Bed bugs can be found in more than beds. Look for them in drawers, luggage, wall outlets and under carpets. Photo courtesy of Orkin, LLC. |
“Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
This phrase has gone from being a common “good night” wish to every dweller’s woe. Bed bug infestations have increased in the United States by nearly 500 percent over the past few years. In New York City, infestation reports doubled in one year, to more than 22,000. An Ohio-based a pest control that had only received two bed bug infestation calls five years earlier, was up to more than 2,000 in one year. Some states have even set up task forces to deal with the growing problem. Isotech Pest Management, an LA-based pest control company went from handling one infestation in 1987 to over 80,000 in 2011—including homes, hotels, stores, businesses, universities, movie theaters, planes, trains, and busses—and expects that number to reach 100,000 this year.
These parasitic insects feed off the blood of humans and animals, like mosquitoes and fleas. A single bed bug can live for up to a year when it has a steady supply of living things to feed from.
Kim Kelley-Tunis, technical services director at Orkin, LLC, says bed bugs are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide, so they thrive on people who are snuggled in for a good night’s sleep. “As we perspire at night, we produce carbon dioxide, and our body temperature is 98.6 degrees.”
Why They’re Back
After more than half a century without a significant bed bug problem, why are we now experiencing the unwelcome comeback? According to Mike Masterson, CEO of Isotech, these creatures have been traced back to prehistoric times. He says the heavy use of pesticides eradicated most of them by the 1950s but the growing demand for eco-friendly treatments led to the current return.
“We have become more green, more health conscious overall. We are more pest-specific,” says Masterson, who stars on “Verminators” on the Discovery Channel. “Pest control professionals are now more like snipers. We are able to take out our enemy using specific products without overspraying. But because we’re not overspraying, the bed bugs took hold again.”
International travel has also added to the bed bug infestation problem. People returning home from a visit to a foreign country where pest control is not a concern are often bringing back an unwanted souvenir. Nearly one-third of infestations occur in hotels and motels, the result of the frequent guest turnover. Even five-star hotels have had bed bug problems. Bed bugs are sneaky travelers and lodge in luggage. Once they get to their destination, they lay eggs that eventually lead to an infestation if the proper precautions aren’t taken.
Sniffing Them Out
Bed bug detection can be as simple as seeing the bugs (dead or alive) or their fecal droppings, which are tiny drops of dried blood in areas where they are living, like on your bed sheets. But these insects can also be found under carpets, in drawers, luggage, closets, and behind headboards and wall outlets. While you might succeed in finding some of them, if you suspect that you have bed bugs, contact a professional to determine how widespread your bed bug problem has become, so that you can properly treat it.
More and more pest control companies, like Isotech, are using specially trained dogs to sniff out the presence of live bed bugs and eggs. Masterson trains rescued beagles that have been certified by the National Etymology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA)—considered the highest standard for scent detection dogs. The dogs sniff out the pheromones of the live bugs. They specifically exclude the scent of dead bugs because they don’t want the dogs to be thrown off by insects that have already been exterminated.
Scent detection dogs are trained to sniff out bed bugs. Photo courtesty of Isotech Pest Management, Inc. |
Masterson chose beagles because they are natural hunters. “They are scent dogs. They ride low to the ground, and the floppy ears move the air around. Beagles are productive dogs and when you’re going into someone’s home or business, you want a dog that people know to be friendly. It takes the intensity level down.”
He says that once people see the dogs in action and realize that there is indeed a science behind the detection, they feel even more confident. Once the first dog has detected an infestation, Masterson’s team brings in a second scent dog to confirm.
Snuffing Them Out
Bed bug extermination can be handled in different ways, depending on the severity of the infestation. Because of the complexity of the problem, you should consult a professional and not try to handle it alone. Bed bugs have shown to be resistant to many over-the-counter products. Setting off a bomb in your home might just send the bugs scrambling to your neighbor’s home rather than putting an end to their existence. If you don’t completely eradicate the bed bug population, you’ll be revisiting the raid once again.
Chemical treatment may be used in minor infestations, and involves treating the entire area. All bedding and clothing must be washed and dried on the heat setting in order to kill any eggs or live bugs. Your exterminator should return within a week to do a recheck and make sure the bugs are gone. A bug-sniffing dog can tell you if the area is bed bug-free.
A full heat treatment is more intense but has proven to deliver exceptional results. According to Masterson, they create a heat vortex of radiant heat that kills the bed bugs in the room, under the carpets, and in the mattresses and walls. “Think of it like a rotisserie chicken with rotating heat,” says Masterson, who has shared his bed bug knowledge on the Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show. “Fans keep the air flowing, and the intense heat kills everything from the egg to the adult, as well as bacteria that causes odors.”
Masterson says the full heat treatment takes about 10 to 12 hours. The process is very safe for homes that don’t have vinyl doors or windows, which can warp from the heat.
No matter which treatment you use, keeping the bed bugs away requires your ongoing attention.
“Self-awareness is key. If people do not threat their clothing or personal items properly, for example, and if a bed bug has deposited her eggs, then there could be another infestation once those eggs hatch. All eggs, nymphs, and adults must be killed to properly treat an infestation,” advises Kelley-Tunis.
Here are a few tips to keep your space bed bug-free:
- Use an anti-bed bug encasement on your mattress, pillows, and box spring.
- Before you settle in when traveling, inspect the room. Pull back the sheets and look at the mattress and pillows. Look behind the headboard and check out the switchplates and wall outlets. Also ask the manager about any steps they have taken to prevent bed bug infestation, such as anti-bed bug encasements on the mattresses.
- Inspect your luggage to make sure you’re not carrying bed bugs.
- If you’ve had clothing, bedding, or upholstered furniture in storage, carefully inspect it before bringing it into your home. Wrap as many items as possible in airtight plastic before placing them in storage.
- If your kids are going to sleepovers or off to college, remind them to check for bed bugs where they will be sleeping, to prevent them from bringing bugs back to your home.