Bud Bug Information and Tips - Blue Sky Pest Control

Bedbugs AZ Most Wanted Pest #6 – What Bed Bugs Look Like

June 12, 2018 - By: Nathan Woolf

The bedbug strikes fear in even the calmest of people and is known to be one of the most troublesome of home invaders. It’s no wonder this least favorite of visitors has crawled its way onto our list of 10 most wanted Arizona pests and is considered by many to be one of the worst. Our video on the bed bug shows firsthand what a bed bug and its infestation looks like and gives you tips to prevent bringing them home.

“Our video on the bed bug shows firsthand what a bed bug and its infestation looks like and gives you tips to prevent bringing them home.”

If you find yourself in need of assistance fighting off bed bugs from your home or business, rest assured the Blue Sky Pest Control team of professionals are ready with the most effective treatments to handle the problem. Take advantage of our special offer for $50 off your initial service.

Bedbugs Video: Arizona’s most wanted pests #6

Transcription
“Do you want to see a live bed bug? And their eggs? Hunter here at Blue Sky Pest Control. We get a lot of questions on what bed bugs look like and how big they are… so we’ll show you.

Mature adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. We find them in small cracks and crevices, in box springs and furniture close to the bed. Their eggs are translucent and really small, so they’re hard to see if you don’t know what you’re looking for!

Travelling soon? When staying in hotels, inspect the area around your bed and behind your headboard. (Visually show this) Remember to keep your luggage away from the bed.

$50 Off Your Initial Service
Call (480) 635-8492 today!)

Stay tuned for our next video on Blue Sky Pest Control’s Top 10 most wanted Arizona pests and for a limited time, take $50 off your initial pest control service. See you soon!”

Bed Bug Facts: Dispelling Common Myths

August 28, 2017 - By: Nathan Woolf

Bed bugs were almost eliminated after World War II, but they’re making a comeback — a big comeback that is affecting regions across the US. For that reason it’s important to arm yourself with bed bug facts so you are properly prepared and know what to expect when encountering them.

Bed bugs are now found in epidemic levels in every State, including Arizona. The problem? They’re tricky little pests that can set up residence in your house and live for weeks (or even months) without detection. When you do find them, you understandably want them gone — and fast. These facts on bed bugs will help you better understand how to deal them.

The first line of defense in your fight against bed bugs is understanding how they live and feed, but there’s so much information out there that it’s difficult to break down what’s true and what’s not.

Not anymore! Let’s break down the most common myths — and get the real facts about those unwanted house guests.

Myth 1: You Only Get Bed Bugs If Your Home is Dirty

Fact: Bed bugs like warmth, blood and carbon dioxide, not dirt. They’re known as “hitchhikers” because they’ll latch onto anything — furniture, luggage, clothing, boxes — to make their way into your house.

That said, it’s easier for bed bugs to stay concealed in cluttered conditions, so keep your home as clean as possible to take away their secret hiding spots.

Myth 2: Bed Bugs Spread Disease

Fact: There are no cases of disease caused by bed bugs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That said, bed bug bites can irritate some people, leading to scratching and secondary infections.

Myth 3: Bed Bugs Don’t Come Out in the Light

Fact: Bed bugs do prefer the dark, but they’ll bite in the light, too.

Myth 4: Bed Bugs Only Live On Beds

Fact: They might be called bed bugs, but these little insects can infect any furniture that people lounge on, including recliners, couches, chairs and futons.

“Bed bugs were almost eliminated after World War II, but they’re making a comeback — a big comeback that is affecting regions across the US.”

How to Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home

Bed bugs are everywhere, meaning that you’ve likely met with bed bugs without realizing it. They tend to make their way into your home via secondhand clothing and furniture, or in your suitcase after you stay at a hotel. To keep that from happening, always:

Wash any secondhand clothing or bedding you receive before bringing them inside.
Thoroughly check used furniture and beds — and avoid used mattresses, if possible.
Check your hotel mattress and headboard for bed bugs before opening your luggage or sleeping in the room.
Inspect luggage for bed bugs before coming home.
Thoroughly wash all the clothes in your luggage (in hot water) and dry them in a hot dryer immediately after returning home.

What are the Signs of Bed Bugs?

There are two things bed bugs are good at: Multiplying and hiding.

Awareness and proper inspection can assist you in detecting a bed bug infestation when it is small. But, how can you tell you have them? Usually, the first sign are bites that mysteriously show up overnight on uncovered parts of the body, like the arms, neck, face and legs. Unfortunately, many people mistake those for other insect bites, like mosquitoes or spiders.

Other tell-tale signs of a bed bug infestation include:

Finding live bugs (about the size of an apple seed) in the seams of your mattress. If no live bugs, look for bed bug eggs, egg shells and skins in the same areas.
Small dark spots (from their excrement).
Rust-colored stains on your mattress, sheets and box spring that come from crushed bugs

What to Do If You Find Bed Bugs in Your Home

Bed bugs are not only sneaky, they’re resilient, too. Most of the at-home treatments that claim to get rid of bed bugs don’t work — or they don’t get all the bugs, so they repopulate.

