In order to bring more awareness to the ever growing population of bed bugs in this country, the Professional Pest Management Alliance has deemed the week of June 4-10 Bed Bug Awareness Week this year.
If you think or know you have a bed bug problem in your home or business, you might think you can get rid of them yourself. The biggest problem with bed bugs is that they are almost impossible to get rid of without the help of a professional pest control technician. The problem is that while the DIY product may, in fact, kill the few bugs that come in contact with it, these products do nothing about the hundreds of bugs hiding out in your wall voids or inside the back of your television set; and as soon as they sense danger, they will remain hidden until the danger passes since they can go several months without feeding.
Bed bugs were introduced to the United States by colonists and were very common until the 1950’s when vacuums, washing machines, and pest control began to help control bed bug populations. Bed bugs seemed to diminish in a sense until the late 1990’s when they made a resurgence as people started to travel more with little knowledge of how to prevent them. Now, the United States is faced with a growing population of these tiny pests on public transportation, in public accommodations, in homes, and any other place that people frequent.
These nuisance pests are parasites that will invade any home or business regardless of cleanliness. Large infestations can happen quickly because bed bugs can reproduce rapidly. They do not only invade bedrooms and mattresses; they can hide in other furniture, baseboards, behind pictures frames and many other places as well.
Bed bugs are oval, flat, reddish-brown, and have 6 legs. The adults are up to 1/4 inch long. They feed on human blood, mostly, and become enlarged after a blood feast. Bed bugs are extremely hardy insects that can live without a blood meal for many months and can withstand extreme temperatures - up to around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is not always easy to know when bed bugs have invaded your space, but some people can get a reaction from their bite, causing small, itchy, red welts that may resemble the bite of a mosquito. Other subtle signs of an infestation can include finding shed exoskeletons, blood droplets, or feces stains on clothing or bed sheets; and occasionally you may spot bed bugs around bed frames, in the seams of mattresses, or in the creases of linens.
If you live in Springfield or other towns in our service area, you can rely on the Good Guys at American Pest Solutions for fast, effective, and discreet solutions to your bed bug infestation. To learn more about your options for complete bed bug eradication or to set up your inspection, contact us today.