Have you ever heard the cute little nursery rhyme, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the
bed bugs bite.”? This little rhyme does not even begin to paint a picture of the damage these miniature vampires can do while you sleep. It does, however, give you a good idea of what the troublesome bug is all about. The
bed bug is a parasitic pest that feeds on your blood while you sleep. As a matter of fact, about the only time you’ll find these pests out in the open is when they are feeding. Since this is a process that occurs when you sleep, it makes detecting them almost impossible. This is unless, of course, you know how to trick them out into the open.
Although this might be harder than you’d imagine, this is exactly what we are here to help with.
Know Where They Live
Bed bugs are proficient hiders. They’ll do everything within their power to remain concealed, even if this means missing a meal or two. With their small size and ability to spread out their feedings, they’ll have a distinct advantage over many insects. Furniture pieces and mattresses are usually their go-to
residences, but there are other spots you might find them in the home. You can look in the bed frames, electrical outlets, carpeting, clothes, in picture frames, in electronics, and even behind wallpaper.
There is no denying that these troublesome invaders will be difficult to eradicate, but it is necessary to act quickly. Not only can they hide with the best of them, but they can reproduce rapidly. With the ability to lay 500 eggs in a lifetime, it won’t take the adult female long to build an empire. Knowing where these invaders take up residence does make things a bit easier. Now, it’s just a matter of knowing how to get them out of their homes.
Shutting Off The Lights
Most people think that
bed bugs are nocturnal parasites. They are parasites, but they are not necessarily nocturnal. In fact, they would better be classified as adaptive. They are only commonly thought of as nocturnal because most people sleep during the night. Bed bugs are so adaptive that they’ll sleep when you are active. If you are a day sleeper, they’ll sleep at night so they can feed on you during the day while you sleep.
Whatever the situation, most people sleep in a room as dark as possible. So, it only takes darkening out the room to draw the pest out. Get some dark drapes and shut the doors. Do whatever is necessary to block out all light in your bedroom, place some traps in the bed and give it a few hours, and when you return, you’ll likely have procured a few bugs.
Turning Up The Heat
Furniture And Framework
In addition to being drawn to blood, these parasites are attracted to body heat. Directly applying heat to them will send them in the other direction, but turning up the heat in specific areas will draw them in. There are a variety of ways you can accomplish this. A simple heating pad, a heat lamp, turning up the thermostat, or even a hairdryer will be enough to get these bugs out of hiding.
The trick is to heat the furniture. Bed bugs are smart enough to know that people sleep in beds and on furniture. Directing the heat towards these areas will make the beds think you are snuggled up here. When the heat is on, you can place glue traps or similar devices on the furniture pieces to trap the bugs.
Creating The Illusion Of A Human Presence
Did you know that every person in the world naturally produces carbon dioxide every time they exhale? If not, you learned something new and interesting. You’re also about to learn that bed bugs are attracted to this chemical production. Creating areas within the home that have the same qualities could be key in tricking these invaders into the open. Luckily, this is something that can be accomplished easier than you’d imagine. In fact, all it takes is setting up CO2 around the areas where you want to draw the bugs out.
Utilizing Traps And The Professional Pest Management Firm
Unfortunately, luring the bugs into the open will only let you know you have a problem. If you want to get rid of your unwanted guest, you’ll have to utilize traps. While there are tons of them available, there are none more cost-friendly and easier than the adhesive traps. Use these traps in conjunction with some of the methods mentioned above and you won’t have a problem ridding your property of bed bugs.
In addition to this, there is no better tool available for eliminating bed bugs than the pest management professional. This is especially true if that pest management professional is trained and qualified like our techs. Our pros have years of experience in installing traps, detecting bed bugs, and eliminating them. We are versatile and can handle a variety of situations with the utmost efficiency. It just comes down to you giving us a call. We always have someone standing by at our San Jose office.
