tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53981541100640905832024-02-29T21:39:29.182-08:00Bed Bugs: Horrible Bite Pictures and DIY Treatment that WorksAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-29575064798664736922012-08-27T20:44:00.000-07:002012-08-27T20:48:52.154-07:00Bed Bug Dust – Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Natural SolutionOne of the most popular and environmentally safe ways to kill bed
bugs is by using bed bug dust AKA Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE),
also called bed bug dust. DE
is a fancy name for fossilized water plants (algae-like plants called
diatoms) that are ground to a fine dust and used to kill bed bugs. It’s
popular because when placed in a spray bottle (duster such as a plastic
ketchup container) and dusted into infestations, you avoid paying added
fees for commercial (and often toxic) pest control solutions. You can
find this product at almost any feed and supply store or online from a
number of companies.<br />
<br />
Tip: Are you sure you have bed bugs but being told you don’t or can’t find them? Read how Mimi found bed bugs using a bug sniffing dog when the pest control companies could find them!<br />
<blockquote>
Warning!
The diatomaceous earth you find at the pool supply store is NOT what
you want to use! You want Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth which is a safe
all natural pest control which you can find at your local feed store;
you can also look for Fossil Shell Flour at other stores.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Another
Warning! Bed bug dust (DE) works by absorbing lipids from the waxy
outer layer of their exoskeleton causing the bugs to die from
dehydration; this absorbent quality will also cause significant drying
of your hands if applied without gloves. It is also dangerous to
breathe, so MAKE SURE TO WEAR A DUST MASK!</blockquote>
This is a
completely natural, environmentally safe way to win the war against bed
bugs (also called chinches), so let let me explain how it works.<br />
<br />
When
the bug comes in contact with DE’s microscopic razor sharp edges, their
protective covering becomes damaged; without protection and exposed to
the elements, the bug becomes dehydrated and quickly dies.<br />
<br />
<img alt="bedbug spray non-toxic" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2389" height="364" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbug-spray-non-toxic.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" title="bedbug spray non-toxic" width="153" /><br />
How to Apply Bed Bug Dust (DE)<br />
You’ll
need three weapons. First, create a mixture of %40 alcohol (ethyl
alcohol works), %40 water and %20 dish soap [the spray]. Second, you’ll
need to place your diatomaceous earth in a duster [the dust] and third,
you’ll need a powerful vacuum with attachments – used for sucking loose
bedbugs out of their hiding places.<br />
<br />
Bedbugs love to hide and do a
great job at it! If you read the comments throughout my site, you’ll see
case after case where the victim went months without finding signs only
to discover later that there was an infestation right next to them!
Know where to look, see my <a href="http://badbedbug.blogspot.com/2011/11/bedbug-checklist.html">bed bug checklist</a>; I’ll cover some of their hiding places below.<br />
<br />
Phase
One – Cleaning: We need to clean, and good. Wash bedding and
surrounding material with hot water that is at least 120 degree in
temperature. Items such as pillows, toys, extra blankets should be
cleaned and sealed in plastic bags for further decontamination later.<br />
<br />
Start
by vacuuming the baseboards, cracks in the floors and furniture (bed
frame, dresser, headboard, picture frames, etc). Don’t forget about
electrical outlets, but BE CAREFUL to make sure not to get the area wet
or use conductive attachments!<br />
<br />
Inspect that bed, again! Take the
mattress and box spring off the frame and stand them on their side,
vacuum along the seams, under tags and everywhere that bugs could hide.
Take that frame apart and vacuum any cracks or openings such as where
the frames connect – bugs love making their home there!<br />
<br />
<img alt="Bedbug hideout in electrical outlet" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2419" height="262" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbug-hideout.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bedbug hideout" width="200" /><br />
Don’t
forget the surrounding areas, such as your dresser, night stand, under
the carpet, chairs, electrical outlet and even in your clock! MAKE SURE
to discard the vacuum bag immediately after use!<br />
<br />
Once you’ve
vacuumed everywhere, it’s time to have fun and spray (which kills them
on contact!). Spray the mixture on/in all the seams, cracks, handles,
buttons and labels (tags) of your mattress and box spring; if there are
bugs, those that don’t get wet may become agitated and show themselves.
Use a flashlight while doing this and look for signs of bugs, such as
eggs, stains (looks like someone dotted the area with a black marker).
