“One out of five Americans has had a bed bug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bed bugs as home or in a hotel. Bed bugs are prevalent in all 50 states. They can lay anywhere from one to five eggs daily and survive for months without eating. That is an infestation waiting to happen,” according to PestWorld.org.
2018 Bugs Without Borders Findings
The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) released the findings of its 2018 Bugs Without Borders research, which surveys pest control professionals on the prevalence of bed bugs here in the U.S. The survey reports that 97 percent of pest professionals treated for bed bugs in the past year and more than half say summer is the busiest time of year. The results also reveal just how frequently bed bugs are confused with other pests. In fact, 84 percent of pest control professionals reported being contacted to treat another type of problem only to discover bed bugs present instead. The most common doppelganger? Fleas, as 71 percent of respondents reported being contacted to treat a suspected flea problem when in reality the customer had bed bugs.
Top Places
According to PestWorld.org, bed bugs love to hang out in these three places:
- Single-family homes (91%),
- Apartments / condominiums (89%), and
- Hotels / motels (68%).
Bed Bugs
“Bedbugs are small, wingless insects that feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals. Humans are the preferred hosts. When seen close up, their color may range from a white, light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange color. When they have fed, a dark red or black blob may be observed within their body,” states Medical News Today.
Symptoms
Medical News Today explains “the most obvious sign of bedbugs in the home is that people complain of bites that occurred while they were asleep. If this happens, examine the bedrooms for bedbugs and signs of bedbug activity. Most bedbugs feed on their hosts while they sleep. They draw blood in a painless way. While feeding, they inject a small amount of saliva into the host’s skin. If they feed on one particular person for several weeks, the individual may become more sensitive to their saliva and the chemicals that it contains. The host might eventually develop an allergic response. Bedbugs, like fleas, tend to bite in rows. There are likely to be two or three bites in each row. This is probably because the bedbug is interrupted while feeding, and then comes back about half an inch further down for its next bite. Bites can take up to 14 days to become visible but often appear within several days. Bedbug bites are larger than fleabites and do not usually have a red dot at the center. The bites tend to be raised and red”.
How do they get into your home?
“They can come from other infested areas or from used furniture. They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces. They can travel between rooms in multi-unit buildings, such as apartment complexes and hotels,” reports NY Department of Health.
How to get rid of them?
You can eliminate bed bugs but it requires an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. This combines techniques that pose the lowest risk to your health and the environment. Make sure you hire a professional pest control company that have experience with bed bugs and is licensed and certified.
Drive-Bye Exterminators offers home and commercial pest control services in Clearwater, Florida, and the surrounding areas. Family owned and operated for over 25 years, Drive-Bye Exterminators has state certified inspectors and exterminators provide roach, subterranean termite, dry wood termite, roaches, spider, ant and flea services to both commercial and residential clients. Whether a business owner needs help getting rid of a termite infestation, or a homeowner wants to rid their kitchen of ants, Drive-Bye Exterminators offers each client the same level of professionalism and excellence.
Request a FREE Pest Control or Termite Inspection today with the Professionals of Drive-Bye Exterminators. Contact Us Today at 727-787-2127.
