When it comes to identifying and treating bed bugs, there is a lot of incorrect information out there. Since we deal with bed bugs every day, the team at Clegg’s Pest Control wanted to provide some answers to frequently asked questions (a bed bugs FAQ) on what works and what doesn’t.
Identifying Bed Bugs
You may be able to identify bed bugs yourself by looking for the signs, including live bugs, exoskeletons along the edges of your mattress and box spring, blood spots on the mattress or linens, or evidence of bug bites.
There are home kits that you can purchase to test for bugs. The most effective of these is a saucer that contains a powder. Once they crawl into the saucer, they cannot get out. You can check the saucer daily to see if you catch any bed bugs. Alternatively, most pest control companies (Clegg’s included) offer free residential bed bug inspections. If bed bugs are found, the pest technician can then provide a treatment plan for your review.
Treating Bed Bugs
Pesticides
Bed bugs are notoriously resistant to pesticides, and many pesticides are dangerous, especially when sprayed in a sleeping area or around children and pets. Most safe pesticides do not leave residuals, meaning the bugs must come in contact with the pesticide before it dries. Bed bugs are good at hiding in cracks and crevices, so it can be hard to spray them all.
In addition, the insecticide levels in most over-the-counter pesticides are low. This can result in the bed bugs building up immunity to the pesticide, making it even harder to get rid of them for good. For fact sheets on specific pesticides, check the Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
Alcohol
Some folks recommend using alcohol as a temporary measure. The alcohol can kill the bed bugs if you spray them directly, and it can help to dehydrate any eggs you spray; however, in our experience, alcohol is not very effective and only delays resolving the problem.
Treating With Cold
According to recent research, in order to consistently kill bed bugs in a cold environment, they must be exposed to temperatures of 3 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 80 hours. If you do have a freezer that enables you to maintain these low temperatures, you can treat smaller items like kids stuffed toys or non-washable items by sealing them in plastic bags in the infected room (you don’t want to spread the bed bugs as you move through your house) and putting them in the freezer for a week or two.
Steam Treatments
Some companies treat infestations with steam. This will kill bed bugs, however the steam comes from hot water and can cause damage to wallpaper, some paints, and some furnishings.
Treating With Heat
Currently the most effective way to treat bed bug infestations is using dry heat. Thermal heat treatments use equipment to bring the infected area up to a minimum temperature between 130 and 150 degrees and maintain the heat at that level for a period of time. This ensures that both live bugs and eggs are killed. A surface temperature of 120 degrees is lethal to the bugs, but the treatment temperature must be higher than that to ensure all areas (including between walls) are hot enough.
We have heard of companies that use electric heaters and go room to room to treat the house. Unfortunately, electric heaters generally cannot reach and sustain sufficiently high temperatures over a large enough area to effectively remove an infestation. Commercial LP gas heaters can achieve the necessary temperatures.
Microwaving
We have read stories of individuals trying to microwave library books to ensure they don’t have bed bugs. This can create a fire hazard and ruin the books (replacing library books can be expensive). We don’t recommend it.
Kerosene, Diesel, and Gasoline
All we can say is, DON’T DO IT! While these liquids will kill bed bugs, they are flammable and are all health hazards. We have seen several news stories over the past few years where people have tried to treat bed bugs themselves using these substances and ended up burning down their homes. Stay away from these fuels.
Boric Acid or Similar Powders
Others have tried treating bed bugs on their own using boric acid or other powders. In one case, there was so much powder laying on the surfaces of a home we were called to inspect, we would not take our bed bug dog inside due to the risk he would inhale the powder. We don’t recommend using these products.
Hard To Treat Items
Some items that are attractive to bed bugs, like Hoverounds®, wheelchairs and cars, are hard to treat. There are products that are effective in using an aroma to kill the bugs. These strips are placed in a sealed area (for example, we would place a Hoveround® in a large bag with the strips and seal it, or place them inside the car and leave it closed) and left for 72 hours. These aroma strips are very effective when directions are followed.
Cleaning and Decluttering
Removing clutter from your home is a good start to getting rid of bed bugs. They prefer to live in dark, enclosed spaces like behind headboards, under baseboards, and in cracks and crevices. It will help to remove items you don’t use (seal them in plastic before you remove them) and thoroughly clean and vacuum your home, sealing and tossing the vacuum cleaner bag.
This will not remove all the bed bugs, but will give the ones that remain fewer places to hide and make it easier for a pest professional to treat the area. You should also wash bed linens regularly in hot water (at least 120 degrees) and dry them on high heat. When you remove linens to wash them, place them in a plastic bag to transport to the laundry room and seal and dispose of the plastic bag afterwards.
Do I have to throw out my furniture?
Not usually. In most cases, when bed bugs are professionally treated your furnishings will also be effectively treated. The exception would be mattresses or upholstered pieces that were already damaged, allowing bed bugs deep into the upholstery. In such cases, treatments may not be effective in killing bugs that are protected by layers of padding.
