BED BUGS FACTS & INFORMATION

What does this disturbing and invasive insect look like? Is detecting bed bugs easy? How do they enter your home? If you notice a bed bug infestation in your home, what should you do? How do you get rid of it? What is the best bed bug treatment? We invite you to explore the question with us.

WHAT IS A BED BUG?

  • Bedbugs are human parasites that feed exclusively on blood. It is a small stinging insect without wings, with six legs, whose body is oval and rather flattened. It is mahogany to rusty brown, reddish brown in color and swollen body once engorged with blood. Its microscopic hairs give it a slightly striped appearance. It can be seen with the naked eye since its size, once adult, reaches about the size of an apple seed (up to 10 mm, or about ¼ inch).

  • This bug feeds on blood by inserting two hollow, beak-like feeding tubes into its host. The first tube injects the insect's anesthetic saliva, to numb the feeding area, and the second tube draws blood. It takes 5-10 minutes to feed and then it moves to an isolated place and hides for 5-10 days. During this time, she does not feed but digests her meal, mates and lays eggs.

  • Its biology naturally favors infestation. The female lays between one and five eggs per day, an average of 540 eggs in her lifetime. Its eggs are white, pinhead-sized, arranged in clusters, and attached in small spaces like crevices, cracks, or rough surfaces. They take 6 to 17 days to hatch. The nymphs are nearly colorless and turn brown as they age. They reach full maturity in about 21 days after five stages of development. A bedbug molts once at each stage of development. The adult lives 5 to 6 months but the bug can survive more than a year in dormancy, without feeding, if the temperature cools below 13-15°C.

HABIT OF BED BUGS

  • The bed bug is an insect that flees light: it takes shelter in dark, narrow, often inaccessible places, under wallpaper, behind frames, in power outlets, in bedside tables, in cracks in the floor, in beds, upholstered furniture, curtains, clothes, bags, papers, books, telephones, radios, clocks and even in cavities as thin as a credit card! She does not jump or fly: she moves on foot, at the speed of an ant.

  • What attracts it is the carbon dioxide emitted by the body of humans and sometimes that of pets (dogs, cats, rodents and birds). It tends to feed mostly at night, on exposed bare skin while sleeping, but in a heavily infested area it can also bite during the day.

  • Bed bug bites can take up to 14 days to become visible. They can be anywhere on the body, but most often on the face, neck, arms, legs and chest. Apart from the itching sensation, the bites generally cause little reaction. In rare cases, they can cause a severe allergic reaction. To avoid infection, you should not scratch the bites and keep the wounds clean. Using an antiseptic cream or lotion as well as an antihistamine may help. Ask your doctor for further advice.

HOW TO PREVENT A BED BED INFESTATION

It is important to know how to prevent bed bug infestation in your daily life. Here are some prevention tips to keep in mind on how to avoid them:

Traveling

  • Do not put your luggage on the floor or on the bed: store it in the bath or on a luggage rack.

  • Remember to bring a large plastic garbage bag in which you can put your suitcase during your stay at the hotel.

  • Bring and use a small flashlight to help with quick visual inspections in your room.

  • Vacuum the inside of your suitcases when you return from vacation.

At home

  • Never bring back second-hand items, especially mattresses, box springs, clothing, and furniture without first examining them for signs of infestation. You might consider having them inspected by one of our professional exterminators as it can be difficult to detect an infestation.

  • Eliminate the clutter. This reduces the number of places bed bugs can hide.

  • Vacuum often, including under beds and behind the headboard.

  • Seal all cracks and crevices

  • Check all possible entry points on party walls as well as openings that give access to the interior of the walls (entrance for pipes, wiring or other public services).

  • Regularly inspect the areas where animals sleep, bedbugs could be there.

Family vacations, business trips, or even a short camping trip can turn into a nightmare if bed bugs have gotten into your belongings. You can purchase the PackTite™ portable heat unit from us to heat-treat items at home that may have come into contact with bedbugs (e.g. backpacks, suitcases, handbags, etc.) , clothes, blankets, pillows). It is a quick and affordable preventive solution!

HOW TO DETECT BED BUGS

It is common for bed bugs to appear following a move, a trip or following the acquisition of goods and furniture. Contrary to popular belief, their presence is not synonymous with uncleanliness. They hide and travel easily. At the start of an infestation, bed bugs will hide close to where they feed: on the mattress and box spring, near the person they are going to bite while sleeping.

The following five signs should raise your suspicions of a bed bug infestation:

  • Redness or swelling on the body, bite marks, itching;

  • Small bloodstains on your sheets;

  • Small black dots at the ends and corners of your bed;

  • A slight odor, similar to that of almonds;

  • By inspecting the environment and most hiding places with a flashlight, you saw the insects with your own eyes (even after treatment);

His ways of breaking into your home:

  • by infected items: clothing, handbags, armchairs, mattresses or other objects left in the street, for example;

  • when transporting infested items, especially during moves, but also in laundry rooms or laundries, flea markets, second-hand clothes shops, and used furniture shops;

  • through walls, ceilings, and floors, by entering pipes, ducts, electrical cables or other openings;

  • during travel, in hotel drawers, in luggage, bags, clothing or sleeping bags.

The biggest challenge is detecting bed bugs. If you have any doubts about a bedbug infestation in your home, call our exterminators as soon as possible. The sooner we act, the sooner you and your family will be relieved. At Axon, we combine our visual detection efforts with those of specialized dogs: the success rate of a visual inspection is 38% and the canine detection of bedbugs obtains an efficiency rate estimated at 98%.

Canine detection

If you think you have bed bugs, but are not sure, you can also request a canine detection. In 92% of cases, the first signs of infestation are the appearance of bed bug bites on the body. Canine detection should therefore be considered in order to detect the presence of bed bugs quickly and at an even early stage. This will also reduce extermination costs later on.

Canine detection can be done in any type of building: house, apartment, hotel, school, company, etc. Our detection dogs, accompanied by our certified inspectors, will be able to detect 98% of the presence of bedbugs in your home or commercial space. Our canine team is regularly trained to detect live bed bugs, regardless of their life cycle. Their specialized training and ongoing training with a dog handler allow them to continually improve detection. Since dogs have a sense of smell nearly 10,000 times stronger than humans, this non-invasive method is ideal for preventing a bed bug infestation.

HOW TO ELIMINATE A BED BUG INFESTATION

Bed bugs are unwanted insects that breed and spread quickly. It is important to treat the infestation with an effective treatment before it becomes a major infestation. Bed bugs can cause harm anywhere, but the places most often infested are: family homes, apartment buildings, condo buildings, seniors' residences, and office buildings.

Heat Treatment

A bed bug infestation can be destroyed with heat treatment. This involves exposing the bed bugs to a very high temperature. Since these insects cannot survive more than 50OC, heat treatment is an effective and fast technique to eliminate them, whether they are in the egg, nymph or adult stage. Heat treatment is scientifically proven, safe and chemical-free. In addition, most of the time, bed bugs are eliminated in a single treatment and you can return to your home or premises the same day, since this method leaves no residue and is safe for your health. Learn more about heat treatment.

ELIMINATE BED BUGS AND PROTECT YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS BY ENSURING THEY DON’T COME BACK

At Axon Extermination, we’ll make sure to understand and assess your needs. Book your free, zero-obligation consultation today for a customized estimate for your specific needs.