Pest Control - Dealing with Bedbugs in Your Block

Bedbugs are becoming an increasing problem in flats throughout the UK. This is thought to be due to people travelling more often. Bedbugs can be easily picked up in hotels and transported back. Bedbugs are small, oval, flat, hard-bodied, flightless insects. They have well developed walking legs, so can spread easily between rooms or climb into suitcases so can be easily transported from one location to another. When they have not recently been fed a bedbug’s body is paper-thin and red-brown. After feeding, the body lengthens and widens and the colour changes to dull red. Obviously, bedbugs are a problem because of their blood feeding habit. In extreme cases they may cause anaemia. More commonly, the bites can become infected when scratched and they are painful and itchy, this is why bedbugs are a pest. There is also the social stigma associated with these infestations, as their excrement stains beds and bedding, and they have a very distinctive smell like almonds. People will usually report bedbugs when they are bitten. Usually blood spots will also be found on the sheets. Black spots (digested blood in the form of faeces) may also be found. However, lice or fleas could have caused these as well. The only absolute evidence for a bedbug infestation is to find bedbugs themselves. This is why it’s important to call a professional pest control company who will make sure they will be treating appropriately. When a technician arrives they should also carry out a very thorough inspection before any treatment begins. Bed bugs only come out to search for blood donors. In between meals they spend their time in suitable hiding places, and as they are very small and flat they can slip into tiny cracks and crevices. This therefore can make finding bedbugs extremely hard and the treatment more difficult. Pre-preparations works are recommend for the tenant to do before a treatment to maximise the chance of the treatment working e.g. drycleaning any infested bedding or other fabrics, discarding any non-cleanable items that may be infested, steam cleaning and vacuuming carpets. This pre-preparation is essential to insure the treatment is successful as it destroys any eggs which they chemicals used by pest controllers do not kill.

Treating bedbugs usually consists of a crack and crevice insecticide spray, using of desiccant dust and also fogging with insecticide. Bedbugs are not easy to eradicate therefore follow up visits are needed. Although it may not be ideal it is useful for the tenants to continue to sleep in the treated room after the treatment. Bedbugs are attracted to the heat of their bodies so this will entice the bedbugs to crawl out of their hiding places and across the sprayed surfaces. The way to avoid bedbug infestations when travelling is to empty suitcases immediately. Do not throw them straight onto your bed and wash all clothes at a high temperature on your return. This will not guarantee you will not get an infestation but may reduce the chances.