Residential & Commercial – Certified Technicians
Preventing and Getting Rid of Bed Bugs Safely
Bed bug infestations are increasingly common in New York City. There are steps that can be taken to prevent bed bugs from infesting your home. When bed bugs are present, they can be safely controlled.
This guide will help you:
- 1. Learn more about bed bugs and how they thrive.
- 2. Prevent bed bugs from infesting your home.
- 3. Safely rid your home of bed bugs if they do occur.
- 4. Call a Bed Bug Exterminator in NYC.
Recognizing a Bed Bug
From its appearance Bed bugs are small insects that feed mainly on human blood. A newly hatched bed bug is semi-transparent, light tan in color, and the size of a poppy seed. Adult bed bugs are flat, have rusty-red-colored oval bodies, and are about the size of an apple seed.
Bed bugs can be easily confused with other small household insects, including carpet beetles, spider beetles and newly hatched cockroaches (nymphs).
From its markings, droppings and eggs
Blood stains, droppings, and eggs can be found in several locations including:
- Mattress seams and tufts, sheets, pillow cases and upholstered furniture.
- Crevices and cracks in furniture.
- Baseboards of walls.
From its bite
Some people do not react to bed bug bites. But for those who do, bite marks may appear within minutes or days, usually where skin is exposed during sleep. They can be small bumps or large itchy welts. The welts usually go away after a few days. Because the bites may resemble mosquito and other insect bites, a bump or welt alone does not mean there are bed bugs.
How Bed Bugs Grow and Reproduce
Bed bugs are most active when we sleep. They crawl onto exposed skin, inject a mild anesthetic and suck up a small amount of blood. Most people never feel the actual bite. Bed bugs need a blood meal to grow and lay eggs. A female lays 5-7 eggs per week and if fed, will lay 200-500 eggs in her life. Eggs take about 10 days to hatch. Bed bugs are fully grown in 2 to 4 months and can live as long as a year.
The Health Effects of Bed Bugs
Although bed bugs and their bites are a nuisance, they are not known to spread disease.
- Bed bug bites can be very itchy and irritating. Most welts heal in a few days but in unusual cases, the welt may persist for several weeks. Usually, an anti-itching ointment will help, but if bites become infected, people should see their doctor.
- The anxiety about being bitten can lead to sleeplessness, which can affect one’s wellbeing. Properly and effectively responding to bed bugs helps to keep anxiety in check.
Some people become so desperate that they use illegal or excessive amounts of pesticides that can lead to poisonings. This guide provides advice on how to get rid of bed bugs safely.
Preventing Bed Bugs from Infesting Your Home
Bed bugs can enter homes by latching onto used furniture, luggage, and clothing, and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring.
- Never bring bed frames, mattresses, box springs or upholstered furniture found on the street into your home.
- Check all used or rented furniture for bed bugs.
- When traveling, inspect the bed and furniture. Keep suitcases off the floor and bed, and inspect them before you leave.
- If you suspect you have been around bed bugs, immediately wash and dry your clothing on hot settings or store it in a sealed plastic bag until you can.
- Seal cracks and crevices with caulk, even if you don’t have bed bugs. This will help prevent bed bugs and other pests from coming in.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
If you have bed bugs, you shouldn’t feel ashamed. Anyone can get bed bugs. Notify your landlord and neighbors. The sooner everyone responds, the more successful everyone will be.
Choosing and working with a Bed Bug Removal Service in New York
Bed bug infestations usually require the services of well-trained, licensed pest management professionals, also called exterminators. Tenants whose landlords do not promptly respond to bed bug complaints can call 311 and file a complaint with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and may also hire their own professionals.
There are many pest control companies and licensed pest professionals in the New York City area. Not all are well trained in managing bed bugs. To get rid of bed bugs, you must choose the right company, be clear about what you want done and monitor performance.
To choose a good professional…
- Try to find professional Bed Bug Exterminators in NYC through dependable referrals, directories, professional associations and check to make sure they are licensed at www.dec.ny.gov.
- Interview several companies before choosing. Ask about their training and their approach to controlling bed bugs. Make sure they follow the procedures described in this guide.
- Agree on a service plan and its cost. Expect at least two treatment visits and a third follow-up visit to confirm that bed bugs have been eliminated. Severe infestations or cluttered apartments may take more visits to eliminate bed bugs.
A good Bed Bug Removal Company in New York will…
- Inspect your property before giving you a price quote or begin any pesticide application.
- Give you a written inspection report, and an action plan of how to prepare for treatment and prevent further infestation.
- Base quotes on inspection findings, not flat fees. The cheapest services are rarely the best.
- Visit often until the job is done.
- Employ qualified, well-trained pest management professionals.
- Educate you on how to prevent bed bugs.
- Work with you until the bed bugs are gone.
- Treat you with respect.