If you find eggs (they look like tiny rice, use a fine tooth comb or
masking tape to collect them. Make sure to place any eggs in a zip-lock
bag with a little DE and get them in the trash immediately (outside
trash!)<br />
<br />
Phase Two- Heat Treatment: Okay, it’s not the type of
treatment that you would receive from a professional exterminator, but
it’s good enough to further agitate the bugs into showing themselves :)<br />
Take
a hair dryer set to high and start blowing heat into all those cracks
and crevices you vacuumed earlier. As bedbugs start to pour out of their
bunkers, take that opportunity to spray them with your alcohol mixture
and vacuum the fallout.<br />
<br />
<img alt="inexpensive bug dust duster" class="size-full wp-image-2388 alignleft" height="225" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bug-dust-duster.jpg" title="bug dust duster" width="322" /><br />
Phase
Three – BedBug Dust: Now take the duster, filled with your food grade
diatomaceouse earth, and dust into the bottom of the box spring – you
can choose to make a small hole in the fabric or simply dust through the
fabric to prevent damage. I prefer making a small incision and getting
the dust into the box spring rather than having a film of white powder
on the outside. MAKE SURE you are wearing a dust mask and gloves!<br />
<br />
You’ll
want to spray the bed bug dust into all the crack and crevices you
vacuumed – a light dusting will do fine. Placed under the carpet along
the edges, it will help prevent future infestations. Bed bug dust can
also be used to kill ants, mites, fleas and more, plus it’s safe to
humans (again, don’t inhale it) and easy handle.<br />
<br />
After your treatment, you’ll want to make it as difficult as possible for future infestations to occur by doing the following:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Prevent
the bed bugs from climbing up your bed by placing the legs of the bed
into a plastic bowl with an inside coating of Vaseline. When they try to
climb up the bed, they’ll become stuck. If you have a large infestation
and catch a good number of bugs this way, please, send me the picture! I
helped you, please help me show others how successful this DIY
treatment can be!</li>
<li>Fill cracks and crevices with the appropriate filler</li>
<li>Tape any holes that would allow bugs to enter your box-spring</li>
<li>Use a mattress cover that completely seals – one made for dust mites will work just fine</li>
</ol>
<b>How Long Before Bed Bugs Die from DE Dust?</b><br />
<br />
Changlu Wang, Timothy Gibb, and Gary W. Bennett from Purdue University
did an excellent study on the cost and effectiveness of using
Diatomaceous earth (also called DE, diatomite or kieselgur/kieselguhr
and bed bug dust) on bed bug infested (1000′s of bugs) apartments. Also
tested was chlorfenapyr spray but it was not as effective as the all
natural DE.<br />
<br />
They treated by using mattress encasements (including
the box spring) and the steam treatment I outlined above. They also made
sure to put the legs of chairs, sofas, nightstands and anything else
into bed bug intercept traps like that shown in the image above.<br />
<br />
It
took ten weeks and they re-steamed and reapplied Mother Earth-D (food
grade DE) when necessary; because death is not immediate, the females
may be able to deposit eggs which will hatch and become active. It is
these hatchings (instars) that you need to stay on top of.<br />
<br />
The
study found that bug interceptors trapped an average of 219 bed bugs per
apartment and were an extremely effective part of the treatment
program.<br />
<br />
In the study, 16 equally infested units were selected and
half the units were 100% bed bug free while the remaining units were
98% free; another application would likely have taken care of the rest
(but the study was limited to 10 weeks). Total bed bug extermination
costs average $470 but this amount can be great reduced using generic
products, such as:<br />
<ul>
<li>Using dust mite mattress encasement rather than one made for bed bugs</li>
<li>Using food grade DE found at feed and supply stores rather than something labeled “Bed Bug Dust”</li>
<li>Making your own bed bug climb up protectors rather than buying pre-made devices.</li>
<li>Buying a generic steamer (or renting) besides one made for bedbugs.</li>
</ul>
There
are many success stories of DIY treatment using DE here on this site.
The thing to keep in mind is that these pests are not going to die
overnight; it can take a couple of months for a large infestation to be
eliminated but in the end, you will win!<br />
<br />
Visitors have
successfully eliminated bed bugs using this exact same method, and truth
be told, you’ll have to do most of this anyway if you were to hire a
professional exterminator!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-74347266010927723182012-06-04T21:13:00.000-07:002012-08-27T21:14:15.527-07:00Bed Bugs in Used Furniture<div class="entry-content">
Here is a great example of why you should
not bring used furniture into your home without first making sure it
isn’t infested. Bed bugs in used furniture can lead to a complete
infestation of the home as Leah123 explains. I have listed Leah123′s
story below and would like to thank her for taking the time to submit
her story and pictures! By the way, you can click on the thumbnail to
see the full picture.<br />
<br />
Several months ago we were given a chair and
around the same time my husband bought a used bed at a yard sale.
