Bed Bug Awareness Week has been around since 2017, spreading awareness to stop the spread of bugs.
In 2017, Bed Bug Awareness Week became recognized by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), according to NationalToday. This awareness week educates and highlights the widespread problem of bed bugs that infest the United States. The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) is an advocate for Bed Bug Awareness Week, promoting it the first week of June yearly.
When we asked Cj Casale, a professional pest exterminator from Bugs Bee Gone, LLC, how easy is it to get a bed bug infestation?
“Bed bugs are hitchhikers, easily getting infested by just visiting a friend’s house, and by the time you leave, they latched onto you, and you’re bringing home a huge problem. The scariest thing is how easy you can get bed bugs,” said Casale.
What places should someone be mindful of visiting to avoid bed bugs?
“Hotels, motels, movie theatres, and other high traffic areas. People vacationing from large cities often bring them with their luggage.”
According to Bugs Bee Gone, you can identify a bed bug by the following traits :
- Adult bedbugs are approximately 3/16 of an inch long, the size of an apple seed, oval-shaped, flat, and rust-brown color, with females being slighter longer,
- The nymphs are small and white before feeding. But once they feed become prominently redder.
- Bedbugs are wingless, with well-featured antennae, they have small compound eyes, and their head protrudes forward on each side.
According to Bugs Bee Gone, here are some additional facts and tips regarding bed bugs:
- Check the seams of your bed and bedsheets whenever you change them. We recommend you have your sheets changed at least once a week. One minute can save you a lot of problems.
- Examine hotel and motel rooms thoroughly before settling in, meaning you should check the seams and crevices between the wall and carpet they like to stay close to their host. But even the furniture, like chairs in the room, can host these little bloodsuckers. A few minutes can save you from becoming their newest host.
- Bed bugs don’t care if you are clean or dirty, even in the cleanliest places, including personal houses and public businesses such as hotels and motels.
- Female bed bugs lay eggs daily, but these pests can lay between four and seven eggs at once, around 500 in their lifetime.
- Never throw out your furniture, have it professionally treated.
- Do not try to deal with a bed bug infestation without a professional.
- Bed bug season is when the weather is consistently above 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, though infestations can happen any time of the year. Such as in summer.
When asked what to do if an infestation occurs, Casale replied, “Do not try to treat the infestation yourself, have a professional treat your house because if you miss even one spot, you will be right back where you started.”
How does one prepare their house and personal belongings for professional bed bug removal?
“Do not throw out your furniture. I see this all the time, and it’s heartbreaking watching people empty their houses when they didn’t need to. Place your objects in a large-sized contractor or garbage bag. We will spray, tie them and let them sit until all the bed bugs become exterminated,” said Casale. “The treatment needs to be thorough in every crevice, every seam we evaluate, and spray down with either restricted-use pesticide or eco-friendly pesticide. There is also heat treatment, but spray treatments work better and have a greater chance for success.”
“Bed bugs are hard to get rid of, but with the help of a professional, you have a greater chance of success. Prevention and caution are key. If you know someone who has an infestation, stay away and call a professional for help,” said Casale.
These bed bug infestations happen year long. If you or anyone you know has an infestation, the best thing to do is contact a local professional as soon as possible.
Photo provided by wayhomestudio
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