What are bed bugs?
Bedbugs on a bed sheet
Tiny, wingless parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and warm-blooded animals.Eggs typically hatch in 7-12 days and take 32-48 days to reach full maturity. Adults can survive 7-10 months without blood and as long as 12-18 months in empty buildings. The typical lifespan of a bed bug is about 12-18 months. Female bed bugs lay 300-500 eggs over their lifetime. Bed bugs feed for 3-10 minutes before returning to their hiding places.
How do I get bed bugs?
Bed bugs can be introduced to a home through baggage, furniture, bedding and boxes that are moved from a home to home or from a hotel. Used furniture, especially bed frames and mattresses, have the greatest risk of harboring bed bugs and their eggs. Bed bugs can also move between connected apartments. Visitors can unknowingly bring bed bugs with them into your home or if you visit a place that has bed bugs they can get on you or your things and be brought back to your home.
How do I know if I have bed bugs?
The first sign of bed bugs are multiple small welts on the skin that appear in a linear or clustered pattern. The face, neck, back, hands, arms and legs are the most common areas where bed bug bites occur. Blood and fecal spots can be seen at the mattress and box spring seams. If you feel you may have them or see bites or possible blood or fecal spots call for a free inspection to see if you do have bed bugs.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
Control of bed bugs requires a minimum of three treatments*, spaced at one week intervals. In between each application, we recommend the following to assist with eliminating a bed bug infestation:
- Vacuum mattresses, bed frames, carpets, and upholstered furniture. Immediately after vacuuming, place the vacuum bag or vacuum contents in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of in an outdoor bin.
- Bedding, pillows, linens, curtains, rugs, etc. should be washed in hot water (minimum of 120 degrees) for at least 20 minutes.
- Steam clean carpets, toys, stuffed animals , shoes, luggage or any other items that cannot be easily washed in hot water.
- After the last treatment, seal your mattress and pillows with waterproof, hypoallergenic, zippered covers labeled “allergen rated” or “for dust mites” for at least one year.
*When three (3) applications** are made at one week intervals and customer complied with Bishop Spray Service sanitation recommendations, we guarantee our interior bed bug control services for 90 days.
**Well established infestations may require additional applications.