Bed Bugs

When most of us were children, it was something cute for parents to say before we went to bed, and it was usually accompanied with some light pinching to imitate what bed bug bites felt like. Did you ever, in a million years, think bed bugs were a real thing? We sure didn’t.

Unfortunately, they are. Bed bugs are also notoriously challenging to eliminate in apartments, office buildings, buses, movie theaters – in effect, any place humans gather. That’s why you should  NEVER try to handle bed bugs on your own.

1. Bed bugs bite. Despite what our parents told us, bed bugs do not, in fact, bite. Instead, they pierce your skin with two straw-like feeding tubes into their hosts after injecting their saliva in the skin to anesthetize the area. An adult can take a full blood meal within 5 to 10 minutes, after which they disappear to secluded places to digest their meal and mate.

2. Bed bugs live on beds. While some bed bugs do inhabit your bed, they could live elsewhere in your home. The majority don’t live on the bed (though it is where they feed) because they do not like to be disturbed. When you make your bed, you are disturbing their digestion. They can live anywhere and can go long periods (sometimes months) without a meal. That’s why you should hire educated professionals to get rid of them — they know where to look for the adults and nymphs (which can be as small as the letter “L” in “Liberty” on a penny).

3. Bed bugs only occur in filthy homes and apartments. This myth is one of the most persistent myths about bed bugs – and it’s one of the most dangerous. Unlike cockroaches, bed bugs are not filth bugs. Instead, they are attracted to the carbon dioxide exuded by their hosts. Though they prefer humans, they will feed on other warm-blooded animals if necessary. So vigorously cleaning your living areas might rid you of bed bugs you can see – but it’s the hidden ones that pose the biggest threat.

4. You’ll know you have bed bugs because you will notice their “bites” (which often look like mosquito bites) on your skin. Not everyone has an allergy to bed bug bites, which causes hive-like bumps on your skin. Two people, sleeping the same bed in a home infested with bed bugs, may have different reactions. One will have the “bites,” while the other person may have no reaction at all. PLEASE DON’T TELL YOUR SPOUSE THEY’RE CRAZY. Get a professional out to the home to make sure they are.

At Green Earth Pest Control, our experienced management team has devised a comprehensive, detailed plan to rid your home of these prevalent pests. Our technicians will walk you through the process step-by-step and provide you preparation and after-care tips to ensure your bed bug treatment is effective. At Green Earth, we are interested in getting the job done the first time correctly and providing our customers with long-term solutions.