Nothing encourages insomnia like the fear of bed bugs. Dealing with them can be traumatic enough, but getting rid of them may be even more difficult. So difficult in fact, that property managers regularly insist that their tenants report them. The biggest problem is how quickly they can spread and if you live in an apartment, they will not stay confined to one unit.
Horror aside, bed bugs are a reality and so are the health concerns associated with them. When dealing with bed bugs, Phoenix is no different. Here are seven misconceptions individuals have concerning bed bugs. While some facts may be worse than you expected, this article also aims to debunk excessive measures.
1. Bed Bugs Aren’t Too Small to See: While bed bug eggs and nymphs may be translucent in nature, bed bugs themselves are certainly visible. Even if you are having trouble seeing them directly, they usually leave other evidence behind like fecal matter or those hard-to-miss bites on your skin.
2. New Bed, No Bugs: This is a common misconception and can also be a very expensive mistake. Most individuals think that if the throw out their old mattress, boxspring, and bed linens then they will rid themselves of the bed bugs. This simply is not true.
Approximately 30 percent of bed bugs in the room actually reside in places like the carpet or even other clothing. This means the 30 percent will proliferate and restore the 70 percent to your nice, new, and expensive bed.
3. Mattress Encasement, No Bugs: This is a yes and a no. While you will have successfully kept the bed bugs out of your mattress, this does not keep them out of the bed sheets, blankets or carpet. The bugs may be shorted on their living space, but the mattress encasement will not effectively diminish the bed bug population.
4. I’ll Freeze Them to Death: Simply putting your belongings in the garage all winter will not effectively kill them. Even subzero temperatures will only put them in dormancy.
5. I’ll Scorch Them to Death: Again, not an effective way to kill the bugs. You would need to put all of the infested materials in a space that can reach between 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if you live in Death Valley, this might be an effective method.
6. Bed Bugs Stay in Bed: This is actually not true. Bed bugs can climb and hold on to just about every surface in the home. The even like to wedge themselves into tiny spaces and small recesses. Some will crawl and live the recesses on nails and screws.
7. They Came in on My Clothes: Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not prefer to travel with humans on their clothing. This is due to the body heat emitted by humans. Instead the bugs like to travel on your peripherals. Things like backpacks, purses, luggage, and even the bottoms of your shoes are the most popular modes of transportation.
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Having issues with bed bugs in your space? Bellator Pest Control specializes in ridding homes of bed bugs, offering you a reliable solution for many of your pest control issues. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you!