Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Control

Adult Bed Bugs have a flattened appearance with an oval body, reddish brown colour, females 4mm-8mm, males slightly smaller. Small wing buds, well developed antennae and compound eyes, clawed legs for climbing. They turn purple after feeding on blood. Bed Bug faeces or droppings can stain wood and fabric with black marks.

Bed Bugs lay their eggs in cracks and crevices. An adult female bed bug can lay up to 5 eggs per day. The eggs are approximately 1mm in length and oval shaped. The nymphs hatch after 8 to 11 days at average room temperature.

The bed bugs reproductive rate is increased due to factors such as availability of food and increased temperatures.

Evidence of bed bugs to look out for:

• Live Bed Bugs, Nymphs and Eggs,
• Bites on the human body.
• Black dot like marks/stains on mattress’s, bedding and bed frames/bases.

Bed Bugs live in bedroom furniture, behind pictures, in electrical switches, behind skirting boards. Bed Bugs can unknowingly be transported in suitcases, backpacks, furniture and mattresses as they like to hide in dark cracks. They come out at night and feed on human blood. On average a bed bug feeds every 7 days. Some people can have an increased allergic reaction to bed bug bites, with red swollen bites and other people don’t even notice they have been bitten.

An integrated treatment will be applied to control your bed bug infestation. Particular attention is paid to the bed and the area immediately around the bed, in cracks, crevices, bed frames, carpet-wall junctions, curtain surrounds, and bed boards.

Preparing a room for a bed bug treatment:

• Remove sheets, pillows and duvets from the bed. Sealing them in thick black or clear plastic bags.
• Remove clothing and items (including shoes, handbags etc.) from under bed storage and wardrobes. Sealing them in thick black or clear plastic bags.
• Unplug any electrical items near the bed area such as lamps, clocks and radios.

It is only necessary to dispose of the mattress due to a very heavy infestation. Furniture may also need to be moved away from walls. It is important not to move bedding, objects and furniture out of the room without sealing them in plastic, otherwise other parts of the property may be infested.

After the treatment:

• Wash all bedding, including sheets, pillows and cases, duvets and covers.

Bedbug treatments require a trained and experienced technician to use their expertise to resolve an infestation using an integrated approach of inspection, treatment and follow up.