Catch of the Week: Bed Bug Infestation
April 5, 2019
Recently our pest exterminators visited a home with a massive bed bug problem! This homeowner had an infested mattress with multiple stains and aggregation sites where the bed bugs lived. As their name suggests, these pests are most commonly found in mattresses, but are sometimes detected in other household furniture, behind picture frames or within base boards along the floor.
Signs You Have a Bed Bug Infestation
- Bites. One of the most obvious ways to detect a bed bug infestation is when you begin to notice small, red welts on your body. Like many insects that bite, bed bugs are looking for a blood meal.
- Aggregation Sites. After feeding, bed bugs will return to their aggregation site, or “nest”, by detecting a unique odor they release known as pheromones. Here they will defecate, creating brown and black fecal stains that are very hard to remove. In this week’s infestation, our pest exterminators knew right away we were dealing with bed bugs when they saw the dark stains and aggregation sites on the mattress.
- Case skins. Did you know bed bugs shed their skins? As they grow and develop, they will begin to leave their case skins behind, which is another way you can spot these pests.
- Spotting the bugs. Bed bugs can be difficult to spot unless you’re seeking them out. These pests are about the size of an apple seed and are typically red/brown in color. Bed bugs can go a long time without a meal, so if they sense they are in danger these bugs will stay dormant for extended periods of time.
Best Des Moines Bed Bug Removal Company
Preferred Pest Control invests a lot of time training our employees about bed bug detection and elimination. This is a very serious problem and it can be tricky to get rid of bed bugs without the proper equipment.
Bed Bug Detection Canines
A couple of our most valuable tools for bed bug detection are Radar and Scout, our bed bug detection canines. Similar to how police train dogs to sniff out illegal substances, our beagles are coached to sniff bed bugs. In fact, our bed bug dogs recently earned their certification from the World Detector Dog Organization (WDDO), a very prestigious honor that required 100% accuracy. Learn more about Radar and Scout’s WDDO certification details on our bed bug solutions page!
Thermal Heat Treatments
This can be one of the most difficult pests for homeowners to deal with because treatment takes a lot of preparation. Because it takes extreme heat to get rid of bed bugs, a lot of household items must be packed away before our technicians can treat a home. Our bed bug exterminators bring in equipment that will heat the home between 120-135°F and circulate the hot air to eliminate the bed bugs. After we bring the temperature back down, we dispose of any remaining pests.
Bed Bug Exterminators in Des Moines
Our experts want to keep all Des Moines area homes bed bug free! If you think you have signs of bed bugs inside your home and you’d like to set up an inspection with our bed bug dogs, contact the bed bug professionals at Preferred Pest Control. Call us at (515) 415-5550 or schedule an appointment online.
Check out these frequently asked questions about bed bugs and the treatments we perform!
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