The first thing many people do when they find bed bugs in their home is blame their housekeeping skills. It is common knowledge that bed bugs are attracted to filthy homes, right? Actually, they aren't. That is a myth. Bed bugs don't feed on bacteria, so they don't have a reason to be in dirty homes.
What do bed bugs eat?
They feed on blood. That means any home with humans in it will do. If you think that people will see you as a dirty person for having bed bugs, it could cause you to keep quiet about it and not tell your landlord. Or it could cause you to attempt to deal with the problem on your own instead of reaching out to a licensed pest professional. This can lead to ongoing frustration and continued torment. Don't let myths make you feel embarrassed about a bed bug infestation. You did nothing to attract those bugs. Bed bugs spread passively. They hitch rides into homes.
Most common mistake people make when they discover bed bugs in their home
Another common reaction to bed bugs is to throw the bed out. Makes sense right? After all, they're called bed bugs. But there is a pretty big problem with this. Bed bugs don't just live in beds. They can be in furniture, electronics, under carpets and even in your walls. They may also be in the luggage, duffle bag or pocketbook they used to hitchhike into your home.
They may be living in the couch in your living room and feeding on you while you're watching television in the dark. And they don't have to wait till you're sleeping. Bed bugs can be in many places. Throwing your bed out isn't likely to get rid of your infestation and, when you have a professional take care of your bed bug problem, you can save your bed. Throwing a bed out is an unnecessary cost and an ineffective way to deal with bed bugs.
Get rid of bed bugs with chemicals
There are many products sold over the counter that are able to kill insects. If you spray a toxic product on a bed bug, you can kill it. But this is not a smart way to deal with these bugs.
Chemical sprays are topical
They don't seep into the spot you're treating. If bed bugs are under the fabric, they can escape the treatment.
Bed bugs shed their exoskeleton
As a bed bug develops, it goes through 5 instars, shedding its skin each time. When it creates a new skin, the new skin is more resistant to chemicals than the last. If you're trying to kill bed bugs with chemicals, you could create chemical-resistant bed bugs in your home!
Bed bugs are smarter then we think
When you kill bed bugs with chemicals, bed bugs that are hiding will take notice. They have natural defense behaviors that keep them from being exterminated. These behavior patterns work well. Bed bugs have been dwelling almost exclusively with humans since the dawn of time and their behavior patterns have kept them from being exterminated into extinction.
Dangerous if not applied by a licensed professional
Toxic chemicals are far more toxic to you than bed bugs.
Natural Treatments
There are a few ways you can kill bed bugs without the use of chemicals. While these methods can be effective, they usually aren't because they are improperly applied.
Bed bug heat treatments
A heat treatment isn't as easy as turning your oven on high and opening the door. That isn't going to kill the bed bugs in your home, and it is extremely dangerous. This method has led to a catastrophic loss of property and human life. Setting space heaters around your home isn't going to do the trick either. You will need to raise the temperature of your home to above 120 degrees and get the heat to radiate into every area. That is best accomplished with professional heat remediation equipment.
Bed bug traps
There are many traps that can catch bed bugs. If applied with other bed bug control methods, traps can be effective. But they are ineffectual on their own. Bed bugs aren't going to come out of their hiding places to get into your trap if they notice that some of their family members haven't been coming back.
Solve your bed bug problem today with Arrow Pest Control
If you're dealing with a bed bug infestation in New Jersey, the best way to go is to contact Arrow about our bed bug control services. We use advanced methods and products to strategically locate and eliminate bed bugs. We're standing by to help, fill out the form below or call us today!
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