Here are some tips if you don't want the bedbugs to bite
Take care and beware
A lot of traveling is going on these days in Tucson. People are taking their vacations or making their return journeys. But one thing you should keep in mind before heading anywhere: beware of bed bugs!
In 2017, pest control company Terminix listed Tucson as the No. 14 in their ranking cities with the worst bed bug infestations, according to Arizona Daily Star archives.
They're sneaky little insects. They come in at a whopping 1-7 millimeters (or roughly the size of Abraham Lincoln's head on a penny) according to the Center for Disease Control. They only come out at night to feed on human and animal blood.
"Bedbugs are everywhere. They are in restaurants, movie theaters, on trains and airplanes. bedbugs are kind of like hitchhikers. It's an accidental introduction," Doug Brunner, contract administrator at University Termite and Pest Control told the Arizona Daily Star in 2013.
Here are some tips to avoid the bedbugs and help if you find yourself dealing with them.
Not today bed bugs!
One of the best ways to diminish your changes of bedbugs is to never move furniture from the curb or from a dumpster into your home.
It may be cost effective but if you can, also avoid moving secondhand furniture, especially a mattresses or box springs, into your home.
Take the time to inspect rented furniture before accepting it into your home. Also, avoid renting bedroom furniture.
Bed bugs don't pay rent
To help increase odds the bed bugs won't come in to your home you should:
- Clean the clutter. This makes things easier to monitor in your home. Again, the insects usually stay eight feet away from sleeping victims.
- Wash your bed sheets and dry them on high heat.
- Leave blankets, pillows or stuffed animals at home when traveling. The less vulnerable items you can leave, the better.
- Vacuum weekly. This will hopefully help remove any successful "hitchhikers" the Environmental Protection Agency says.
For when you're out of the house
Why should they take residency in your place? Make sure they don't get in by checking your things before bringing them inside.
When traveling check hotel rooms before unpacking. Take a peek under the mattress and behind the headboard for signs of bedbug activity. It's recommended you not place luggage on the bed or on the floor near the bed. The safest place, if possible, is in the bathtub or shower, a professional pest eliminator in Tucson said.
Upon returning home, leave your suitcase in the garage and machine-wash and dry all clothing at a high temperature.
When these unusual suspects enter your home
Here are the telltale signs that bed bugs have made their way in, the Center for Disease Control says.
"Bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area," according to the CDC. These signs include:
- Finding the bed bugs’ skins after molting,
- Bed bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets,
- Rusty–colored blood spots due to their blood-filled fecal material that they excrete on the mattress or nearby furniture
- (Source:University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and UA entomologist Dawn Gouge)
They'll hide during the day anywhere they can, in mattress seams or any clutter around a bed. While they have traveled 100 feet in some cases, they typically enjoy living about eight feet from where you sleep.
It's best to leave items inside the room as there's no telling which hiding spots the pest have selected. Also, make sure visitors stay away until your problem is solved.
How to serve a proper eviction notice
Well, it could have happened to anyone. Now it's time to get rid of them. If there were any home remedies you could use they'd be listed in this collection. But this is ONLY going to take the work of a professional pest control company.
Again, the bed bugs travel in the seams and folds of luggage, overnight bags, folded clothes, bedding, furniture, and just about anywhere available. They can even hide in items such as electronics.
Calling a professional as soon as possible will likely save you money in the long run.
Please don't try anything dangerous that might do more damage to you or your home than the bed bugs would.
Using the phrase "Tucson bed bug exterminator" in a Google search will gather plenty of results for you to choose from. Each reputable business should come with customer reviews.
Eliminating those bed bug myths
Bed bugs are not known to spread disease but go beyond being an annoyance if a person is allergic to their bites. But in most cases, they cause itching and loss of sleep (and are generally unsettling!)
Here are some common myths that have been debunked by professionals.
Myth: You can't see a bedbug.
Reality: You should be able to see adult bedbugs, nymphs and eggs with your naked eye.
Myth: Bedbugs live in dirty places.
Reality: Bedbugs are not attracted to dirt and grime; they are attracted to warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. However, clutter offers more hiding spots.
Myth: Bedbugs transmit diseases.
Reality: There have been no cases or studies that indicate bedbugs pass diseases from one host to another.
Myth: Bedbugs won't come out if the room is brightly lit.
Reality: While bedbugs prefer darkness, keeping the light on at night won't deter these pests from biting you.
Myth: Pesticide applications alone will easily eliminate bedbug infestations.
Reality: Bedbug control can only be maintained through a professional treatment strategy that includes a variety of techniques plus careful monitoring.
(Source:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)