Around May I think I was in the chair watching TV and saw a bug I had
never seen before crawl out. Over the next few weeks I saw them maybe
one or two is all, hadn’t a clue what they were.<br />
<br />
My husband also
noticed some specked spots on the bed he had bought and put in guest
room and he sprayed it w/raid or something. Well next thing we know we
have bites between our thighs that itch and welt. Then in next few weeks
I see more and more on the chair I mentioned. I found this site and
bought a steamer and steamed the chair like crazy, took it apart and
thought I got it good but I think my steamer isn’t top of the line, it
was 39$ at walmart.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bed-bugs-in-furniture.jpg" rel="lightbox[2788]"><img alt="bed bugs in used furniture on headboard" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2790" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bed-bugs-in-furniture-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="bed bugs in used furniture" width="150" /></a><br />
A
few weeks ago one of our kids fell asleep in the chair then went to my
bed to lie down. I went up 30 minutes later, turned on the light and
there were 5 on pillow around her! I thought they attached to her and
went up on her pajamas! Then I remembered reading a post here about dots
on wooden headboard and realized my wooden headboard has those unique
wooden markings…yeah….so I go in the dark with flashlight and there’s 3
hiding in cracks of headboard!<br />
<br />
I made bleach/dawn/water mixture (I
think its supposed to be alcohol, but this works on contact too) and
killed them, also took razor blade and ran through cracks and it came
out with blood on it! So during the last few days I put Vaseline smeared
on headboard and caught a few trying to get to me lol….they got stuck
trying!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bed-bug-feces-picture.jpg" rel="lightbox[2788]"><img alt="picture of bed bug feces on mattress with casting shells and fecal matter" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2791" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bed-bug-feces-picture-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="bed bug feces picture" width="150" /></a><br />
About
3 nights ago I did that and was reading this site in the dark in my bed
and guess what? Like 5 came 1 at a time at me, and I just happened to
be reading the story of a dim light attracting them, go figure!! So
tonight I took mattress and box springs off and to my dismay I found
them, several on boxsprings, mattresses, etc!!!!<br />
<br />
I sprayed a ton
of the bleach mixture all any used furniture, my headboard, everything
in fact! They were even in the slats of bed…it sucks!!!! I probably
found and killed 50, after only seeing 20 total for months in either the
chair, the guest bed and now here!! Tomorrow I’m getting DE (Bed Bug
Dust) and showing them whose boss!<br />
<br />
Update:<br />
Thanks for posting this, and what’s amazing is I didn’t know there was a
nymph in the pic of the one on my headboard, eww!! Tonight I tried to
puff DE around the baseboards, headboards, box spring, mattress etc and
also did the bleach solution again.<br />
<br />
I’ve not been sleeping in
there or going in my room for a few days really. I need help figuring
out how to get the DE out of the bag and into the puffer thing without
making a mess, I tried rolling up a piece of construction paper…and I
tried a funnel but its like it was too thick and wouldn’t flow into the
bottle? So I’ve gotta finish tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Thanks for posting my
story..oh btw I rechecked all furniture everywhere else in my home and
all seems ok, and the chair is nothing but ashes now, just dealing with
my bed and hopefully that will be it. I only found about 5 alive
tonight.<br />
<br />
Also, an extremely helpful tool is a sticky lint roller!!
Great for those bed slats that had tiny eggs and nymphs on them and
also good for the crevices in the bed frame and seams on mattress after
the dawn/alcohol/water spray….hope this helps someone!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-44627736880892770832012-04-28T20:42:00.000-07:002012-08-27T20:50:06.032-07:00Bed Bug Traps<b>Bed Bug Trap using Dry Ice</b><br />
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_1581" style="width: 160px;">
<img alt="Bed Bug Trap step 1" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1581" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-1-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bed Bug Trap step 1" width="150" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
We
are going to place a thermos with dry ice on top of a glass bowl
sitting inside a litter box. Bed bugs zero in on the CO2 you give off
when sleeping which is exactly what dry ice gives off as it warms. Being
heaver than air, the CO2 drops down into the box and overfills into the
room – it’s like a loud dinner bell!<br />
<br />
The bugs climb up the box,
fall inside and can’t get out. The outside cloth helps them climb up and
drop into the box but once in, the power and plastic sides prove too
slippery to escape and they become trapped.<br />
<br />
It takes less than an
hour to make and you can do it with products from your local dollar
store. You’ll need a plastic cat litter box, glue, white paint, baby
power (avoid powder made with cornstarch), scissors, cloth, foam brush,
dry ice, insulated thermos with spout on top and small round glass bowl.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Bed bug trap step 2" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1575 alignright" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-2-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bed bug trap step 2" width="150" /><br />
Note,
I already had some products, but when I went to the dollar store, I
found they had everything I needed ($1 each) except for the dry ice
which I purchased from Meijer’s grocer for $2.00.<br />
<br />
Let’s get started building your bed bug trap.<br />
Paint
the bottom of the litter box white (I used white gloss) so that the
trapped bugs are easy to identify. I used fast drying paint and a hair
dryer to speed up the process.<br />
<br />
Once the paint has dried, cut the
