BED BUGS

Bed bugs can be found anywhere – in hotels, motels, holiday houses, gyms, hostels, dormitories, on oil rigs – and can be extremely difficult to control. They’re great at hiding and are known to hitch rides in luggage, personal belongings and even on you if you’ve been away from home.
We are noticing an increase in the number of Bed Bug callouts due to the expansion of international travel, especially from places off the beaten track where pest control and laundering practices may not be as closely monitored as in mainstream accommodation.

BED BUGS BE GONE!

You can reduce the chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early. Bed Bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is vital to help prevent an even larger problem. Once indoors, they can be extremely difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist.

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Flat, reddish-brown, oval insects; appear particularly swollen and reddish after a blood meal. The adult bed bug does not have wings and has a flattened body.
4-5mm long – about the size, colour and shape of an apple seed.
Eggs hatch in 6-10 days. Emerging nymphs readily seek a blood meal. As the juveniles grow, they shed their skins.
Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattresses, linens, furniture, electrical outlets, Picture frames and personal belongings such as purses and briefcases. They prefer to be active at night when potential hosts are asleep. After feeding, bed bugs return to hiding where they defecate black to brown stains or mounds. They never sleep, and unfortunately, they can visit any time without notice. Under cool conditions, bed bugs can survive for long periods without feeding but under normal room temperatures, with adequate food they can live for more than 300 days.
Itchy red welts on skin may indicate bed bug activity. To confirm an infestation, you could also see:
• Live or dead bed bugs
• Skins cast off during the moulting process
• Stains or mounds of reddish-black faecal matter
• Tiny cream-colored eggs usually found in dark crevices.
• Live bugs tend to huddle close together and have a distinctively sweet, unpleasant smell.
Bed bugs only feed on blood.
One fertile female bed bug can produce from 200-500 healthy eggs during her lifetime and may lay from 2-5 eggs each day.
Bed Bug up close