When I worked for Beeline Pest Control In Utah, one of my tasks was bed bug treatments. I made it a point at this early stage in my pest career to become very familiar with Cimex Lectularius or Bed Bugs.
So, are bed bugs nocturnal? Yes, for the most part, they feed during the night, however, they are very adaptable to their environment i.e. If you work nights and there is no host (people) available at night bed bugs will feed when the host is available. Bed bugs will feed every 5-7 days to complete one of their 5 life cycles.
In the rest of my article, I will explain some of the habits and facts about bed bugs and tell you some things you can do to help slow a bed bug infestation and give you an economical way to treat them altogether! Read On!
If it has been a long time since their last blood meal bed bugs will get desperate enough to feed on animals until a suitable host becomes available.
So yes everyone like I stated above, bed bugs are nocturnal and they are considered the traveling pest. Bed bugs have spread all around the world they can live in most climates no matter what direction frigid cool or scolding hot. The optimal temperatures that they are able to thrive in are between 70-95 degrees.
Do Bed Bugs Come Out When The Lights Are On?
Yes, bed bugs do come out when the lights are on. Though bed bugs will prefer to come out at night they take opportunities to get blood meals when there is a host present. So, you could potentially see them whether the lights are on and even during the day.
Do Bed Bugs Feed Every Night?
It is unlikely that the same bed bug bites you 2 nights in a row. Bed bugs only require a blood meal once every 5 -10 days. That being said can you get bed bug bites every night if you have a large enough infestation? Depending on the size of infestation you can find your body getting bites all over it every night.
What Is The First Sign Of Bed Bugs?
Usually, the way that people will first notice that they have bed bugs is from getting red bite bumps on their arm. It is, however, possible to notice a bed bug before you get bitten just out in plain sight. Your bed is usually the first area that bed bugs will come into your home. There are exceptions, however, purchasing used couches or upholstered chairs can bring them in if there was a previous infestation within the furniture.
When Do Bed Bugs Molt?
So bed bugs molt during each stage of their life cycle which generally happens weekly. If the conditions are right. In order for the conditions to be right bed bugs need a host to feed on and to be in that warn 70-95 degree zone I mentioned above.
What Are The Most Common Hiding Places For Bed Bugs?
The most common places that bed bugs are found is in a bed hence the name, but that isn’t the only place you can find them, unfortunately, they are kind of like lice in that they can travel quickly from one place to the next, bed bugs can be found hiding in close dark enclosures near humans like, suitcases, purses, backpacks, and even toys. You can also find them in furniture, cars, planes and your public transit.
I had a personal experience when a woman had come to our local gathering and her home was infested with bed bugs, they had attached themselves to her belongings and she ended up infesting the entire building!
Is It Possible To Get Only One Single Bed Bug Bite?
If bed bugs were just introduced to your home or your things, you could get one or two bites in a single night, however, that can sometimes go unnoticed altogether
It is also not likely that a bed bug will only bite once. If a bed bug has been introduced into your home they will continue to feed on a human host as long as one is available. You will more commonly see multiple bites and depending on the severity of the bed bug infestation you may have many more. If you only see one bite, you might be mistaking the bite for another insect.
Can You See Bed Bugs With The Naked Eye?
Yes, even the nymph bed bugs in their 1st life cycle are visible with the naked eye. You can even see a bed bug egg with the naked eye. A bed bug egg is about 1mm in length and white in color. Once the egg hatches, they will be translucent until they molt for the first time. Bed bugs can get anywhere from 4-7 mm long as an adult in their 5th life cycle.
Are Bed Bug Bites Visible?
Yes, bed bug bites are visible, some people won’t break out as bad from bed bug bites, but I have seen many people get major red marks and open wounds from bed bug bites.
This is one of the most horrendous things you can experience as a result of a bug infestation. Just imagine waking up and looking like you broke out in hives all over your body! It is truly one of the most invasive and awful things you could have done to you by an insect. I have seen people cry and heard them say they thought they would have to move out of their home once they saw the bites all over them.
Pest applicators are usually deemed to be heroes once they get rid of the problem. I have received many hugs with tears of joy attached upon ridding folks of their
How To Check For Bed Bugs
- Grab a flashlight and rubber gloves
- Remove the sheet from your bed and inspect the lip of the bed all the way around. If you see dark red or small brown streaks on the mattress that if the feces of a bed bug. Bed bugs will molt, or shed their skin during each lifecycle so another sign of bed bugs would be to see those skin/shell pieces all over the place as well.
- If nothing is found continue your search by checking under the mattress between the box spring.
- Next, lift the box spring and check the wood or metal frame where the box spring rests on the bed.
- Next check near the headboard a lot of times you can find bed bugs behind it or on it.
- Now pull the bed out from the wall and inspect the carpet and walls where the bed used to rest.
- By this time if you haven’t found a bed bug you will need to inspect other pieces of furniture that they could be infesting.
- Couches and upholstered chairs can be inspected by taking the cushions off and inspecting the zippers and the trim of the upholstered pieces. You can also check by pushing your hand down the cracks and pulling that area apart and using the flashlight to see if you notice any activity.
Does Washing Your Clothes Kill Bed Bugs?
Washing your clothes won’t kill the bed bugs it is your dryer that will do the dirty work. If you run your dryer on high heat for half an hour that will eliminate bed bugs. My advice is that you dry the clothes then wash them then dry them again. After this, it is best to place the clean clothes in a sealed container or plastic bag.
What Is A Great Economical Treatment For Bed Bugs?
To treat bed bugs you will need a few chemicals:
- Temprid SC (see the full tutorial on the use and get it on domyown.com) Temprid is the chemical that will eliminate the bed bugs, it has a fast knockdown and is an industry leading insecticide for the treatment of bed bugs.
- Nygard IGR (see the full tutorial on the use and get it on domyown.com) Nygard is a growth regulator that keeps the next generation of bed bug from reproducing. It the key to success when eliminating bed bugs and will serve you well.
- CimeXa (see the full tutorial on the use and get it on domyown.com) CimeXa is a dust the you can use to fill wall voids and puff in outlet areas. CimeXa is grinded up silica and will dry out the backs of the bed bugs sending them to their demise.
*You will only need CimeXa if you have a huge infestation or the joining apartment/condo has brought the bed bugs in and you want to make a good dry barrier on the floor boards and wall voids there.
When clicking to my recommended products page you will get the details you need on how to treat for the bed bugs yourself!
Safety Gear:
- Paper mask: to be worn when applying the pesticide
- Chemical resistant gloves: to also be worn when mixing and applying the chemical.
- Safety glasses: to be worn when mixing and applying chemicals.
Applicator:
- 1 Gallon Spray Can: Most of the instructions on the containers of these chemicals will apply to a 1-gallon spray can. It is important that you follow the dilution rate specified on the product.
Keep in mind that more pesticide does not mean more dead bed bugs. Please don’t put in more than the label suggests. It will not make the process work better and can create a dangerous environment for you and the people around you.
If you get pesticide in your eyes flush for 20 minutes and call a physician.
*It is unlawful to use a pesticide in any manner that is not consistent with it’s labeling!
Only you can prevent forest fires!
And that is it really.
I’m putting my bed bug pre and post checklist to help you prep for treatment.
Thanks for reading and I hope this helps!
