Bed Bugs
Characteristics
Adults are 5mm long, reddish brown in colour, becoming purple after feeding,
well developed antennae prominent simple eyes and clawed feet enabling it to
climb rough surfaces, and have a flattened oval shape.
Behaviour
Bed bugs can't fly they must either crawl or be transported in
either clothing, luggage, books, furniture etc. They can survive for many
months without feeding and are widely distributed throughout the world.
Bedbugs can be transported on clothing, but more often in luggage, books etc
where harbourage is possible. The increase in foreign travel and sleepovers
has helped the bedbug to spread.
The bedbugs tend to hide away in cracks and crevices coming out at night and
they tend to feed on their hosts just before dawn. They like a warm
environment which encourages breeding throughout the year. In
unheated rooms it is unlikely that a second generation will be produced during
autumn/winter.
Bedbugs are not regarded as disease carriers, but their blood feeding can
cause severe irritation in some people resulting in loss of sleep, lack of
energy and listlessness particularly in children.
The bite often gives rise to a hard whitish swelling which distinguishes it
from the flea bite which leaves a red spot.
Bedbug excrement gives a characteristic speckled appearance to their
harbourages, whilst their 'stink' glands confer a very distinctive and
unpleasant almond like smell on infested rooms.
The finding of eggs, bugs, or egg cases as well as the excrement will indicate
their presence
Significance.
Bedbugs are becoming an increasing problem due to the following factors:
modern building techniques which allow easy access between properties and the
increased use of central heating which allows them to breed all year round.
Life Cycle
After mating the female will lay 2-3 eggs every day for the rest of her life
which may be up to 6 months. Eggs will hatch at 200C after about
ten days. The Nymph will go through five stages before becoming an Adult.
It takes about six weeks to complete the five nymph stages.
Control
If you suspect a bedbug
infestation, a close inspection of the mattress particularly around the seams
and the back of the headboard should reveal their presence.
To eradicate the infestation it will be necessary to
treat the premises thoroughly including the beds,
other furniture and harbourages in the fabric of infested rooms.
If you have a problem with bed bugs, and require our company to carry out
treatment, please contact our office An appointment will be made for an
initial inspection to assess the size of the infestation, followed by a
further two appointments (approximately 2 weeks apart) where treatment will be
carried out.
to book an inspection...
call:
01293
514031
(Part of our 'In-Home Allergen Control
Service'...)
