Don’t Let The Bedbugs Bite!
Presented by:
Advantage Pest Management
History of the Bedbug
• Originated from the Bat
Bug
• Has been around for over
3,300 years
• In the 1950s, bedbugs
were nearly eradicated
– Product called DDT
• 1990s started to see a
resurgence of bedbugs
– Early 2000s, started to see
a huge increase in
infestations
What Do They Look Like?
• Adults
– Dark brown in color, reddishbrown after a blood meal
– About the size of an apple
seed when engorged
– Flat when they have not been
fed
• Nymphs
– Start out pale colored to
nearly transparent
– Gradually get darker through
every instar stage
• Egg
– Look similar to an uncooked
piece of white rice
– Can be difficult to see on a
mattress
Bedbug Lifecycle
• Females can lay 1-5 eggs
per day (avg. 540 eggs in
a life time)
– Eggs are typically laid in
cracks and crevices and
rough areas
• Box springs, mattress
seams, headboards
• Nymphs take 21 days to
reach adulthood after
hatching
• They molt 5 times
– Must have a blood meal in
order to molt
Feeding Habits
• Bed bugs are attracted to
carbon dioxide and heat
• Tend to feed on hosts at night
due to being sedentary and
exposed skin
• Will feed at any time of the
day
– Usually in heavy infestations
• Each feeding lasts from 5-10
minutes
• Insert two feeding tubes
– One injects saliva that acts like
an anesthesia and the other
draws blood
• After feeding, they will hide
for 5-10 days where they molt,
mate and lay eggs
Detecting Bedbugs
• Early detection is key to
preventing infestations
• Signs of bedbug activity:
– Bites: small raised welts,
everyone has a different
reaction, typically in a row,
one bug bites 2-3 times per
feeding
– Fecal: small dark spots
typically found on box springs
and mattresses
– Shed skins: bedbug
exoskeletons after molting,
typically in cracks and
crevices of box springs
Most Common Bedbug Hiding
Spots
Boxspring
Mattress
Frame/Head
board
Couch/Chair
Baseboard
Area
Nightstand/
Dresser
Walls/Ceiling
Other
What Do We Look For?
Treatment for Bedbugs
• Contact a pest management
company immediately
– DIY treatments usually fail and
change the behavior of the
bug, usually making them
move to different areas of a
room spreading the infestation
• Heat
– Extensive process, heat unit to
120°F for several hours, costly,
typically completed in one
treatment
• Chemical
– Multiple treatments used, prep
work may be necessary, cost
less than heat
• Cryonite
– Newer treatment, non-toxic,
freezes pesticide resistant
bedbugs
Advantage Pest Management
Treatment Procedure
•
Low Prep / No Prep
– Minimal prep work needed for
treatments
•
Population Reduction
– Eliminate the visual verification of and
bedbug
•
Break the Lifecycle
– Use steam to destroy eggs that may be
hidden within the seams of the
mattress and box spring
•
Residual Insecticide
– A combination of chemicals used to
eliminate and new bugs or hidden bugs
– Statically charged dust sticks to bedbugs
passing by
•
Follow-Up Treatments
– All treatments come with 2 follow-ups
•
Monitor
– A variety of monitoring tools help
ensure that your home is bedbug free
Preventing Infestations
• Do not take furniture from the
roadside or trash
• Check hotel rooms on travel
• Wash and dry clothes
immediately after travel
• Do routine checks while
cleaning
• Keep homes free of clutter
• Apply mattress encasements
• In the event of finding a
bedbug use 91% rubbing
alcohol for a quick knock down
and call a pest control
company
Quick Bedbug Facts
• Scientific tests have
shown that bedbugs DO
NOT carry diseases
• Have an ability to travel
undetected
• Bedbugs are found
anywhere regardless of
sanitary conditions
• Bedbugs can survive
months without a blood
meal
• Many people will not
react to bedbug bites
• Bedbug infestations have
jumped 500% over the
past several years
• Bedbugs are methodical
feeders. They have similar
patterns, not all feed at
the same time
• Bedbugs do not fly or
jump, but are great
climbers
QUESTIONS