Bedbug – Cimex lectularius

History

The bedbug enjoys the luxury of centrally heated dwellings, which they exploit all year round. They avoid the light and hide in/on furniture, on bed frames, in and behind skirting boards and plug sockets, on curtain poles, behind hanging pictures, inside divan frames, on mattresses and headboards.

Bedbugs are parasites and feed exclusively on blood, usually human blood. The bugs climb over their human hosts during the night and use their piercing mouthparts to penetrate the skin for feeding. Adult bedbugs are approximately 5mm long and 3mm wide. They are oval in shape and usually dark reddish brown in colour, although the colour may vary. Bedbug eggs are pearly white and 1mm long. Females feeding regularly will lay 2 or 3 eggs per day, up to a maximum of 12!

The presence of bedbugs can be detected by the following :

• blood spotting on bedding
• brown excrement spots close to where they live and on bedding
• whitish/opaque un-hatched and hatched eggs
• in heavy infestations, a sweet almond smell is common
• bedbugs are not normally seen during the day

Why Control Bedbugs ?

Bedbugs are not known to carry disease. However, they still present problems :

• They feed on human blood, usually at night whilst people are asleep in their beds
• Bites cause irritation and itching
• Some people are particularly sensitive to the bites and experience an allergy and inflammation which can be quite severe and require medical attention.

Method of Control

• Complete a meticulous survey of the affected room and all adjoining areas.
• Approved Insecticidal treatment will then be required to eradicate the problem.
• The treatment is thorough and extensive and will include treatment of furniture, skirtings and picture rails, curtains, bed frames, headboards and underneath the edges of carpets, etc.
• Treatment may be needed in any adjoining rooms above and below the affected floor, or all rooms on the same floor.
• A follow-up visit and spray treatment is then carried out with on going monitoring for signs of any re-infestation

To find out more about how we can help you on a one-off job basis or with a longer term preventative Service Plan please call us on freephone 0800 0283 703. Alternatively complete our online contact form for a free survey and detailed quotation on how we can eradicate your pest problem.

Professional Pest Solutions Since 1979

Cramond, Rectory Close, Crieff, Perthshire, PH7 3EA