The best way to eliminate your unwanted guests is to get help from the pros. Pest control experts are well-versed in the latest bed bug treatments that target bed bugs where they live and eliminate them for good.

You’ll have to help, too. Blue Sky Pest Control thorough treatment process includes pre-treatment steps you must complete before treatment to ensure success. Get all the details — and schedule your bed bug inspection — by calling (480) 635-8492.

Report: Bed Bugs Prefer Dark Colors

May 19, 2016 - By: Nathan Woolf

Few pests are as persistent and annoying as bed bugs. These infectious little bugs bite, live where we sleep and, in recent decades, may have become more resistant to insecticides. This combination makes them especially irksome.

With the recent boom in the bed bug population – including in Phoenix, Arizona – studies are focusing on how to prevent, control and eradicate these pests. One recent study even looked at whether bed bugs have preferred colors in an attempt to design more effective treatments.

What’s a Bed Bug’s Favorite Color?

The study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, found that when bed bugs are exposed to light and looking for a hiding place, they tend to favor darker colors – particularly red and black.

Scientists suspect bed bugs opt to take refuge under darker colors because they’ll be better camouflaged or mistakenly think the colors are actually a collection of fellow bed bugs. This is further supported by the bed bugs’ distinct dislike of lighter colors, particularly white, yellow and green. This may be because these colors seem light-bright to the bugs or possible that the lighter color offers less concealment, according to a Washington Post article covering the study.

While the preference for red and black and the dislike of white, yellow and green are fairly universal, hungry bed bugs aren’t picky and will seek shelter without paying attention to color.

Should You Get New Bedding?

Don’t throw away your red and black bedding just yet.

While bed bugs have been found to generally have color preferences in the light, they don’t see color very well in the dark – when they’re most active. By the time you suspect you have a bed bug infestation, bed bugs have already taken up residence in their harborage spots – dark cracks and crevices most often in mattress, but also sometimes in the seams of luggage and bags (that’s how bed bugs travel and spread). For this reason, changing the color of your sheets and blankets will likely do very little to deter or prevent an infestation.

Even the scientists behind the study caution that changing your sheets because of these findings “would be stretching the results a little too much.”

Then Why Do Colors Matter?

While this new information won’t help people protect their homes, it could be useful when creating bed bug traps and extermination treatments. By understanding what attracts and deters bed bugs, pest control experts can optimize traps to catch even more of these pesky critters.

For instances, there are currently two popular monitor traps (that can help determine if your home has bed bugs) on the market the feature the same design – one is white and the other’s black. With this new information, we may see the white version phased out in favor of the darker color that could be more attractive to their target.

For bed bug assessment and treatment, contact Blue Sky Pest Control.

The History of Bedbug Infestation in America

August 20, 2013 - By: Nathan Woolf

Did you know that according to a survey by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky calls to pest control companies regarding bed bugs have tripled in the past decade? There are many reasons for this resurgence, but we thought it would be interesting to figure out how these pint-sized pests got here in the first place.

Come along with Blue Sky Pest Control on a wild ride into beg bug history – and stay tuned for tips on how to avoid them!

Pest populations will be reduced after each treatment, and typically after 3 treatments pests will be under control.

An Ancient Pest

The scientific name for the common bed bug is Cimex lecturlarius. In ancient Rome, they were called Cimex, meaning bug, with the designation lecturlarius meaning bed or couch. It’s thought that bed bugs originally fed on bats in caves where early humans resided, and eventually moved on to juicier human prey. Bed bugs have made appearances in ancient Greek plays, Roman philosophic writings, and even the Jewish Talmud. Archaeologists even found fossilized bed bugs in the excavation of a 3,550-year-old Egyptian site!

Early American Infesters

Ships in the 17th century were riddled with bed bugs, and colonists probably brought them along to America in their belongings. There is no Native American word for bed bug, which indicates that they were brought to the New World by colonists.

Traveling by Train

Train travel was the most popular means of transportation for salesmen and other travelers before the advent of cars and airplanes – and bed bugs were happy to come along for the ride. Adding to the problem was the fact that many salesmen and business travelers would stay at run-down properties or boarding houses where bed bugs were present, and they would come back home with them in their luggage.

20th Century Bugs

Surveys in the early 20th century showed that nearly 1/3rd of all residences in major American cities were infested. In low-income areas, nearly all residences had been infested at one time or another. If you were living in the early 20th century, the odds were good that you had seen or been bitten by a bed bug. Many factors impacted the rise of the bed bug in the early 20th century, including overcrowding and poor cleanliness standards.

