Bed Bug FAQ’S

Where can I find bed bugs?

Adult bed bugs, nymphs and eggs will generally be found near to where humans rest or sleep. Those areas are most commonly found inside the home, but can also be found on busses, trains, inside automobiles and on airplanes. Bed bugs prefer to hide in tight spaces, such as cracks and crevices in the headboard, behind baseboards, or behind the faceplate of a switch or electrical outlet. They may be found in sofas, cribs, futons, and car seats. There are few places that a bed bug won’t hide, within proximity to its food source: human blood.

What Do I Need To Do To Prepare For a Liquid Bed Bug Treatment?

It’s not abnormal to feel a little apprehensive about treating your home or business, especially when it comes to bed bugs. That’s why we’ve compiled a helpful guide to preparing for your upcoming bed bug service in the form of a checklist to help you get ready for your treatment. Learn more by browsing our bed bug preparation checklist. 

Do Bed Bugs Get On Clothing?

Bed bugs are efficient hitchhikers, they can latch onto suitcases, backpacks, and, yes, even clothing. They will travel on most things until they can find a suitable place to hide.

If you find bed bugs on your clothing, you do not need to throw them away. Set the washer and dryer for the hottest setting that the fabric can withstand. If you need to use a dry cleaning service, mention to them that the items may have bed bugs and they can keep the articles in plastic bags until just before loading into the machines.

If you think your home may be infested because of bed bugs traveling on your clothing, contact American Pest to schedule a bed bug inspection.

Why Can’t We Just Start Using DDT to Combat Bed Bugs Again?

DDT (Short for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was used widely during World War II to control malaria and typhus infections amongst troops. After the war, it was made available commercially as an agricultural pesticide.

It is believed that the widespread usage of DDT throughout the 1940’s through the 1960’s was responsible for virtually eradicating bed bug populations in the United States.

With the reemergence of bed bugs that has occurred in the past 10-15 years, it has been found that bed bugs have developed a resistance to DDT and usage of the pesticide would not curtail their population growth. DDT has also been linked to significant damages to the environment, including nearly driving several species of birds to extinction.

I Want These Bed Bugs Gone! Can I Get Rid of Them Myself?

There are many Do-It-Yourself (DIY) products that promise to eliminate bed bugs, each with their own levels of success.

The problem is that these products often focus on controlling the populations of bed bugs, not necessarily eradicating the infestation.

A professional pest control technician can develop an integrated pest management plan that will attack the infestation on more than one front and will be able to completely rid your home of bed bugs.

What Are My Options For Bed Bug Treatments by American Pest?

We can conduct an inspection of your property to and can provide mattress and box spring encasements. After confirming the presence of bed bugs on your property, American Pest can offer, conventional pesticide treatments or Cryonite®

I Think I Have Bed Bugs! How Did They Get Into my House?

You probably picked them up! Bed bugs are hitchhiking insects. They move quickly and can easily attach themselves to your shoes, clothes, purse or luggage. Once you make it home, they can crawl off and settle into your home.

How Could Bed Bugs Infest my House? I’m Such a Clean Person!

A bed bug infestation is not indicative of a person’s hygiene or cleaning habits. The pests can be picked up anywhere, from luxury hotels to the office chair you sit in every day.

They are nocturnal insects and are incredibly adept at hiding, so the likelihood of confirming their presence without a pest management professional is small. There is no need to take the news of bed bugs personally; the important thing is to take the proper steps to eliminate the invasive population from your home.

Are Bed Bugs Dangerous?

Bed bugs tend to be most active between the hours of midnight and 5 am and like the old nursery rhyme warns, they will bite their human host to intake a blood meal.

Upon awakening, a bed bug victim may find numerous small bite marks, which can vary in appearance. Some people may show no signs of biting, but that does not rule out the possibility of the presence of bed bugs.

At this time, bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases through their bites. However, the Center for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency have identified bed bugs as “pests of some public health significance,” due to psychological effects that bed bugs have on their hosts.

These can include paranoia, anxiety and depression. In rare instances, some victims may exhibit an allergic reaction to some of the bed bug’s salivary proteins and victims experiencing severe infestations may become anemic because of how many bites they have suffered from.