Ways To Protect Yourself From Bed Bugs!!!

Do You Have Bed Bugs????

The more aware you are of bed bugs and what to look for the less likely you are to expose yourself to an infestation. It is important to remember that in order for a new infestation to become established, bed bugs must first be introduced into the previously un-infested environment. As a result, your risk of encountering and potentially introducing bed bugs increases when you travel, when children return from camps, boarding schools or college, when you have overnight guests, if you purchase used or second hand items, or have items such as furniture or bedding delivered etc.
Early detection is among the most important ways that you can protect yourself from having an introduction of bed bugs turn into a nightmare that is difficult and costly to eliminate. The use of mattress and box spring encasements is one of the most economical and useful tools that can aid in the early detection of bed bugs. It is very important that the encasements have been specifically designed for bed bugs and have been scientifically tested to demonstrate their effectiveness. The most effective encasement that we have examined is the Bug Lock® encasement. By encasing mattresses, any bed bugs that may be introduced, are restricted to the exterior of the encasements where they can be readily detected through a good visual inspection. In addition, mattress and box spring encasements can also prevent the infestation of the mattress and box spring should bed bugs be introduced.

Mattress encasments can be used proactively to prevent the mattress & box springfrom becoming infested if bed bugs are introduced as well as aid in the early detection of bed bugsby restricting their activity to the exterior of the encasment where they can be readily detected and dealt with.

It is also very important to become familiar with the signs the bed bugs leave behind so that you know what to look for when conducting an inspection. In addition to being familiar with what the bugs look like you should also know how to recognize other key indicators that may be present. First it is important to realize that rarely will you see red blood stains unless a bed bug is smashed while it still has an undigested blood meal in its body (similar to squashing a mosquito while it is still full of blood). Instead of red blood spots being left behind, the bed bugs feed on their victim, digest the blood and leave behind fecal material that is dark, almost black in color and appears as small spots. Evidence of black spots or stains that are slightly raised and have a rough texture is characteristic evidence of bed bug activity. You also want to be familiar with the shed skins that bed bugs leave behind as they go from one immature stage to the next (similar to how a snake sheds its skin).

Bed bug engorged with blood.	Blood smears/spotting are rarely red stains like this. This only happens if an engorged bug is crushed.	Evidence fo bed bug "spotting" is much more commonly seen as dark/black stains or smears from the digested blood that is exreted as a dark liquid.	Shed skins (exoskeletons) of immature bugs as they develope from one stage to the next is another.

It is wise to be on the look out for bite symptoms and to conduct inspections in the weeks and months following an event that may have exposed you to bed bugs. For example, for several months upon returning from an overnight trip it is a good idea to periodically inspect (at least once every few weeks) your bed and upholstered furniture. As mentioned above, bed bugs often go undetected for several months until their populations become larger and they eventually emerge in areas where they are more easily detected.

Travel and the purchase of used or second hand furniture and/or bedding are still among the most likely ways to introduce bed bugs. It is far easier to avoid purchasing used items than it is to eliminate travel. However there are many steps that can be taken during travel to minimize the likelihood of staying in a bed bug infested environment or bringing bed bugs home with you. (Also see section titled - Protect Yourself When Traveling )

If at any time you have reason to believe that you are experiencing a problem with bed bugs it is very important that you act swiftly and contact a pest management professional to conduct a thorough inspection and evaluate the situation. Bed bugs are extremely difficult to control especially if they are not caught during the early stages of the infestation.

info provided by: Bed Bug Central



If you do have bed bugs, or at least think you do please feel free to contact us. We can discuss your options, our suggestions, and possibly arrange an extermination. We use all Environmentally safe Chemicals that won't harm your family, children, pets, or great mother earth. We will continue on this topic because this has become almost an epidemic here in New York City and New York City Handyman wants to help people by providing information, affordable extermination, killing bed bugs without using chemicals that are dangerous to people, animals, and our Eco system.

What are Bed Bugs:

Bed bugs the vampires of the night. They are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is the species most adapted to living with humans. It has done so since ancient times. Bed bugs are mentioned, for example, in medieval European texts and in classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle. Other bed bug species prefer to feed on wild hosts, especially bats and birds.

Adult bed bugs are about 1/4-inch long and reddish-brown, with oval, flattened bodies. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. The immatures (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and somewhat lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded areas, depositing up to five a day and 500 during a lifetime. The eggs are tiny, whitish, and hard to see without magnification (individual eggs are about the size of a dust spec). When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to substrates. Newly hatched nymphs are no bigger than a pinhead. As they grow, they molt (shed their skin) five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive molt. Under favorable conditions (70 - 90° F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year. Cool temperatures or limited access to a blood meal extends the development time. Bed bugs are very resilient. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Infestations therefore are unlikely to diminish by leaving premises unoccupied. Although C. lectularius prefers feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including pets.

Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices - especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Characteristically these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be eggs and eggshells, molted skins of maturing nymphs, and the bugs themselves. Another likely sign of bed bugs is rusty or reddish spots of blood on bed sheets, mattresses or walls. Heavy infestations may have a "buggy" or sweetish smell, but the odor is seldom apparent and should not be relied upon for detection.

Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed. However if necessary, they will crawl several feet to obtain a blood meal. Initial infestations tend to be around beds, but the bugs eventually may become scattered throughout a room, occupying any crevice or protected location.They also can spread to adjacent rooms or apartments.