, it is important not to forget about pest prevention. A little bit of work now can make a huge difference when warmer weather rolls around.

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•  License: Creative Commons image source

Morgan is a proud mother, who enjoys spending her days discovering fun and interesting things to do with her young son. At night, she is an avid writer and solves all her pest problems with the help of a Jersey City Pest Control company.

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Guest Post Published by Bulwark

Last year some 40 million tourists flocked to Las Vegas for some fun and gambling in the desert. While most of these tourists are worried about not losing a fortune at the black jack table; there is another worry Las Vegas tourists should be concerned about—the blood sucking bedbugs.

If you happen to contract bedbugs from a Las Vegas hotel; or if you are a tenant or property manager battling a bedbug infestation; it’s important to know what the bedbug laws are in the State of Nevada.

Las Vegas Bedbugs

Bedbug infestations continue to rise across much of the United States, and the State of Nevada is not exempt form these tiny hitchhiking pests. Currently, the city of Las Vegas is the 46th ranked bedbug infested city in the country. While these numbers are drastically improved, down 30 spots from last year’s ranking, bedbugs are still a problem in the city.

Nevada Bedbug Laws

Currently, there are 22 States in the U.S. with bedbug laws. As of 3/2013, there are two bedbug laws in the books for the state of Nevada. With proposed bedbug legislation being brought to the table on a frequent basis, these laws can change. They are as follows:

• Extermination– Nevada Revised Code 447.030

Any room in any hotel in Nevada that is infested with bedbugs shall be thoroughly fumigated, disinfected and renovated until such bedbugs are entirely exterminated.

• Sanitation– Nevada Revised Code 444

In a camp, proper bedbug prevention measures must be taken.

Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Legal/LawLibrary/NRS/NRS-447.html

Tenant-Landlord Rights & Obligations

Landlords and property owners have an obligation to provide safe and habitable accommodations for tenants. Bedbug infestations can be considered improper accommodations. Tenants have an obligation to cooperate with owners and landlords. This includes preparing the home so that the pest control operator can easily inspect the rooms and treat if necessary.

For more information on the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords, visit the Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 118A – Landlord and Tenant: Dwellings webpage.

Hire A Bedbug Attorney

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. These are the bedbug laws as of March 2013, and can change. If you feel that you have been a bedbug victim; whether landlord, tenant, or otherwise, please contact a licensed attorney who specializes in bedbug cases.

Las Vegas Pest Control

If you have a problem with bedbugs, or pests of any kind, seek the assistance of a licensed pest control professional.

General Pest Control

Bedbug Control

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Published by Bulwark

Bed bugs have become problematic throughout Canada. As more immigrants and tourists enter the country from places where these pests are common, bed bugs travel in with their luggage. They take up residence in many hotels and can spread to workplaces when visitors attend conferences or even visit a restaurant. Bed bugs can be found nearly anywhere. However, there are several places they commonly hide once they enter the home.

Finding Bed bug Infestations

Bed bugs often hide along the seams of mattresses. They can also be found under furniture or beds. Some people have found these pests hiding in corners, under rugs or along the edges of carpeted rooms. Some people also notice a musky scent near the site of a bed bug infestation. Many people notice several small red bumps on their skin, which often appear in a row. Although these could also be indicators of other types of bites or skin irritants, they are often bed bug bites when aligned in a neat row.

Exterminating Bed bug Populations

Although there are many home treatments and remedies available on the Internet, it is important to remember that not all products work simply because the site owner makes such claims. Bedbug removal has always been one of the most difficult processes. In decades past, some frustrated homeowners even burned their houses to the ground. However, treatments have improved since those days. The most effective method of completely eradicating these pests is to call a professional bed bug exterminator.

What Professional Bed Bug Exterminators Do

There are a variety of extermination methods used by pest control professionals. The products they use are much more effective than treatments purchased in stores. They use special application methods and have professional tools and devices. Some companies may use all-natural methods or chemical-free substances instead of the more powerful chemicals.

What To Look For In An Extermination Company

It is best to work with a company that has sufficient experience in bed bug removal. A good company will have a service guarantee, which means that customers will receive a refund if the treatments are ineffective. When speaking with an extermination company on the telephone, consumers should ask if treatments are designed specifically for bed bugs. If a company does not provide treatments specifically for this pest and does not offer a satisfaction guarantee, it is better to continue searching for exterminators. Most Canadian extermination companies that have storefronts are legitimate businesses with the proper credentials. Consumers should beware of individuals offering independent extermination services in newspapers or through advertisements. If the person does not represent an established company that can be contacted to verify employment, consumers should avoid such individuals. Reading online consumer reviews from unbiased third-party sites is also a wise idea.

While it is important to eradicate bed bugs as quickly as possible, Canadian consumers should also take the necessary time to hire a reliable exterminator. Hiring the wrong company or individual could be a costly mistake, and bed bug infestations only grow if they are not properly removed.

