Bed Bug FAQs

How can I tell if I have bed bugs?

Check yourself for bites that are in rows, first off. You can also lift up your sheets and check the lips of your mattresses for small black dots (that’s not the bug, it’s the bug’s fecal matter). You can also call us if you are unsure.

What are bed bugs attracted to?

Bed bugs like the night and they love blood (they feed on it).

How do bed bugs reproduce?

Females deposit small whitish eggs with a glue-like material in cracks and crevices where they hide. A female will lay 1 to 5 eggs daily and can produce 200 to 500 in her lifetime. The eggs take approximately 1 week to hatch.

Does room temperature matter to how bed bugs survive and reproduce?

If the temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the bed bug takes approximately 4 to 5 weeks at 83 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit to move from egg, through the juvenile or nymph stages, and to adulthood. Warmer room temperatures help bedbugs more faster through their life cycle.

If I don’t find fecal matter on the mattress, does that mean I don’t have bed bugs?

Bedbug fecal dropping can be found along mattress lips, inside dressers, outlet covers, behind headboards, inside box springs, and just about any place. Eggs are very well protected and sometimes impossible to reach. We have found them nesting behind outlet covers, which means bed bugs can harbor inside walls. Keep looking and if you suspect anything, give us a call.

Can I use insecticides on bed bugs?

You should not treat bed bugs yourself as you can make the condition worse. Further, bed bugs have grown resistant to many insecticides.

If I’ve been treated for bed bugs once, do I need to buy more treatments?

Bed bugs can live without blood for up to a year. We recommend a program with monthly follow-up applications.

Do they make bed bug monitors?

We use the Verifl Bed Bug Monitor was has three attractants that we install initially (pheromone, kairomone, and CO2). This system should be checked quarterly.

I’ve heard about Cryonite; how does it work?

Another method of bed bug control is the Cryonite machine. Cryonite kills insects by freezing them on contact. We have had very limited success with this system.

Can you kill bed bugs with high heat?

The problem is you need to bring the temperature up to 120 -130 degrees for 7 minutes to 60 minutes depending on the life cycle you’re going after. Eggs will take the most amount of time, while nymphs or babies will be eliminated quicker.  If bedbugs are bedded in insulation (which is rated by R-value, that is the resistance to heat transfer)  or a similar substance it may not penetrate enough. And follow-up visits will still be needed. The cost of heat treatments is extremely costly and the success is not 100%.

What is Actisol Fog and is it a good method to kill bed bugs?

The Actisol machines penetrate deep within wall cavities, furniture cavities, and other objects that offer a void for bed bugs to hide. These machines have been in the Pest Control industry for years almost seems like forever. They are used to eliminate, carpenter Ants, Yellow Jackets, Termites, Bedbugs, and many more pests. This machine created a fog killing and flushing Bedbugs out of hiding spaces. This unit coupled with other residual applications, Inspections, follow-up treatments, and monitoring is in our opinion the best option for our customers.

Do you just offer bed bug services for homes?

We serve commercial establishments, hotels, motels, apartments, dorms, nursing homes, and anywhere else that has bed bugs.