Most of us have heard the old bedtime saying "good night- sleep tight - don't let the bed bugs bite" but the actual experience of "bed bugs" has not been that common in the U.S. for about fifty years.
Prior to World War II, bed bug infestations were not unusual, but after the development of what were new types of pesticides, the overall problem of bed bugs declined significantly. Today, for a combination of reasons, bed bug infestations are on the rise. Possible contributing factors may be; changing demographics (increased immigration from countries where bed bugs are still common), increased travel in general, reduced use of pesticides in buildings, changes in the types of pesticides used, and inexperience of today's pest control operators on how to deal with this "new" old pest that they have not seen for 50 years.
Using their piercing-sucking mouth parts, common bed bugs feed on human blood just below the surface of the skin. Bites will leave white to red hard welts that itch intensely. Bed bugs feed at night, taking 3 to 5 minutes, then return to their harborage site located within a 10 to 20 foot area. They live about six months, feeding every few days but can withstand starvation for 10 months or more.
Bed bugs can be found in all types of dwellings and transportation vehicles. They live in clusters, hiding in cracks and crevices, and may require extensive "hunting" to find their harborage sites. Eggs are laid in their hiding place - 200 to 300 by each female - and hatch in about a week.
Harborage sites may include:
Tufts seams and buttons on mattresses
Box springs
Bed frames and covers
Couches and chairs
Window and door moldings
Behind wall paper and pictures
Cracks in hardwood flooring
Under carpet along walls
Wall voids behind switch plates and outlets
Luggage
Bedside tables
Clues to look for: Sites may be marked by brown or black spots of dried blood on surfaces where the bugs rest. Stages of the bed bug molt leaving behind cast nymphal skins. Large infestations create a sweet but foul smell, similar to ripe red raspberries
Bed Bug Preparation Instructions and Service Agreement
To get the best results from your treatment follow these instructions carefully.
Bedbugs are expensive to treat. They are not easy to get rid of. Preparation is intensive and takes time. Do it right the first time and you may not have to do it again.
1) Every piece of clothing in any drawers, any clothing or fabric stored in boxes or bags, curtains, blankets, sheets, bed skirts, bedding in general, pillow cases, furniture covers, towels, coats, anything fabric must be bagged, sealed, then washed and dried. The laundry mat is convenient because they have oversized machines and you can use several washers and dryers at the same time. All laundry should go through a wash and then a hot dryer for 45 minutes.
Sneakers and other clothing that can not be washed should go in the dryer for 45 minutes. Shoes that can not go in the dryer should be placed in zip lock bags. Leather coats and things that can not go in the dryer should be taken to the dry cleaner.
**As things come out of the dryer, seal them in NEW clean bags.
The old bags may be contaminated with bedbugs.
Put the old bags in the trash outside the building. 2) Remove all clutter from the floor, out of closets and under the beds. Discard any unneeded items. Seal everything in zip lock bags. Carefully check each item as you bag it.
**Bulk bags in different sizes can be found online or at some home goods stores. You will be placing a lot of things in zip lock bags.
3) Cardboard boxes or paper bags used as storage must be emptied and thrown away in the trash OUTSIDE the house. Items you are keeping should be bagged. Books should be zip lock bagged or tossed. Magazines zip lock bagged or tossed. Be sure you get a tight seal on these bags.
4) Pull the edges of carpeting away from baseboards.
5) Vacuum very thoroughly under the furniture, beds, entire carpets, all over the rooms to be treated. Take drawers out of dressers and night stands. Vacuum all the cracks and crevices, in and out of drawers, furniture, baseboards, heating units and hardwood floors.
When finished vacuuming, place the vacuum bag in the trash outside of the home.
Leave the EMPTY vacuum in the room being treated
6) Take pictures and anything hanging, off the walls, and turn around for treatment. 7) Remove outlet and switch plate covers for treatment.
8) Pull back dust covers on box springs and upholstered furniture. 9) Move all furniture at least 1 foot away from the walls. 10) Old Mattresses and box springs should be thrown out before treatment and replaced with new afterward 11) Put Bed Bug Certified Covers on both the box spring and mattress. Do not skip this step. There is no warranty if Bed Bug Certified covers are not used
These special covers protect your investment by keeping bed bugs OUT of your new mattress and box spring. They also keep bed bugs IN, so if you are keeping the old set, any bedbugs that survive treatment can not get out to feed and will die of starvation. Proper covers are available through The Bug Runner.
12) All people, plants and animals must be out of the house for a minimum of Six (6) hours
You may have to live out of bags for a while as you wait to see if a follow up service is needed. Wait ten (10) days to judge the success of the treatment. If you are getting bites or see activity after 10 days call! Do not wait longer! Don?t give the bedbugs a chance to increase in number. Note: check bagged items carefully when unpacking, you do not want to bring bedbugs back after all your work and expense getting them out! ________________________________________________________________________________
This form must be signed and returned the Bug Runner Tech prior to the service. I , ___________________________________ agree to have my unit treated for bedbugs Please print name and unit #
by The Bug Runner. I have read and understand the above instructions and agree to
comply.I also agree that The Bug Runner will not be held responsible for any damage
or discoloration to my furnishings that may be caused by the treatment.