top of the box off so that edges are straight. My top had a lip that
would have made it difficult for the bed bugs to climb inside.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Bed bug trap step 3 and 4" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1574" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-3-4-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bed bug trap step 3 and 4" width="150" /><img alt="Bed bug trap step 5 and 6" class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-1577" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-5-6-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bed bug trap step 5 and 6" width="150" /><img alt="Bed bug trap step 7" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1578 alignnone" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-7-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Bed bug trap step 7" width="150" /><br />
<br />
With
my $1 towel, I cut sections that would fit on the outside of the box
and glued them in place taking care to not leave any gaps between the
cloth and side where the bugs could hide. Make sure the cloth goes the
entire length of the side so that as you lay the trap on the floor, it
touches the carpet (or wood, etc). This makes it easy for the bed bugs
to climb up the side.<br />
<br />
Once you have glued the cloth on, apply a
light dusting of baby power to the bottom and insides of the trap. Also
apply a light coating to your glass bowl. The small bowl will sit on the
inside of the trap acting as a base for your thermos and prevents the
bed bugs from climbing up the thermos.<br />
<br />
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_1576" style="width: 160px;">
<img alt="bed bug trap in action" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1576 " height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-demo-150x150.jpg" title="bed bug trap in action" width="150" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/caution-dry-ice.gif" rel="lightbox[1570]"><img alt="Dry Ice Caution" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1596" height="41" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/caution-dry-ice.gif" title="Dry Ice Caution" width="41" /></a>This
next part can be Dangerous as dry ice can severely burn your skin; use
thick insulated gloves, grill thongs or pliers to handle the ice.
Placing dry ice in a sealed container without ventilation will cause
pressure to build until the top blows. Dry ice releases carbon dioxide
which could cause asphyxia so only use one of these traps per average
sized room. A 1/3 gallon bug trap is said to be the equivalent of two
adults sleeping. Keep away from children.<br />
<br />
To test your trap, place
some dry ice in the thermos, add a quarter cup water, close the lid and
learn the spout angle to determine levels (closed, part way and
completely open).<br />
<br />
<img alt="Completed bed bug trap" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1579" height="150" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugtrap-final-150x150.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="Completed bed bug trap" width="150" /><br />
The
final step is to place the dry ice in the empty thermos, screw on the
cap, open the spot half way and place it on the glass base inside the
litter box around 10:00pm. Place the bed bug trap next to the bed. Note:
if the spout directs the CO2 away from your trap, you can hang a piece
of paper over the spout to redirect the flow downward and into the trap
(without blocking the spout).<br />
<br />
In the morning you’ll see any bed
bugs that were in the area. You should set the trap multiple times over a
two week period. NOTE: If you move this trap to another room, make sure
to seal it in a plastic bag and freeze it to make sure you don’t
accidentally transport the bugs to another room!<br />
<br />
<b>Bed Bug Trap w Alka-Seltzer®</b><br />
<br />
Did you know that Alka-Seltzer when placed in water creates Carbon
Dioxide (CO2), yup, those bubbles are filled with it and it’s the same
stuff that tells bed bugs food is on the table (that being you!).<br />
<br />
You’ll
need a plastic litter box and materials used to finish the box (shown
in the image used for the Dry Ice trap), wet sponge, disposable hand
warmers, a plate and 4 Alka-Seltzer tablets and DE. Make the box as
shown in the image above. Activate the hand warmer and place it in the
center of the plate. Place the wet sponge on the hand warmer and then
the tablets spaced evenly on the sponge. Now take the plate and
everything that’s on it and place it inside the box.<br />
<br />
The moisture
in the sponge will keep the Alka-Seltzer reaction active and continually
release CO2; this should be enough to attract any bed bugs in hiding
close to the trap. Once they are in the trap, they will be unable to
leave and you’ll have the proof you’re looking for :)<br />
<br />
Note: Placing
the tablets in room water will cause the CO2 to release much faster but
won’t last nearly as long (you need to give them time).<br />
<br />
<b>I’ve Trapped Bed Bugs, Now What?</b><br />
<br />
When you have captured the bugs, please, take a picture and share it
with others! Simply email the picture to BadBedBugs@gmail.com and I’ll
edit it before placing it on the site (I’ll clean it up, remove any
identifying information and size it for the site).<br />
<br />
Know that you
know you have an infestation, you need to get rid of them, it’s war, but
war doesn’t have to be expensive :) See my page on <a href="http://badbedbug.blogspot.com/2012/08/bed-bug-dust-diatomaceous-earth-de.html">using bed bug dust to eliminate an infestation</a>, it’s inexpensive, easy to do and works great!<br />
<br />
Thanks
to Dr. Changlu Wang, an entomologist from Rutgers University who came
up with the idea of using dry ice to trap bed bugs and Richard
Fagerlund, a board- certified entomologist at the University of New
Mexico for covering the use of Alka-Seltzer in traps.<br />
<br />
<i>Trap or kill other pests: </i><br />
A peanut butter covered Alka-Seltzer tablet will put an end to mice,
rats and other rodents. Combine the tablets with soap and water to catch
fleas from pets and mosquitoes looking for food.<br />
<br />
<b>Duct Tape Bug Trap</b><br />
<br />
I receive the comment below from Richard in Dallas (Thanks Richard!)
