PHILLY
EVENTS
Illustration by Justin Renninger
What’s the first thing people do when they think they have bed bugs? They panic. A natural reaction, considering they’ve been the nighttime dish on a blood-sucking buffet. “The moment you discover bed bugs in your home, it is normal to feel violated, disgusted, and a sense of urgency to get rid of everything you own and get out of your house,” says Jeff Klein, owner of A3 Superior Pest Control in Milford, who’s seen his bed bug clients in the Philadelphia area nearly double in the last six months. “Unfortunately, these steps only worsen the infestation and prolong the length of the bed bug treatment process.”
Here, the common mistakes people make when they discover their home has been infiltrated by the bedtime beasts—and why it only makes the shudder-inducing problem worse.
Mistake No. 1: They stop sleeping in the bug-infested bed. “As difficult as it is, it’s imperative that you continue sleeping in your bed once you discover bed bugs,” says Klein. “Many victims decide to begin sleeping on the couch, and this is not a solution. Bed bugs are fast movers, and can travel up to 30 feet in six minutes. Bed bugs are also attracted to the carbon dioxide that we emit when we exhale—and will come to you wherever you are sleeping.” Which means sleeping on your couch will do nothing but spread the infestation to your couch. “Confined bed bug infestations are the easiest to treat—do not worsen the problem,” stresses Klein.
Mistake No. 2: They don’t buy mattress covers. “If you are infested with bed bugs, most likely the infestation is based in your mattress and box spring,” says Klein, noting that it may take up to three days for a pest control professional to come to your home. In the meantime, purchase bed bug covers for both your mattress and box spring. “This will not end your infestation,” says Klein. “However, this will prevent live bed bugs from coming out, prevent other bed bugs from getting in and significantly reduce the amount of bed bugs that are free to feed on you during the night.”
While Klein regularly recommends Protect-a-Bed mattress covers to clients, there are lower-priced options available at stores like Target. “The most important thing to remember when using other brands is that it’s imperative to make sure the zippers are sealed,” says Klein. “Cover the zipper with masking tape to make sure bugs cannot get in or out. A bed bug can get through any opening where that a single sheet of paper can fit.”
Mistake No. 3: They sleep at a friend’s or relative’s house. “You do not want to be the one to give bed bugs to someone you care about,” says Klein. “Take comfort in knowing that bed bugs do not spread disease, and that thousands of others have successfully eradicated the same problem.”
Mistake No. 4: They hide it from their landlord. “It is crucial that you notify your landlord immediately once you discover bed bugs,” says Klein. “Because it is difficult to track the source of bed bugs, they may have come into your apartment from a neighbor. In this case, surrounding units—or the entire building—may need to be treated. “ Also, depending on your lease agreement, your landlord may handle the cost of bed bug treatment.
Mistake No. 5: They try to treat the problem themselves. While professional treatments aren’t cheap—A3 charges $1-$3 per square foot—it’s the best way eradict the problem. Do-it-yourself treatments tend to spreads bed bugs within the home and, if you live in an apartment building, among neighbors. “Chemicals like sprays and bombs that can be purchased in hardware stores are not strong enough to kill bed bugs, but bed bugs are averse to the chemicals and will scatter into other areas of your home or through the walls to your neighbors,” warns Klein. When choosing an exterminator, make sure to ask for references from customers and that the company will guarantee its work. “Typically, a guarantee is for 30 or 60 days following treatment,” says Klein. “If they do not offer a guarantee, go elsewhere.”
Mistake No. 6: They don’t insist on an inspection. “When the pest control operator arrives, he or she should ask questions about what you have seen and the symptoms you’ve experienced,” says Klein. “They should also do an inspection of your home, especially in the bedroom. If they do not inspect the bedroom before they begin discussing treatment options, go elsewhere. Honest professionals will want to make sure you truly have bed bugs before they begin treatment.”
Mistake No. 7: They don’t ask for a K9. “Due to their exceptional sense of smell, dogs are 95-percent more accurate in detecting bed bugs than trained technicians,” says Klein, who currently uses two K9s that have been certified with the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA). “It’s important to make sure bed bug dogs are NESDCA-certified,” says Klein. “These dogs follow a code of ethics, are re-certified annually, and are trained only to find live insects and their eggs.”
Good article. I must add that NESDCA is owned by Pepe Peruyero, who also happens to own J & K Canine Academy. Something of a conflict of interest. We own bed bug scent dogs, but they are certified by IFEDCA. A certificate is only as good as the paper it is printed on. Insist that the K9 team doing your inspection give a demonstration before hiring them. We allow the customer to hide a vial of bugs if they choose, and we then find them. Actions speak louder than words. There are some great NESDCA dogs and some great IFEDCA dogs, make sure you get the right one. Good luck and God Bless.
My sister just came back from Australia. She complain about itching. If that resort of bed bug, what she need to do? Discard everything came back from that room? Thank you.
Just to clarify and provide factual data; Pepe does not own NESDCA. Pepe is merely an advisor as he sits on the Board of Advisers for NESDCA. NESDCA is made up of volunteers (science community, dog trainers and pest control operators) who want to create a quality standard for the K-9 industry. Again, looking at the facts: Bill Whitstine is the Chairman of IFEDCA, yet he sells dogs, and then certifies them through his organization – does anyone see a conflict here? Just the facts……
# 7 i disagree with. If i can’t find a bed bug during the course of the inspection i shouldn’t be in the industry. Dogs give off “false positives” . If there is blood on any piece of the furniture or carpet from a scrape or cut, the dog will start to wag it’s tail. Many customers have called me after having had a dog come in, and when i ask them “did the handler find any bed bugs when the dog wagged its tail?? answer “no”. That is why they call ME.
Good article.
There should have been a Number 8 though.
Mistake No. 8: Bat bugs are sometimes misidentified as bed bugs.
If bat bugs are the problem, additional steps need to be taken to ensure that the bats are evicted from the home or business to prevent a reinfestation.
Bed bugs and bat bugs have differences in their physiology that can only be identified by a microscopic examination.
Wikipedia has a good article on the subject but I’m sure A3 knows about everything mentioned therin.
Cheers
Great Post!
People are always making those mistakes and not realizing. Keeping close attention to getting rid of them the proper way is key. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jenna,
I enjoyed reading your post and wondered if I could post it on my company’s blog (www.modernpest.com/blog) with your permission. Please advise.
Elaine Gammon
Marketing Manager
Modern Pest Services
Excellent list of mistakes. These are all common mistakes and are infact what keeps these critters around after we “think” there all dead. Thanks for sharing these.
The entire NEDSCA Board of Directors is made up of owners of canines trained by J&K. It is a clear conflict of interest for all involved in NEDSCA. Its like making a certifying organization that claims your the best. It has no real credibility in my opinion.