Bed bug on a knife edge

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There is a tiny and extremely annoying pest plaguing modern households.  There was a time when bed bugs were said to frequent only the dingiest of motels.  Now, they are finding their way into average homes across North America.

Health experts and authorities believed that bed bug infestations were eliminated with DDT use in the 1940s.  In the 1990s, however, the problem began to resurface. There are a couple of factors that may have contributed to this reoccurrence.  International travelers are believed to be the main culprits, as bed bugs can still be found quite regularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe.

Heartbreaking Reality

Without a doubt, bed bugs are creepy.  That aside, there are other discomforts associated with the presence of bedbugs in the home.  Skin irritation is the main concern for bed bug victims.  Waking in the morning with red and swollen areas across the body is a good indication that you’ve fallen victim to the nasty bed bug.  While sleeping, you may have been an unknowing supper host to a single bed bug, or even an entire colony.  

Bed bugs are tiny, wingless creatures that nest in the cracks on the surfaces of furniture, floors, walls and beds.  These insects are so small, that it’s difficult to spot them with the naked eye.  Any small crevice, hole or crack, in any part of the room, will provide the ideal hiding spot for a bed bug.  Your big, comfy mattress is, of course, paradise to these tiny insects.  They will happily thrive in the seams of your mattress and the surface contours of your bedspring.

In For the Kill

Everyone who has been visited or victimized by bed bugs wants them to disappear as soon as possible.  Killing them, however, is no easy task.  You cannot capture bed bugs, because you can barely see them.  Bed bugs hide in waiting during the day, and only come out at night when you are safely asleep. Killing bed bugs is a difficult thing to do on your own, but it’s not impossible.

Here are a few suggestions to help you in your fight against bed bugs:

* If bed bugs are not present, there’s no point in waging an all-out attack.  Make sure that you have bedbugs before you set out on a killing rampage.

* Help prevent an infestation by cleaning your room and house regularly.  Pay particular attention to suspicious areas.  Extra effort today can mean the difference between bed bugs thriving in your home, or moving on to find a more suitable place to live.

* If you’re certain that you have bed bugs in your home, begin to inspect every square inch.  Check the walls, floor and ceiling of every room for tiny openings, cracks and holes that can serve as a hiding places and breeding grounds for these pests.  Each piece of furniture in the room must also be checked.

* You might find a few insecticides and pesticides on the market that claim to be effective at killing bed bugs. These chemical products are easily accessible at many hardware stores, and you don’t need a permit or prescription to buy them.

* Understand the potential dangers before using pesticides or insecticides.  These poisonous chemicals are very effective in killing bed bugs, but can also be damaging or even lethal to you, your family and your pets.  Anyone who comes in contact with these chemicals faces the threat of illness.

* Most bed bug-killing insecticides come in the form of a spray.  It is an easy-to-use method that presents the most effective means of passing the lethal chemicals into the bed bugs’ systems.

* Bed bugs will not die by inhaling the chemicals. These insects are just too resilient.  Instead, sprays work by destroying the bed bugs’ protective outer cover.  Manufacturers mix in powdered silicon and glass granules when creating the spray. Once sprayed, some of the white molecules you’ll see are actually very damaging crystallized materials.  That’s why these sprays are so harmful to pets and humans.  Try to imagine the damage that would occur if you were to inhale these products.  Inhalation of this type of chemical can lead to internal wounds and minor hemorrhages within your system.

Get an Expert Opinion

If you want the best course of action when dealing with a bed bug infestation, you need to call the experts. Pest control professionals are more experienced than you in effectively killing bed bugs and other household pests.  These companies have invested in specialized equipment, personnel training and innovative products to ensure the success of every pest control operation.  Many of the products they use are either unavailable commercially, or simply too expensive for the average homemaker to purchase.  You may not be able to afford some of the equipment used by professional pest control experts.

Hiring a pest control expert is faster, safer and more effective than doing it yourself.  They know how to handle dangerous chemical treatments and pesticides properly, reducing health risks to you, your family and your neighbors.

If you’re plagued by bed bugs and need to kill them quickly, it’s time to call in the experts.

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