Bed Bugs 1. How did I get them? The most common sources of infestation are believed to be: Introducing an infested item such as furniture, into the home. Staying in an infested premises, and then inadvertently bringing them home. Bed bugs actively walking in from infested adjoining properties. 2. How are they transferred? As above. 3. Will I get a disease? Bed bugs do not transmit human diseases. 4. What is the relation between hygiene and bed bugs? The risk of bed bug infestation is not related to hygiene. Premises with good or poor hygiene standards are equally at risk of infestation. 5. How do I get rid of them? Once your home is infested with bed bugs, they will not go away by themselves, and will gradually get worse. They will only be eradicated from a property by a serious control effort. 6. Can I do it myself? The success rate of DIY treatment low, and the infestation often continues. In most cases, professional input is require to achieve eradication. The sooner you seek help, the easier they will be to eradicate.
7. Do I need to treat all rooms? The professional pest controller will assess your property, and decide which rooms need treatment. 8. Can I just treat my bedroom? It depends on the extent of infestation. The professional pest controller will assess your property, and decide which rooms need treatment. 9. Is there an epidemic in London? The number of bed bug infestations in London, as in many other cities in the UK and internationally, has increased very substantially over the last decade. 10. Will I get them again? Providing the treatment has fully eradicated them, then premises typically stay free of bed bugs for an extended period. Nonetheless, there is still a chance that they be re-introduced, e.g. from another infested premises. 11. What about re-infestation? As above. 12. Tell me about eggs / gestation / % of successful hatching and optimum conditions. Bed bug development is very dependent on temperature. At a typical bedroom temperature of 18oC, and regular access to blood, the female bed bug will lay about 2 or 3 eggs every week, which can then take around 3 weeks to hatch. The young bed bugs will then take 3 to 4 months to reach the adult stage, when they in turn will start laying eggs. At higher temperatures, the development is faster.
13. Why is my husband / wife not being bitten? There are several different possible explanations for this. For example, one partner may sleep very soundly, while the other partner is more restless and constantly disturbs the bed bugs. Alternatively, both partners may be bitten to a similar extent, but while one partner develops the classic red bite marks, the other partner is less sensitive and does not develop a visible bite mark, giving the impression that they are not being bitten. 14. How do I prevent getting them again? Key measures to prevent re-infestation include: If you are moving to another property, always look for signs of infestation before you agree to rent, lease or purchase the property. Avoid bringing second-hand bedroom furniture into the home. When you stay away from the home, such as in a hotel, look for signs of infestation in the room, and ask to change rooms if you are concerned. If you find that you have stayed in an infested property, then carefully examine your luggage and contents for bed bugs when you return home, and launder clothing. Finally, preventative measure are unlikely to be fully effective, so be vigilant for the presence of bed bugs within your home. Early detection makes for easier eradication. 15. Can I get them from the neighbours? In adjoining properties, where there are internal connections via plumbing or electrical services, or through structural voids, then it may be possible for bed bugs to crawl directly from one property to another. 16. Will they bite my dog / cat? Bed bugs are very unlikely to feed regularly on pets.
17. Can they spread through the building? Where there are connections within the building for e.g. plumbing or electrical services, then bedbugs may gradually spread within a multi-unit building. 18. What can be done about that? Where there is an indication that bed bugs have spread through a building, then the pest control work needs to be very thorough and carefully organized. All properties need to be accessed for inspection, and thorough treatment applied to all affected properties. In some cases, sealing of openings between properties may be appropriate to reduce the spread. 19. What is the best treatment method? There is no universal best treatment method. The best method will vary depending on the building, the extent of the infestation, and the budget available. In some circumstances it may be an insecticide treatment, in others it may be a non-chemical treatment, such as heat. In addition, other measures such as laundering of infested items may be required. 20. Do I have to use a registered PCO? You are strongly advised to use a professional pest controller, but nonetheless you are allowed to treat the infestation yourself. 21. What kind of guarantee can I reasonably expect? Many pest control organizations do not offer a guarantee. However if you shop around, you should be able to find a company that will offer a guarantee of from 3 up to 6 months.
22. How will I know if the PCO is qualified? You should ask to see evidence, such as a current certificate, that the company is a member of a recognized trade association, such as the British Pest Control Association or the National Pest Technicians Association. Alternatively, you could check their membership on-line. 23. Should I have friends / families homes checked? You should encourage friends and family to be aware of bed bugs. If they suspect they may be infested, then they should seek professional help. 24. Is it necessary to treat motor vehicles? Only if they are infested, which would be unusual. 25. Is treatment dangerous for my children? All indoor pesticide products in the UK are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive. Providing the treatment is applied in accordance with the product s statutory conditions and directions for use, then there is no danger to children. 26. Is treatment dangerous for my pets? Providing the treatment is applied following the statutory conditions and directions for use, then there is no danger to pets. 27. What will happen if I ignore the bed bugs? The bed bugs will not go away by themselves. Numbers will gradually increase, and the problem will get worse and spread. 28. How long do bed bugs live? At typical bed room temperatures, bed bugs can live for up to 6 months. However under cool conditions, even if they have no access to a blood meal, they may survive up to a year.