How Are Bed Bug Infestations Treated?
Bed bugs are some of the worst pests that you can face a problem with because they can be extremely difficult to get rid of once an infestation begins. Bed bugs often enter homes by hitching a ride on clothes, in suitcases, and on used furniture. Once in the home, bed bugs will find hiding spots in mattresses, couches, carpets, and clothing. When bed bugs bite, they leave raised red bumps in a line or zig zag pattern. If you’ve ever woken up with several itchy or burning bumps on your body, bed bugs could be the culprit. In this article, we’ll discuss how bed bug infestations are professionally treated, from inspection to extermination! If you believe that you have a bed bug infestation in your home in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, contact Absolut Pest Control today for a free bed bug extermination estimate!
Inspection
The first step in solving a bed bug infestation is an inspection to determine the severity of the problem. A pest control professional will thoroughly inspect your furniture, carpets, mattresses, and other areas where bed bugs may be hiding in order to determine what will be the most effective treatment method.
Preparation
Once the inspection has been completed and the extermination strategy has been determined, the next step is to prepare the home for the chosen bed bug treatment. Preparation typically includes washing clothes and linens, vacuuming, and moving items out of the house that don’t need to be treated.
Treatment
After inspecting and preparing the home, the pest control professional can begin treating the bed bug infestation using the method that has been chosen. Some of the most common bed bug infestation extermination methods include chemical treatment, heat treatment, and steam treatment. Chemical treatment involves the application of insecticides on infected areas like the cracks and crevices in furniture. Heat treatment involves raising the temperature in the home to a degree in which the bed bugs can not survive (113°F for 90 minutes). Finally, steam treatment involves the application of hot steam to infested areas, killing the bed bugs on contact.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about bed bugs or are currently experiencing a bed bug infestation at your Massachusetts or New Hampshire home, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control today! We provide home and business owners in MA & NH with a wide range of affordable pest removal & extermination services! Get a free pest control estimate today by calling us at (978) 388-4589 or by filling out the contact form on our website!
Bed Bugs Vs. Fleas: Identification, Prevention, & Treatment
Bed bugs and fleas are both hematophagous insects, meaning they feed on blood, with similar appearances, making them difficult to tell apart for the untrained eye. Both these insects are remarkably fast breeders, so it’s essential to be able to identify an infestation and solve it before the problem gets out of hand! In this article, we’ll offer some tips on how you can differentiate between these two types of blood-sucking insects and treat their infestations! If you’re a home or business owner in Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire that is currently dealing with a flea or bed bug problem, contact our team at Absolut Pest Control today for a free extermination estimate!
Flea Identification & Treatment
One of the factors that makes differentiating between fleas and bed bugs difficult is that their appearance is so similar. Fleas typically have a more ovular shape than bed bugs with lengths ranging from 1.5mm to 3mm. Fleas have six long legs, which is why they’re so good at jumping, and have a reddish-brown color when they have recently fed. When fleas bite, they leave marks that look like dots with a dark red center. Fleas typically bite your lower body, while bed bugs typically bite your upper body. Fleas are most often found attached to their hosts (humans, animals) or in upholstery, carpets, or pet beds. The best way to prevent flea infestations is to treat your pets with flea medicine, as these insects’ most common entry point into homes is via a ride from pets. As mentioned above, fleas breed & multiply extremely quickly, so it’s important to contact a local pest control company in your area to assist you with eradicating the problem as soon as you spot a potential infestation!
Bed Bug Identification & Treatment
Bed bugs can range in color from tannish-yellow to brownish-red. Bed bugs have a more apple seed shaped body, while fleas are longer and skinnier. Bed bugs are typically around 1.5 mm to 5 mm long, so they are slightly bigger on average than fleas. One key way to differentiate between beds bugs and fleas is to observe one after it has bitten you or your pet. Bed bugs will plump up after sucking blood and turn a bright red color, while fleas will keep their brownish hue. The best way to prevent bed bug infestations is to be extremely cautious with clothes, furniture, and upholstery that you’re bringing into your home, as these are typically the items that bed bugs use to hitch a ride into residences. If you have noticed bed bugs on or around your furniture, you should contact a pest control professional who can solve the problem as soon as possible!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about identifying, preventing, or treating a flea or bed bug infestation in your Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire home, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control! We provide various pest removal and extermination services at affordable prices throughout the region! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website!
Frequently Asked Questions About Bed Bugs
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects (often about the size of an apple seed) that feed on the blood of people and animals. These parasites have flat, brown bodies when they haven’t eaten recently, and balloon-like, reddish-brown bodies when they have been fed. When bed bugs bite, they leave several small red bumps in a line or zig-zag pattern. Female bed bugs lay hundreds of eggs in their lifetime (around 4 months to 1 year), so it’s important to deal with an infestation before it has the chance to get out of hand!
What Are The Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?
Bed bugs get their name from the fact that they are often found on beds and other furniture! Bed bugs are “hitchhikers”, meaning they often find their way into homes by catching a ride with pets, people, luggage, used furniture, and anything else that is brought into the house. Oftentimes, bed bug infestations are discovered after people notice that pattern of bed bug bites that are left on their bodies. Bed bugs also sometimes leave rust colored marks on mattresses, sheets, and carpets, which are the result of the insects’ feces. If you see the signs of a bed bug infestation in your home, you should contact a pest control professional right away before the infestation can get worse!
How Do You Treat A Bed Bug Infestation?
Although bed bugs typically do not present a serious threat to your health, it’s crucial to get rid of them as soon as they’re discovered. There are DIY methods that you can use to try to get rid of the bed bug infestation in your home, but they are typically not as effective as professional treatments. Some of these DIY treatments include:
- Washing clothes and bedding then drying them at a high heat
- Freezing clothes and bedding in a sealed bag for multiple days
- Using a steam cleaner to treat carpets, mattresses, and furniture
The best way to treat a bed bug infestation is to hire a professional. A professional pest control company will use a whole-room heat treatment using specially designed equipment that raises your home’s temperature above the limit that bed bugs & their eggs can survive (usually around 140 degrees). Using this professional heat treatment method is the only true way to get rid of every bed bug in your home!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
The best way to solve a bed bug infestation is to hire a local pest control professional! Absolut Pest Control provides the Greater Boston region with pest control & removal services for a wide variety of pests, including bed bugs, other insects, mice, rats, bats, birds, termites, small mammals, and much more! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!