News & Updates
Feb 23, 2011
Pest of the Month...Mice read more
Aug 26, 2010
Pest of the Month...Bed Bugs read more
Mar 1, 2010
Bed Bugs Are taking Over... read more
Feb 23, 2010
Mosquitoes won't bite if they can't take flight... read more
Feb 18, 2010
Dogs and cats at risk as epidemic kills raccoons... read more
Jan 19, 2010
Dealing with bedbugs.... read more
Jan 19, 2010
How to prevent a bedbug infestation, and what to do if you get one.... read more
Pest of the Month: Bed Bugs
While this time of the year normally belongs to Wasps/Bees and Hornets...Bed Bugs Rule In Summer of 2010
Well this summer has us in the thick of Wasp/Bee season and although it isn’t near as bad as last year there is still a good number of nests and some good sized ones. I feel last year was much worse for the numbers and sizes of nests due to the cool summer we had.
The wasp nests get pretty warm in the summer and they expend more energy cooling the nest then they do increasing its size. This year it has been warmer so less and smaller nests.
But with busy wasp season, it still is no match for the constant onslaught of Bed Bugs.
These blood suckers are only getting worse and an outright epidemic is upon us.
Soon it will be hard to eat out, take a bus or cab without fear of bringing one home.
Our phones and technicians are busy helping our customers rid their homes of these nasty Bed Bugs.
Unfortunately Bed Bugs like when there are short cuts taken during preparation and or treatments so their populations continue to rise in our society.
The adult Bed Bug is 3/16 of an inch long, oval, flat and rust red in colour. The female lays 1 to 5 eggs per day and 200 to 500 in her lifetime (aprox. 15 months). The adults and their secretions can be easily seen while the eggs are small and whitish needing magnification to be seen properly. The Bed Bug hides during the day preferring wood and paper over other surfaces. Normally they like to hide as close to their food (blood) as possible.
Common areas to look include mattress seems, bed frames headboards and bed side tables. They leave these harborage areas at night to feed on their hosts which include humans and pets. It feeds on its host without them knowing. Depending on the allergen of the person bites may show from 1 to 14 days later or for some not at all. The bites can be seen as small bumps to large welts or rashes depending on the person. Overtime one usually develops more and more of an allergy due to the secretion of bed bug saliva in the bites.
The young can survive months without a meal while the adults can survive up to a year. They are extremely resilient so proper methods must be taken to control them.
If you have any questions or concerns please give us a call and we can discuss these critters further.
Pete Bartonek
Mr. Pest Control
