BED BUGS
Knowing what to look for is the first step in identifying and controlling bed bugs. An accurate identification is a critical first step to avoid costly treatment for the wrong pest.
Adult bed bugs, in general, are:
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About the size of an apple seed
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Long and brown, with a flat, oval-shaped body
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Balloon-like, reddish-brown, and more elongated
Young bed bugs (also called nymphs), in general, are:
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Smaller, translucent or whitish-yellow in color
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If not recently fed, can be nearly invisible to the naked eye because of coloring and size.
Bed bug eggs, in general, are:
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Tiny, the size of a pinhead
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Pearl-white in color
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Marked by an eye spot if more than five days old.
Regardless of what their name suggests, bed bugs can be found living anywhere that a host lives.
This means they may be living in the carpets, couches, drapes, dressers and everywhere else in your home. Unfortunately, washing your belongings is not enough to kill bed bugs, and you need to understand the three major aspects of bed bug removal, which include preparing for an exterminator to treat your home.
To ensure a successful treatment it is important that our pest management professional can reach all bed bugs which might be in hiding. The following guidelines should be considered:
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Strip and wash all sheets, mattress pads, blankets, pillowcases.
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Remove all items from dressers, night stands and closets, and place these items in plastic bags.
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Run all clothing, drapes and other fabrics through the dryer on the highest possible setting for at least 20 minutes.
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Remove all clutter-like items, such as boxes, bins, books and magazines, from the treatment rooms or area.
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Arrange for your pets, if any, to stay with a friend or relative during the treatment. Cover fish tanks, and disconnect their filters or aerators from the power sources.
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Put all bagged items outdoors.