Fighting the Biting

Early treatments for bed bug infestations included smoking them out with peat fires, sterilizing furniture with boiling water, sulfur or arsenic, or scattering plant ash around the home. Cyanide fumigation was also a popular treatment in the 1920s, but was linked to many human deaths, as well. In the 1940s, DDT was found to be so effective against the pest that bed bug infestations all but disappeared for nearly 30 years.

It was a short-lived reprieve, however, after the Environmental Protection Agency outlawed DDT and other effective chemical treatments like chlordane and diazinon for health and environmental reasons. Bed bugs were once again on the rise in the 1980s.

Modern Resurgence

The popularity and widespread availability of domestic and international travel is one reason why bed bugs have been increasing in recent years. Bed bugs often proliferate in hotels and motels, and travel back with us in our clothes and luggage just as they did in the days of train travel. The resurgence of bed bug infestations was first seen in cities like Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The current increase in bed bug populations has been noted in Canada, the United States, Australia, and parts of Europe and Africa.

What can you do to avoid bed bugs, and how can you tell if you have them?

Avoid buying used furniture or mattresses – or at the very least, check them thoroughly for bed bug carcasses and eggs.
Inspect hotel furniture, mattresses and bedding for bed bugs and eggs while traveling.
Check the Bed Bug Registry when deciding on a hotel or new apartment.
Look for bites on your skin – they sometimes occur in groups, though they can be solitary. The bites are painless and usually occur when you are sleeping.
Inspect your mattresses, furniture, and bedding for bed bugs and their eggs. Bed bugs are flat, oblong, and about ¼-inch long. Look for dark brown or reddish spots on mattresses, sofa cushions and other furniture and corners if you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home.

If you suspect a bed bug infestation, call us – we can help! Bed bugs can be difficult to control without the help of a professional. They require treatment from a pest control professional, as well as the help and cooperation of the homeowner, to be treated most effectively. Be vigilant and don’t let bed bugs create their own history in your home or business! If you live in the Phoenix area and need bed bug treatment, click here to get your free quote. We serve the entire area including Gilbert!

Everything you ever wanted to know about bed bugs

November 14, 2012 - By: Nathan Woolf

Bed bug infestations have made national headline news over the last several years. The headlines started by covering bed bug cases in major metropolitan areas like New York City, but by now, bed bugs are a problem in any city across the United States. The Phoenix Metro area has experienced an explosion of bed bug infestations in recent years, as well.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are very small insects that feed exclusively on blood and prefer to live in dark spaces. Bed bugs are named for their preference to live in human homes, specificallyon beds and sofas. Adult bed bugs are oval in shape with a flattened appearance, and are generally about ¼ of an inch long. They can range in color from white to dark brown, and just after eating they will have dark red or black blobs on their bodies. Bed bugs often retreat to dark, hidden crevices when they are disturbed. While they are small and good hiders, bed bugs are visible to the human eye.

How do I know if I have bed bugs?

You are most likely to realize that you have bed bugs when you start to notice their distinctive bite marks on your skin or the skin of someone in your home. Bed bugs most often feed on humans while they are sleeping, and their bite is painless. Not everyone reacts to bed bugs, and so it’s hard to know if you have bed bugs until someone in your home as a reaction to their bite. Some people say that bed bug bites occur in clumps of three, though a bed bug bite can be solitary as well. Look for bed bugs or bed bug eggs in the creases of mattresses, box springs and sheets. It’s also a good idea to look for dark brown or reddish spots on mattresses, sofa cushions and other furniture and corners if you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home.

How did I get bed bugs? How did they get into my house?

Bed bugs are hitchhikers – they can get into your home in any number of ways. One of the most common ways bed bugs get into your home is after travel – they hitchhike in your luggage or on your clothes. While travel is one of the most common ways to get bed bugs, they can hitchhike into your home on old furniture, clothing, boxes and virtually any other item brought into your home. Bed bugs are very small and hide in many different places, so they are often hard to detect until they replicate and a large population is established.

Because of the infestation of bed bugs across the country, it’s not unheard of that you can get bed bugs sitting on an airplane or in a seat at a movie theater. Clothing and furniture stores across the country have and issues with bed bugs, too. Bed bugs can spread by an act as simple as putting your handbag down on the floor of a restaurant, store, or anywhere else that bed bugs could be present.

Video:How Bed Bugs Hide in Phoenix Homes

Checking for Bed Bugs While Traveling

When traveling, it’s a good idea to inspect your hotel room for bed bugs before you unpack or settle into the room. Start by checking the headboard, pulling it away from the wall as much as possible. Next, check the sheets and pillows for blood spots. Pull back the sheets and check the piping on the mattress and box springs. Finally, check the night stands and dresser drawers. Preventative measures are also good. We recommend not unpacking your luggage into drawers or placing your luggage on the bed in the room.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

If you do suspect that your home has a bed bug infestation, give us a call and we can help. Bed bugs are a very difficult pest to control, but you can get rid of them. Most infestations require treatments by a pest control expert, as well as participation by the homeowner to help prevent the return of bed bugs to the home.