Texas’ Bed Bug Problem And How To Control It
Have you ever felt an itch that you couldn’t quite figure out what the source was? Perhaps while you were sleeping at night and felt a slight prick. It could be your imagination. Or it could be the unknown and mysterious bug that lurks in your home. We hope it’s the former. However, if it is an insect that is causing you bites, it could very well be the bed bug — about 5 milimeters long, flattened, and oval-shaped, bed bugs are creatures of the day and feeders by night.
Unfortunately for us Texans, human bed bugs are becoming more common in Texas, especially in apartments and hotels where residents and travelers come and go frequently, unwittingly transporting bed bugs in boxes or suitcases where they are prone to hide out. Bed bug bites are usually painless but can lead to itching and inflammation and sometimes followed by red blotches on the skin. If anything, bed bugs definitely don’t contribute to the sanitation of your home, or your mind.
To tell whether bed bugs have been hiding out in your home, look for black or brown spots of dried excrement on surfaces where the bugs rest. Eggs, egg shells and cast skins also may be seen near these places. There usually is a distinctive odor in rooms where bed bugs are aplenty.
In the beginning stages of an infestation in a room, bed bugs are likely to be found only about the surfaces of mattresses and covers. They later spread to crevices in bedsteads. If bed bugs begin to multiply, they start hiding out behind baseboards, window and door casings, pictures and picture moldings, and in furniture, loosened wallpaper, and cracks in plaster and partitions.
Learn to Control Bed Bugs Before They Control Your Home
The first step in controlling and getting rid of bed bugs is to locate all their hiding places. Do a thorough search of your home and be sure to look through clothing, bedding, books, paper, and all cracks and crevices.
Once you locate all the whereabouts of the bed bugs, treat with an insecticide that is specifically for this use. The product you choose should have labeling that specifies directions for bed bug control. However, spray only the specific area where there are bedbugs – if you are not experienced in handling sprays or insects, it is best to call a pest control professional. Be aware that spraying your home or apartment can spread or scatter the bed bugs. Do not use any insecticide on a mattress – it is a fire hazard and not at all effective.
It is impossible to penetrate all hiding places, so control will not be immediate. If your home has a serious infestation problem, call a professional pest control operator immediately.
To avoid further infestation or to avoid bed bugs in the first place, adhere to the following tips and you will be on your way to having a bed bug and annoyance free home:
– Do store all your accessible food in rodent-proof containers such as glass or metal.
– Do bag up all clothing in plastic garbage bags, which must be sealed airtight.
– Do dry-clean garments. Chemicals in dry-cleaning can kill bedbugs; washers and dryers will kill them only at temperatures above 140 degrees Farenheit.
– Do bag books, papers, pictures, most loose objects and contents of closets.
– Do expect pest management specialists to apply restricted-use, federally approved pesticides and return for follow-up treatment.
While the tips above are highly recommended, there are some things you should NOT do:
– Do not freak out: while still unclean, bed bugs do not carry or transmit diseases.
– Do not spray your home or apartment: It can spread or scatter the pests.
– Do not throw out mattresses or furniture unwrapped — they can fall off and infest other parts of the building.
– Do not put kerosene, gasoline, or chemicals on mattresses: It’s a fire hazard and is ineffective.
– Do not reuse bags after vacuuming affected areas.
– Do not permit asthmatics, pregnant women, seniors or small children to stay in apartments or homes that are being sprayed with pesticides.
By following the guidelines above, you are on your way to making your home, family, and the state of Texas more bed bug free. If faced with a large bed bug infestation or if you are not sure how to handle bed bugs, the most optimal thing to do would be to call on professional pest control services. The next time you feel that prick or itch on your skin, look twice and make sure it is more than just your mind playing tricks.
Fran Phalin is a freelance editor and writer specializing in home improvement topics. She is based in Austin, TX.
For professional pest control management with bed bugs, please contact ABC Pest and Lawn. Visit them at: www.abcpest.com. They cover ALL crawling insects no matter the season!
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