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Bed Bug Detection And Elimination Options From Pest Control Companies
6/15/13
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Bed bug dog inspections can quickly and efficiently locate bed bug infestations in commercial and residential settings. |
Because bed bugs seem to be in the news a lot lately, people throughout the US have been looking for new and effective ways to detect bed bug problems as well as eliminate them. There have been several bed bug detection breakthroughs in the last few years, as instances of bed bugs in both commercial facilities and inside homes have sky-rocketed. Because these pests have become a serious problem in almost every state in the nation, pest control companies have been working on ways to quickly and accurately identify bed bug infestations. The old standard of manual bed bug inspections performed by trained pest control professionals remains the most prevalent form of inspection, but bed bug inspections performed by specially trained dogs have been on the rise.
What are bed bug dog inspections?
Canines have been trained to detect many different things throughout the ages, from detecting people, to drugs to weapons, it is obvious that man’s best friend is our best friend for a reason. Dog’s have an incredible sense of smell and are very easy to train, which makes them very helpful in many different capacities. Recently, dogs have been trained to recognize the scent of live bed bugs and their eggs, which makes them indispensable to the pest control industry. A bed bug dog inspection for bed bugs is quick and can be done with very little disruption to a home or to a business. Bed bug detecting dogs can find bed bugs that are hiding inside objects, behind walls and anywhere the human eye just can’t see. Because of this, rooms don’t need to be torn apart before a bed bug inspection can be done and even cluttered areas can be inspected quickly and easily. Bed bugs are also trained only to recognize live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs, so infestations that have been exterminated aren’t detected, because they no longer pose a problem for home and business owners.
What can be done to control bed bugs?
Once a bed bug inspection has been performed, either manually by a pest control technician or by a specially trained canine, the infestation needs to be controlled. This can be done in many different ways and when you check with different pest control operators, you’ll find each company has a different opinion as to how bed bugs should be exterminated. But you will find that most companies agree: bed bug heat treatments are the most effective and quickest way to get rid of bed bugs. It is known that bed bugs cannot survive when exposed to temperatures exceeding 120°F, so some pest control companies have created systems that will circulate extremely warm air (between 120 and 135) through a structure to kill any bed bugs and their eggs that may be present. The room (or rooms) is kept at this temperature for several hours to make sure that there are no cool spots and that all areas of the home are exposed to this high temperature. When a bed bug heat treatment is performed, live bed bugs in all life stages will be exterminated.
Another bed bug treatment option offered by pest control operators is the use of very cold temperatures to kill bed bugs. Bed bugs can’t survive at temperatures below freezing, so the use of frozen carbon dioxide that penetrates deep into cracks and crevices of walls and floors can kill hiding bed bugs and eggs.
Other bed bug control methods employed by pest control operators include mattress and box spring encasements, which trap bed bugs and eggs inside your mattress so that they cannot come out and feed on you; this can be a cost effective bed bug control strategy that allows you to keep your current bed and box spring. Conventional pesticides are also used by pest control operators to kill smaller infestations of bed bugs in more localized areas. Laundering of bedding and personal belongings on very high temperatures has also been known to kill bed bugs and eliminate eggs that may be present.
As you can see, the options for bed bug inspection and control have really expanded over the past few years to help meet the growing need for bed bug extermination. After many years of dormancy, this pest is back and has hit the main-stream, causing problems for people inside their homes as well as in retail stores, hospitals, libraries, high end hotels as well as in taxi-cabs, airplanes and trains. These insects don’t discriminate and will follow a blood meal anywhere. If you suspect a bed bug problem inside your home, there are many options out there now for locating the infestation and having it treated; but don’t hesitate to have the problem taken care of immediately. Although these pests aren’t known to transmit any diseases, they can spread quickly, infesting a property without haste and feeding on the residents while they sleep. Because of their penchant for feeding on people while they rest, these pests cause severe stress and anxiety for anyone that has them, so to control the spread and keep them from keeping you up at night, bed bug control should be sought immediately.
If you think you may have a bed bug problem in Maryland, D.C. and parts of NOVA, contact the professionals at American Pest. American Pest technicians are superior at getting rid of all pests including bed bugs, stink bugs, ants, termites and more!