If you have expensive mattresses you believe are infested, you may wish to use high quality mattress encasements to suffocate the existing bugs and prevent new ones from moving in. Damaged upholstered furniture may not be treatable. Also note that some inexpensive furniture that is made from particleboard with a plastic or vinyl coating may not hold up through a heat treatment.
Should I move?
No! The bed bugs will just move with you. Even if you leave the house with only the clothes on your back, you run the risk of taking along a hitchhiker and starting the cycle all over again. It’s best to treat the bugs in your home and inspect on a regular basis after treatment. Once the bed bugs have been gone for at least two months, you should be okay to move without risking contaminating your new living space. If you are planning on moving into a new home, you may wish to have a pest professional do a pre-move-in inspection.
Do bed bug encasements work?
A high quality bed bug encasement used on your mattress and box spring will suffocate any bugs still in the mattress and prevent more bed bugs from accessing the mattress. This is not a solution to the overall problem, but does make it easier to identify and deal with future problems.
We recommend that anyone who has their home treated for bed bugs use encasements on all mattresses and box springs in the house and leave them in place for a minimum of 24 months.
How can I make sure bed bugs don’t come back?
Having your house professionally treated will go a long way toward ensuring the infestation is eradicated. It’s also important to watch closely for signs of new bugs. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method to keep bed bugs out of your house. If you are exposed to bed bugs that someone else has brought to a public location (or brought into your home), you may transport these bugs home with you. It is important to be vigilant!
A special note: We have recently heard of companies saying they will treat infestations on a room by room basis. This is not effective! You must treat the entire living area to ensure the infestation is removed. Even one bed bug in a second room in the house can begin the cycle all over again.
Not sure if you have bed bugs? Contact Clegg’s today and schedule a free residential bed bug inspection. If you do have bed bugs, our team will put together a treatment plan to resolve your bed bug problem.
CLEGG’S PEST CONTROL CAN SOLVE YOUR ANT PROBLEM
If you have ever seen an ant in your house then you know that there is never just one. Ants live in large groups called colonies. Often times their nests are underground or inside trees, but sometimes ants move in and make their colony in the walls of a house or building. Inside of your home, ants can nest behind baseboards, moldings, countertops, inside walls, or even in your dishwasher. A single ant colony can live and reproduce for years with one queen, making them extremely hard to get rid of if they have set up residence in your home. Depending upon where the colony has made its nest, you may need to contact our team to control the infestation.
Surprisingly, what ants are attracted to actually changes throughout the year depending on where they are in their mating cycle. In the spring for example, when they are just beginning the mating and colonizing phase, they tend to be more attracted to high protein foods such as meat scraps left in the trash, peanut butter, other insects, or fats like grease, oil, and butter. As the summer continues, the new generation of ants requires more quick energy to grow and expand the nest so the ants will seek carbohydrates to eat for energy. This leads ants to be more attracted to sweets like crumbs and leftovers, spilled drinks, and garden produce.
No matter if the ants are entering your home in search of the food source they need, or if they have built up a residence in your walls, most people agree that getting them out is necessary. Contact our team to schedule your FREE initial inspection and get rid of ants in your home today.
TYPES OF ANTS
ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS
These ants have one node that is hidden by their abdomen and are dark brown to black in color. They are most often found in kitchens. When this ant is crushed it emits a coconut odor which signifies its name. Like the Argentine Ants, these ants may be found under mulch, along foundations, or underneath some form of debris. As with many ants, food sources will draw them out. If you have mulch or debris around the foundation of your home then you need to ensure that all cracks and crevices are sealed to prevent an inside invasion. Locating the nest is the surest way to eliminate the infestation but this is very difficult therefore bait is used on the ant trails which will lead the toxin back to the colony.
ACROBAT ANTS
These ants are yellowish brown to dark brown and are a little longer than 1/8 inch. Their abdomen is heart shaped and when disturbed they try to carry their abdomen above the rest of their body. If nesting outdoors they usually nest in decaying or dead wood. When foraging indoors they like wood or a damp wall cavity to nest in. A spray treatment should be performed in all areas these ants are found and drilling may be required to treat any wall voids that have become infested.
FIRE ANTS
Fire ants are red with 2 nodes and a stinger which sets them aside from most other ants. Fire ants are usually found outdoors versus indoors however when they do venture indoors it is usually along the edge of carpet. If you follow the trail back to the entry point then the mound is usually not far. We treat the mound(s) itself as well as the trail of ants.
How to Get Rid of Fire Ants: Read Article
Fire Ant Queen: Read Article
Fire Ant Mound: Read Article
CARPENTER ANTS
Carpenter ants have one node (circled) and an evenly rounded thorax. Carpenter vary is color and size but most are large and a blackish color. Parent colony lives in constant moisture. Satellite colonies are usually involved in infestations. Carpenter ants are most active at night, and the sound of a colony resembles that of wrinkling up cellophane. Colonies may exist in several areas including: wood, wall voids, hollow voids, under insulation, etc. Treatment usually involves the use of a dust and/or aerosol to flush out the existing colony.