and had to add it to the page, it’s an excellent example of how you can
trap bed bugs with duct tape:<br />
<br />
Duct tape worked for me.<br />
I had
bed bugs for over a year. The guy came in and sprayed the apartment
every week. The poison sort of worked but no poison ever killed them
all.<br />
<br />
The bed bug guy suggested petroleum jelly because the bugs
have very small legs and would get stuck in it. I rejected that solution
because I knew from previous non-bed bug experience with petroleum
jelly that it was very messy.<br />
<br />
After waking up several times the
previous two nights with those critters all over my pillow, I decided to
set a duct tape trap for them. One of those times when they woke me up I
determined from what direction they were coming from.<br />
<br />
The next
night I positioned duct tape so that they would have to crawl over the
duct tape to get to me. The next morning thirty some odd bed bugs were
caught in the tape. None got to me.<br />
The next night I put new duct tape out. Again, the next morning there were thirty odd bed bugs caught in the duct tape.<br />
<br />
I
kept doing this every night. By the forth morning no adult bid bugs
were caught in the duct tape. But I kept putting new duct tape out every
night to catch the baby bed bugs.<br />
After about a month I stopped putting out the duct tape.<br />
In the past year I have seen only one bed bug. He ended up not only Cloroxed but entombed in duct tape inside a dumpster.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-60465320223585898862011-11-04T20:39:00.000-07:002012-08-27T20:47:43.147-07:00Bedbug ChecklistHere are some quick tips to make sure your room (hotel rooms,
bedrooms, living areas, etc) isn’t infested with bedbugs! Most people
who end up having their home infested with bedbugs could have prevented
it by looking for the signs below.<br />
<br />
Staying at a hotel? If so, the first thing you should do is check your hotel for bed bug complaints
– this is a completely free service we provide and could possibly help
you prevent infesting your own home! Keep in mind that a report about
one hotel does not mean the issue wasn’t isolated to one room, or that
hotel management hasn’t taken the necessary steps to exterminate the
bugs, but it is a great way to get management to promise you’ll sleep
bedbug free!<br />
<br />
When staying at a hotel, hang clothing in the closet
that is farthest from your bed, place luggage on the folding rack
usually found at hotels and always place your luggage in a plastic bag
(hotel provided dry cleaning bags work great).<br />
<br />
<img align="left" alt="" border="0" height="41" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/images/exclaim.gif" width="41" />When
you inspect a room for bedbugs, make sure you wear disposable medical
gloves! Bedbugs gorge on the blood of humans, so much so that they can
easily pop with very little pressure. When a bedbug pops, it will
splatter blood and you may be exposed!<br />
Picture of Bed Bugs, their eggs, shells and feces!
