BedBugs

Understanding the bed bug:

1. Small – 3/16 inch long, oval, flat, reddish brown insects.
2. Life cycle takes 4 - 5 weeks (egg-to-egg) in ‘good’ conditions.
3. Egg to adult development ranges from 5-8 weeks to 8 months, meaning bed bugs can live well beyond traditional treatment programs. Therefore, it is extremely important to be sure the treatment is very thorough and extensive.  Low price quick treatments will not solve the problem and can often result in an even larger more difficult infestation, requiring very costly control methods and the loss of bedding or furniture.
4. The lifespan of bedbugs can last from 6 months to 1½ years.
5. They can go into a dormant stage and reappear several months later.
6. Female bed bugs lay eggs in batches of 10-50, producing 200-500 during their lifespan.
7. Uncontrolled populations can grow very rapidly.
8. Bed bugs feed only on blood from mammals or birds.
9. Bed bugs prefer humans but will also feed on other hosts such as rodents, cats, dogs, and birds.
10. Bed bugs are nocturnal, so they easily avoid detection during the day. This allows populations to grow to large numbers undetected.
11. Bed bugs prefer tight spaces so they will hide in every crack and crevice within a room or wall void.
12. A bed bug bite is normally painless.
13. Bed bug females cement eggs into cracks, crevices and wall voids, enhancing the survival rates of eggs by avoiding commonly treated areas.
14. Bed bugs can go without feeding for 80-140 days, creating a false sense of control due to lack of reported bites.
15. Bed bugs harbor in clusters.
16. Adults can survive over one year without feeding. Nymphs can survive 3-4 months.    
17. Bed bugs travel within wall voids making room-to-room movement very likely.  Hiding in wall voids, bedding and furniture makes control very difficult.
18. Besides humans, rodents, birds, and pests act as hosts, causing the infestation to move around a structure.
19. Bed bugs can give off a distinctive “musty, sweetish” odor that is often compared to the smell of fresh raspberries.  
20. Partly digested blood in feces causes “rusty” spots on linens, bedding, and clothing.
21. Bed bugs attach small (1 mm long) whitish eggs to surfaces in harborages where the bugs hide in loose clusters.
22. Bed bugs hide during daytime in cracks, crevices, in or behind baseboards, bed frames, mattress seams, furniture etc. 
23. Bed bugs can travel 5-20 ft. (each way) nightly to feed.  
24. Bed bugs feed every few days if hosts are available.  
25. The initial realization that something may be wrong is the sensation of itchy areas on your arms, legs or torso early in the morning when you first get out of bed. 
26. At the site of a bite, a large oval, oblong shaped inflammation or swelling of the skin may occur.
27. Bites are followed by severe itching that can last for several hours. 
28. Persons with severe hypersensitivity have reported asthmatic symptoms.
29. People who react to mosquito bites will usually react to bed bug bites.
30. About 80% of bite victims develop an allergic reaction to the saliva from the insect.
31. Bed bugs are not know to transmit disease, however, repeated scratching of the affected areas can cause a break in the skin and lead to secondary infections from external sources in the environment.

    NOTE:  If you think you have been bitten by bed bugs and have a health concern, consult your doctor.

The price for treating your infestation has takes into account the following considerations:

1. Time required inspecting, finding and identifying the location of bed bug harborages.
2. Cost of treatment materials, supplies, and equipment.
3. The time it will take to do a thorough and extensive treatment of all the required areas in the infested room(s).
4. Treatment of adjoining rooms or areas.
5. The expected level of cooperation from the occupant in following the preparation guidelines.
6. Repeat/follow-up visits.

There is no known short cut to an effective bed bug treatment.  The more thorough and extensive the treatment the more time and materials it will require.  Time and materials relate directly to the price of the service provided.

To see what all the Buzz is about, call the professionals at Bizzy Bees!

Toll Free: (800) INSECTS     Phone: (972) 416-9404     Fax: (972) 242-0388

Email: iwantinfo@bizzybees.com
2812 Trinity Square #100 Carrollton, Texas 75006