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• License: Royalty Free or iStock source: depositphotos.com

Sandy Corriveau is a Canadian based blogger about all topics related to the home. When in need of pest control, she uses Heat-N-Go Pest Control.  Heat-N-Go knows how to get rid of bed bugs safely and effectively.

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Guest Post Published by Bulwark

Pests don’t discriminate; they flock in equal numbers to homes, apartments, condos and townhouses. Regardless of where you live, you have probably encountered bugs in your living space on more than one occasion. For many, it often seems that as soon as they fix one pest problem, another equally annoying bug makes its presence known. This is frustrating and confusing, particularly if you feel you’ve taken the appropriate steps to protect your home. Why is it that bugs keep coming back time and time again? The following information will provide you with a little insight into the situation.

Supply and Demand

Just like people, bugs have to eat to survive. You have a readily available source of food, and the pests near your home can smell it. They also realize that in order to access their next meal, they have to gain entry into your living space. Whether it’s ants, a mouse or even a few roaches, the pests are going to keep coming back as long as your home has food in it.

Rapid Reproduction

Unlike people, pests tend to reproduce in very large numbers. In particular, spiders and insects may have several hundred babies at one time. This rapid reproduction has a significant impact on your efforts to control the number of pests in your home. For example, most bugs, when faced with having to feed such a large number of offspring, will become very persistent in their efforts to gain entry into your home. After all, once inside, they can provide their little ones with a nearly unlimited supply of food, as well as shelter. Also, if the bugs lay eggs inside your living space, you may find that those eggs are not affected by pest sprays. Therefore, just when you think you have the problem under control, the eggs hatch and everything starts all over again.

Unfavorable Weather Conditions

Some bugs are tougher than others. For example, roaches deal well with extreme temperatures, rain and a number of other weather conditions. However, other pests aren’t so resilient. Bed bugs, for instance, prefer to be warm and will therefore do everything in their power to get inside your home in the wintertime. Once they get used to their surroundings, they are unlikely to leave, even as the seasons change. They are just one example of the many pests that make comfort a priority, hijacking your living space and making themselves at home despite your best efforts to ward them off.

If you are having trouble getting rid of pests, remember that the situation does not illustrate a failure on your part. As the examples above have shown, most bugs are determined, resilient little creatures that are seeking food and shelter. Try to use this knowledge in your favor as you continue the battle to keep these pesky creatures outside, where they belong.

Morgan is a proud mother, who enjoys spending her days discovering fun and interesting things to do with her young son. At night, she is an avid writer and solves all her pest problems with the help of a Jersey City Pest Control company.

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A bed bug nymph feeding on host (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What happens if you have a bed-bug infestation? Bed bugs in a home can bring about a number of health conditions, including allergies, skin rashes and even psychological effects. If bitten, you may experience symptoms on your skin such as itching and redness. Bed bugs feed on blood, usually that of animals, but they will move on to humans if it is the only blood available. Bed lice are attracted by carbon dioxide, warmth and certain chemicals and tend to live longer in colder temperatures.

How Do They Spread?

Your house can become infected with bed bugs for various reasons. They can be carried on other people’s clothes, luggage or infested pets. If a nearby house or flat is infested, the bed bugs can move through walls or false ceilings. Some animals, such as bats and birds, can also bring them into buildings. The source of infestations also includes eggs which may have been laid in the seams of clothing.

How Can I Detect Them?

Bed bugs are usually nocturnal so it can be difficult to spot them. They tend to nest in dark areas and often lay thousands of eggs in the seams of fabrics. Signs that you may have a bed-bug infestation include bites on the body, droppings similar in appearance to sand, spots of blood on bed sheets and patches of skin which they have shed (this is actually an exoskeleton which is moulted). Bed bugs have a characteristic smell of rotten raspberries. The most accurate way to find the exact location of an infestation is with a bed-bug-detection dog, which speeds up the process considerably

Why Are Infestations So Frequent?

Between the 1930s and 1980s, the rate of outbreaks fell dramatically. However, since the 1980s infestations have seen a sharp increase. It has been suggested that this is because of resistance to pesticides and an increase in international travel, which helps the insects spread. There are several different species of bed bug around the world, but it is the common bed bug which is most adapted to human environments.

How Can They Be Eradicated?

It is a good idea to call in a professional who is used to tackling bed-bug outbreaks. When it comes to pest control services Dublin residents have a range of companies to choose from. They tend to approach the issue with several different approaches at a time, using both pesticide and non-pesticide methods. The most effective seems to be a combination of heating and drying the affected area.

Amy Jones is a writer and blogger who is interested in various aspects and problems of living in the modern world. She wrote this article on behalf of Total Pest Control Services Dublin.

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Pest Control Traps Water Moccasins - Deadly Texas Snakes

Great tips and great article for both pest control companies and homeowners.  Pest Control and Snakes

Excellent Hearts Pest Control in San Diego. We are happy to hear that you are providing a quality pest control service!

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