This is a high resolution photo of what a bed bug infested mattress
looks like including their shells, eggs and feces. You can zoom in on
the picture if you need to.<br />
<ul>
<li>After you arrive at your hotel,
the first thing you should do is to spot check the bed. Peel back the
bed sheets and check the mattress, running your fingers along the upper
and lower seams. Make sure to check the mattress tag and plastic around
the edges (see the picture above); bed bugs often hide there.</li>
<li>Check
for tiny black spots (smaller than the size of poppy seeds) behind the
headboard, translucent skins or actual bedbugs. Bed bug spots (fecal
matter) are dark brown to black in color and stick to the surface. If it
falls off, then it’s not a bed bug spot. You can also take a wet towel
and wipe the spot to see if it smears and if so, then it may be fecal
matter.</li>
<li>Check the bedside table or any other furniture or
fixtures near the bed. Bedbugs don’t like the light, so they’ll be
hiding in areas that are usually dark or have very low light.</li>
<li>Are
there shed skins – as the bed bug develops, it sheds the skin which
looks like the bug. Also look for tiny white eggs (like rice) along the
edge of the mattress.</li>
<li>During the early stages of infestation (if
you or someone just brought one home), the bug bug(s) usually hide out
in the mattress ( and headboard). If this is your home and you’re
concerned you might have a few in bed with you, it would be wise to buy a
mattress cover; this will seal in the bed bugs and over time, they will
die. See our section on Mattress Covers to learn exactly what type of cover you need (standard covers will not work).</li>
<li>Utilize
the luggage stand in the hotel room to keep your bags off of the floor
where bedbugs can easily get into your things and end up hitching a ride
home with you.</li>
<li>If you see powder in the drawers or on the
headboard, it is likely that the room has already been treated for bugs
by an exterminator.</li>
<li>If you do see a bedbug or signs of one,
inform a manager immediately. You may request another room but
remember the bedbugs could easily be in other parts of the hotel as
well. Personally, I would leave and find another hotel if there is any
sign at all of bedbugs.</li>
<li>Other signs of bedbugs may include
itching or a foul smell. The odor has been described a number of ways,
most say it resembles spoiled raw beef, musty odor or a sweet odor such
as fresh red raspberries.</li>
<li>Just because the room or hotel is new
does not mean it’s free from bedbugs; bedbugs find rooms by riding on
the cloths or luggage of others and may have been been hitching a ride
on the last occupant.</li>
<li>When you’re ready to leave double check
your luggage as well as individual items within your suitcase. This may
seem cumbersome, but preventing a bedbug infestation is a LOT easier
than dealing with one!</li>
<li>If you spot a bedbug within your luggage,
wash the item in hot water and blow dry on high heat for 20-30 minutes.
Then place the item in a zip lock bag, which should keep any bedbugs
out.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Areas bugs bugs like to hide</h2>
Bedbugs love gaps in just about everything, so check:<br />
<ul>
<li>behind baseboards</li>
<li>around door and window casings</li>
<li>around window sills and frames</li>
<li>behind electrical and telephone switch plates</li>
<li>between flooring and wall components</li>
<li>where materials meet to form a gap</li>
<li>around pipes (water, drain, electrical conduits</li>
<li>seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box spring</li>
<li>bed frames and head board</li>
<li>under night stands and drawers</li>
<li>storage units</li>
<li>items such as furniture that may have hollow legs</li>
<li>between upholstered furniture</li>
<li>between the folds of drapery or curtains</li>
<li>in your alarm clock</li>
<li>inside loose wallpaper</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Hotel Room</h2>
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it covers the basics and should help you sleep bedbug free.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-72889254692902522402011-10-12T19:52:00.000-07:002012-08-27T19:54:37.709-07:00How to Treat Bed Bug BitesI explain how to treat bed bug bites
below, but if you don’t get rid of them, you’ll just end up treating
your bites again.<br />
<br />
Bed bug bites can range in severity based on the person being bitten. Some
don’t even notice the bite while others swell or even become infected.
Take Julio’s picture below for example, this is was a bad reaction to
bed bug bites and it wasn’t just his arm, his entire body looked like
this! Think that was bad, check out these other bed bug bites!
How to treat bed bug bites? By far, the most popular answer is with baking
soda and water to make a paste that you then place on the bite and let
dry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_8aZUItFKNQXNEzfqamxx85Nl6sHkpvu8UdQQjsPUxfEbMXKP-jQYz1JlFdVr2W3oOBzRFQgklr5kV6Woj8ailY_ydBOyqsQXqU30UVjsz3ORZ-AbrqepISI3EVSFMEvzUYXpm_w__8/s1600/arm+bed+bug+bites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Horrible bite marks on arm from bed bugs" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_8aZUItFKNQXNEzfqamxx85Nl6sHkpvu8UdQQjsPUxfEbMXKP-jQYz1JlFdVr2W3oOBzRFQgklr5kV6Woj8ailY_ydBOyqsQXqU30UVjsz3ORZ-AbrqepISI3EVSFMEvzUYXpm_w__8/s400/arm+bed+bug+bites.jpg" title="Horrible bite marks on arm from bed bugs" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here is exactly how to treat the bites…<br />
<ol>
<li>Make sure to wash the bed bug bites with soap and water.</li>
<li>Make a thick sticky paste with the water and baking soda, not too runny and thick enough that it will stay.</li>
<li>Let the paste stand until completely dry and then wait an hour or so.
Some let it stand for hours while others find that an hour or less is
fine.</li>
<li>Gently wash the paste off and pat dry.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>Other natural remedies for treating bed bug bites include:</b>
Witch hazel, St. John’s Wort and Lemon juice – all work by removing the desire to itch (Astringents).