Signs of Carpenter Ants: Read Article
Carpenter Ant vs Termite Damage: Read Article
Carpenter Ant Queen: Read Article
Carpenter Ant Bite: Read Article
What Do Carpenter Ants Eat: Read Article
FIELD ANTS
Field ants are black, brown, tan, reddish, or red and black in color. Field ants have 3 small eyes in the middle of their head (between their 2 compound eyes). Field ants are not usually found inside but rather around structures or under piles of wood, brick, or rocks. Once the colony is located, the mound itself is treated to eliminate the problem.
LITTLE BLACK ANTS
Black ants are tiny in size and are jet black in color. Little black ants occasionally invade homes but are usually found in the soil or nesting in the masonry or woodwork of a structure. Treating the colony itself is the best way to eliminate this ant. Indoor treatments may include the use of dust to treat wall voids.
How to Get Rid of Tiny Black Ants: Read Article
PAVEMENT ANTS
Pavement ants also have 2 nodes and are usually found in one of 3 places: 1) Outside along the foundation 2) Beneath slab foundation 3) Inside hollow foundation walls. Pavement ants may also be found trailing along the edge of carpets. Displaced soil indicates colony locations. They are a small brown to black ant with pale legs; their abdomen is black. Treatment is most successful when the colony itself is located and then treated. Depending on colony site, drilling may be required in order to apply the appropriate chemical.
PHARAOH ANTS
Pharaoh ants have 2 nodes (circled left) and are usually found traveling wires, the plumbing in walls, or inside wall outlet boxes. Baiting is the only effective treatment method for pharaoh ants. Pharaoh ants are known to have many colonies therefore all ant trails need to be baited. They are very small ants, usually light yellow to red in color with black markings on their abdomen.
CITRONELLA ANTS
Citronella Antsare usually light yellow to light reddish brown with small eyes and they have a citronella odor when crushed. Nest sites usually include open pastures, gardens, lawns, or around a home’s foundation. They may also be found underneath a concrete slab or inside of or underneath a timber that has become rotten. There are 2 species: the worker and the swarmer. The swarmers are almost twice the size of the workers and have smoke colored wings. Once colony is located the mound itself is treated to eliminate the problem.
ARGENTINE ANTS
Argentine Ants are a one node ant and that one node is sharply peaked. They are usually dull brown in color and when they are crushed a musty odor usually follows. Argentine ants are usually found outside under mulch, foundation slabs, or inside of a tree or shrub. We check all items that come in contact with the soil and treat all mounds that are located. On some occasions drilling may be required in order to treat a void that a colony may be inhabiting.
GHOST ANTS
Ghost Ants are a one node ant, very small in size, and pale in color. A rotten odor is emitted when ghost ants are crushed. Eliminating harborage sites around the foundation of a structure will help reduce the chance for an infestation of ghost ants. Ghost ants also travel inside along carpet edges, moldings, windowsills, electrical outlets, and any area near a water source. Finding the nest site by following the trail is the key to eliminating the infestation.
CRAZY ANTS
Crazy Ants are a one node ant, relatively small in size. They have extraordinarily long legs and are dark brown to blackish in color. Crazy ants are most easily identified by their zig-zag like movement. The crazy ant adapts very well to its environment whether it is a dry or wet habitat. We check all items that come in contact with the soil and treat all mounds that are located. On some occasions drilling may be required in order to treat a void that a colony may be inhabiting.
WHITE FOOTED ANTS
White Footed Ants have a hidden node. Its body color is darker than that of the odorous house ant and the end of their legs are a yellowish white color. These ants like to nest in soil, in old trees, and various other damp locations that have may provided a good nesting site. Their 2 preferred sources of food are dead insects and food with lots of sugar. Once the colony has been located the mound needs to be treated in addition to a perimeter spray performed around the infested site.
BIG HEADED ANTS
Big Headed Ants are a dimorphic species which means the worker ants vary in size. These ants are small in size and are yellowish or light to dark brown in color. The major worker has a large head for its body size whereas the minor worker’s head is more proportionate to its body size. These ants will nest in open areas but are usually found in the soil beneath a protective covering such as firewood or landscape timbers. Individual mounds should be drenched to eliminate the colony. Bait is effective for indoor treatments.
THIEF ANTS
Thief ants have 2 nodes, very small eyes, and is yellow to light brown in color. These ants normally nest outside in the soil underneath rocks. If these ants move inside they usually nest in wall voids or behind baseboards. Nests are hard to locate because they will travel long distances for food. These ants eat almost anything but prefer meats, fats, and grease. Ant bait is the most effective control method to use for thief ants.
