Cosbcn

Bedbugs are widely distributed all over the world, and this has been aided by the fact that they can be transported through luggage, clothing, beddings and furniture. They are very hardy and can go for months without a blood meal thus facilitating their transport all over the world. Bedbugs feed on human blood, and they do this mainly at night when the family is asleep. That is why they mainly infest beds and any other structure or item that is close to the bed. Bedbug control can be a daunting task since they hide in small cracks on walls and furniture and only come out at night.

It is difficult to notice when bedbugs infest the home, and it may not be until family members start complaining of bites and sleep disturbance. The bites are usually painless, but still cause irritation and inflammation of the skin around the bite. Severe itching can be experienced for several days. One will be able to notice blood stains from crushed bugs and dark spots of excrement on beddings and mattresses. Severe bedbug infestation is characterized by an offensive musty odor, while fecal spots and egg shells can be found around their hiding places. At this stage, bedbug control is urgently required.

Efficient bedbug control starts with a thorough inspection of all their potential hiding places to establish the extent of their infestation. This involves dismantling of beds and taking them outside so that all the hidden cracks and crevices can be exposed for treatment. Bedbugs prefer wood and fabric to plastic or metal, so these items would require extra attention. The headboards fixed to walls represent the commonest places where bedbugs live, and they must be removed as part of the whole treatment process. All the items that are usually stored under the bed should also be treated as bedbugs will also be found here.

The most widely used bedbug control method is insecticides. This should form part of an integrated pest management approach that includes other measures like proper sanitation. This is a professional approach that is best handled by extermination experts. There are professional firms that offer expert services in bedbug and general pest eradication. Insecticides are very effective, but cannot be used on beddings and garments that have been infested. These are treated by heating in a furnace or boiling in hot water. They can also be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods and the heat will drive them away or kill them.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 6th, 2011 at 6:47 am and is filed under Pests and You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.