Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus
Color: Reddish-brown to mahogany
Size: ¼ (5mm) inch long
Shape: Like an apple seed. Scientifically: oval-shaped and dorso-ventrally flattened
Region: Worldwide Distribution (c. hemipterus is mostly tropic and sub-tropic)
Food Sources: Mainly human blood but will feed on other mammals
Threats:
- No known disease transmission
- Anxiety
- Social isolation
- Stress
- Restlessness
- Anemia
- Sore/welts
- Itchiness
- Economic loss
- Habits bulleted
- Excellent hitchhikers
- Excellent at staying hidden
- Seek out hosts by detecting carbon dioxide and pheromones
- Reproduce and infest rapidly
How do bed bugs get into my Bowling Green, KY home?
Bed bugs often travel from infested areas to a new location via luggage, clothes, or used furniture. They can also crawl onto items like clothing or bedding.
What are the signs of a bed bug infestation in my Bowling Green, KY home?
Signs of bed bugs include itchy bite marks on the skin, small dark spots (which are their feces) on bedding or furniture, and the sighting of the bugs themselves.
What should I do if I find bed bugs in my Bowling Green, KY home?
If you find bed bugs, contact a licensed pest control company for an inspection and treatment. You can also try to identify and eliminate any sources of infestation, such as cleaning and vacuuming thoroughly. If you discover bed bugs, reach out to a licensed pest control service for an inspection and treatment. Additionally, consider identifying and removing any potential sources of infestation by cleaning and vacuuming thoroughly.
How can I prevent bed bugs in my Bowling Green , KY home?
To avoid infestations, it’s important to inspect used furniture carefully, keep luggage away from sleeping areas, and be vigilant about checking for bed bugs in public spaces such as hotels and on public transportation.
Can I do my own bed bug treatment?
When dealing with bed bugs in your Bowling Green, KY home, it’s important to take proactive measures to clean and prepare the area before any treatment. This can include decluttering spaces where pests are commonly found, vacuuming thoroughly, and sealing any food items to limit access to pests. However, while these steps can help create a more effective environment for treatment, it’s highly advisable to consult with a professional pest control company. These experts are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to assess the infestation accurately and implement safe and effective treatment methods tailored to your specific situation. Professional pest control not only ensures that the treatment is thorough but also minimizes any potential risks to your family and pets, leading to a healthier living environment in the long run.
How long does a bed bug treatment take in Bowling Green, KY?
Depending on the type of bed bug treatment your Bowling Green, KY home needs, it could take a few hours or more. Consult with your professional pest control experts at Four Seasons Pest Solutions to find out how long your treatment might take.
Habits:
- Excellent hitchhikers
- Stay hidden well, prefer to remain unseen, spend majority of time hidden
- Seek hosts by detecting Carbon monoxide, pheromones and heat
- Active mainly at night, midnight to 5:00AM
- Move quickly
- Practice traumatic insemination
- Reproduce rapidly
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Bedbugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis. An adult female which has been mated and partaken in a blood meal can lay viable eggs that will hatch within 14 days under optimal conditions. During the egg stage, the bed bug completes five larval stages, skips the pupal stage, and emerges as a fully developed bed bug. If a host is available, hatched bed bugs will undergo molting from their first instar stage to adulthood. This can take between 2 and 4 weeks. Once maturity is reached, reproduction will continue with the new generation. From egg to mature adult takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Harborage and Infestation
Once a bed bug is introduced to a feeding area (your home, for instance), they will quickly find a place to harbor and hide from sight. Usually, this will be nearby their food source. Bed bugs will most commonly infest areas like:
- Headboards
- Footboards
- Boxspring
- Mattresses
- Trim work behind the bed
- Nightstands
- Chest-of-drawers
- Living room furniture
However, they can infest a multitude of unusual areas as well. They have been found in the corners of walls and ceilings, behind pictures, on ceilings, in shoes, hats, and other clothing articles, in purses, stored cash, airplanes, cars, trains, busses, and just about anywhere else you can imagine.
Females can lay an average of 1 to 7 eggs per day for about ten days after a blood meal, or about 5 to 20 eggs per feeding. The female must feed again before laying additional eggs. Bedbug eggs are typically produced at equal rates of male and female, a 1:1 ratio. A female can produce over a hundred eggs in her lifetime. This process is repeated with each new adult female.
To put this into perspective, one egg-laying female can produce an infestation quickly. At the rate of 3.5 female eggs per month per female, one female can turn into 7,000 females in only six months. Of course, this is in perfect conditions. However, one female becoming an infestation of 1000 bed bugs in 6 months is perfectly within reason. Although 1000 is much less than 7000, either number is unwelcome.
Preventative Measures
- Regular inspections
- Cleanliness
- Organization
- Decluttering
- Avoid infested areas
- Store luggage away from beds and bedrooms
- Wash and dry clothing if you have visited an infested area
- Avoid second-hand furniture and clothing
- Inspect hotel and vacation rentals before sleeping
- Educate yourself on bed bug anatomy and signs of infestation
Remember, it’s okay to live among pests… but you don’t have to live with them!
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