The
gel from the Aloe plant is how many treat bed bug bites and contains
anti-fungal and antibiotic properties that work great! Simply trim a tip
and apply the exposed area to the bite.<br />
<br />
Handed down from
generations is the bath with peppermint oil, fill the tub with bath
water, then add a half cup of peppermint oil to relieve the itching.<br />
<br />
<b>How to Treat Bedbug Bites using OTC or Over The Counter medication.</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Cortisone cream to stop the itching</li>
<li>Calamine lotion</li>
<li>Just about any topical anesthetic containing pramoxine</li>
<li>Hydrocortisone cream</li>
<li>Naproxen or Ibuprofen or a anti-histamine like benadryl to help reduce swelling</li>
<li>Light paste of aspirin and water like you would with baking soda and water</li>
</ol>
Have a home remedy or tips on how to treat bites? Feel free to leave a comment below!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398154110064090583.post-65315156761888762372011-10-08T20:36:00.000-07:002012-08-27T20:56:07.700-07:00Bed Bug FAQWe receive a log of questions about <a href="http://badbedbug.blogspot.com/">bed bugs</a>, such as what is a bed
bug, where do they come from, are they dangerous, etc.. We have taken
the most popular questions and posted them here with their corresponding
answers.<br />
<br />
<b>What is a bed bug?</b><br />
<br />
<div class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 110px;">
<img alt="Picture of a bedbug" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/images/bedbug_pic.jpg" title="Picture of a bed bug" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
<br />
A
bed bug is a small nocturnal insect of the family Cimicidae that lives
by hematophagy (or in other words by feeding on the blood of humans and
other warm-blooded hosts). Bed Bugs can be found all over the world,
generally in human inhabited environments. The reason bed bugs are
normally found in these areas is because they feed off the blood of
humans.<br />
<br />
Bed Bugs are fairly small; an adult may grow to be the size
of 4-7mm. They are a reddish-brown color and their shape is flat and
oval.<br />
<br />
Although misconceptions have led people to believe that they
are not visible to the eye, they are in fact visible and easy to spot
because of their slow movements.<br />
<br />
<b>Where do Bed Bugs come from?</b><br />
<br />
Bed
Bugs can come from a variety of places. But typically one of the most
common forms of infestation is through contacts with infested furniture
in hotels, motels, and other places of temporary accommodation. Bed
Bugs can be passed on from used clothing or furniture. Cleanliness does
not arrest the spread of infestation directly. The idea that dirt causes
Bed Bugs infestations is a misconception. However cleanliness, by
depriving the bed bugs some of their hiding places, does slow down the
infestation. Apartment complexes often have Bed Bugs because they can
get from apartment to apartment easily.<br />
<br />
<b>What are the feeding habits of Bed Bugs?</b><br />
<br />
As
previously mentioned Bed Bugs feed on the blood of humans. When a bed
bug bites a human it injects two hollow tubes into the skin. With one
tube the bed bug injects a anti-coagulant, anesthetic and with the other
tube it steals your blood. Generally a bed bug will feed for about
five minutes before returning to its hiding place. Also, Bed Bugs
typically are active only at night (they start appearing at dusk)
because they are nocturnal, but can be seen anytime especially if a
chance to feed occurs. An important bit of information to know about
the feeding habits of Bed Bugs is that they can survive for up to
eighteen months without feeding even though they seek blood every five
to ten days. A hungry bed bug looks slightly different from one that’s
just been fed. A hungry bed bug typically flat with a circular shaped
abdomen while a blood fed bed bug is elongated with a tapered abdomen.<br />
<h2>
Are bed bug bites dangerous?</h2>
Typically
one can’t feel a bed bug bite until minutes or hours later. The bite
may look like a flat welt or a raised, red bump and are often times very
itchy. Luckily their bites aren’t dangerous but rather annoying. They
can cause skin irritation or rashes if bit frequently so it’s a wise
idea to get rid of them as soon as possible. If you end up itching or
your skin gets irritated you may be allergic to bed bug bites due to the
chemical they release when they bite you. However, doctors often
misdiagnosis bed bug bites due to the fact they look like other skin
conditions. The bites may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks
to go away on their own.<br />
<br />
<b>How do I stop the itching from bed bug bites?</b><br />
<br />
One
that will help out is anti-itching cream for insect bites. You can
usually find these at a drug store over-the-counter. Other people say
that taking Benadryl or using calamine lotion will help with it. It’s
important to remember that even though these methods may help reduce
itchiness they will not get rid of the Bed Bugs, so it’s important that
you seek help to get rid of the Bed Bugs or they will still find and
bite you. Our Bed Bug Treatment section has a list of all treatments
that worked for our visitors.<br />
<br />
<b>How can I tell if I have Bed Bugs?</b><br />
<br />
Check out our <a href="http://badbedbug.blogspot.com/2011/11/bedbug-checklist.html" title="Bed Bug Checklist">Bed Bug Checklist</a>
for a comprehensive list of ways in which you can check for bedbugs –
generally, the first thing you may notice is a peculiar pungent odor,
this odor is often times very familiar to building inspectors and
tenement dwellers. If you think you may have Bed Bugs it’s a good idea
to visually check your bed, as Bed Bugs can often be spotted. Other
things you may notice are blood spots, fecal stains or cast exoskeleton
skins. Take extra care in checking the mattress itself and the corners
of bed nets. Bed Bugs typically will hide in old furniture, behind
peeling paint, wooden floorboards as well as seems and folds in a
mattress, bed frames and bed springs. Remember, just because they are
called Bed Bugs doesn’t mean they are only in your bed. Although in
most cases Bed Bugs are in a small, concentrated area and usually within
10-20 feet of where you sleep. Make sure to look at our Bed Bug
Checklist for more information on this!<br />
<h2>
What do I need to know if I have Bed Bugs?</h2>
If
you think you may have Bed Bugs don’t bring anything else into the
contaminated room because it may become contaminated. Also remember not
to start sleeping in a different bed, the sofa or with another family
member or friend because there is a chance that the Bed Bugs may follow
you to the new location and therefore contaminate another area. Don’t
throw anything out, try to get rid of the Bed Bugs yourself or try and
treat yourself, wait and seek help from a professional. Make sure you
don’t bag anything unless it has been washed in hot water and dried on
hot for one to two hours. Remember, if you bag up clothing or bedding
that has not been washed and they contain Bed Bugs when you open the bag
the Bed Bugs may contaminate your living space again as they can live
up to 18 months without feeding. To be safe just assume everything in
that room is infested; also, make sure to review our bed bug treatment
section.<br />
<br />
<b>How do you get rid of Bed Bugs? </b><br />
<br />
It’s a good idea to get rid of
Bed Bugs as soon as possible because each individual bed bug can lay
four to five eggs a day, so if you do the math that’s a lot of Bed Bugs
you don’t want around (Consider this: in a room that is around 70
degrees and there are 40 bugs six months later there would be 5,905
bugs!). Consider the help of a pest control company as they have much
experience in dealing with Bed Bugs. If you decide to go that route
save any Bed Bugs you may find to show pest control so they can help you
identify the specimen; again, check out our bed bug treatment section
to find out what else you can do.<br />
<br />
<b>Do Bed Bugs ever bite private parts?</b><br />
<br />
They
sure do – they don’t care what part of the body they feed on, but they
don’t like hair and will move to the area that is free from hair.<br />
<br />
<b>Do Mattress covers work?</b><br />
<br />
Mattress
covers will seal the mattress and keep bedbugs that are in, locked in
(and those ‘trapped’ bugs will eventually die) and will also keep bed
bugs out. The bed bugs hiding around the bed frame and other areas will
still find their way to the top of the mattress and bite you. Don’t be
fooled that this is a cure all, which it is not, a mattress cover simply
protects the mattress (not you).<br />
If you are looking for a mattress cover, you don’t have to spend a lot if you know what to look for! <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=bed%20bug&linkCode=ur2&tag=memoribilia-20&url=search-alias%3Daps">mattress cover for bed bugs</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=memoribilia-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<br />
<b>Do Bed Bugs smell?</b><br />
<br />
Most people say that bed begs smell like raspberries and in cases where the place is infested, it can smell like moldy shoes.<br />
<br />
<b>I’ve heard that bedbugs rest on the ceiling and fly to their target, is this true?</b><br />
<br />
Not
true, BUT, Bat Bugs which are exactly like bed bugs except for the hair
on their head, feed on bats. If the infested bats residing in your home
are removed, these bugs may move down and start feeding on you.<br />
<br />
<b>If I have a pet in the room with me, will the bed bugs feed on it instead of me?</b><br />
<br />
No, you are the Filet Mignon and your pet is ground beef. Humans are the preferred host for feeding!<br />
<br />
<b>Is it true that a bite from a bed bug can take up to 14 days to show?</b><br />
<br />
From
what the California Department of Public Health Vector-Borne Disease
Section says, a bed bug bite may not show for up to 14 days!<br />
<br />
Everyone reacts differently to bed bug bites, but if a reaction does occur, it usually happens by late morning.<br />
<br />
<b>Can I take legal action against the hotel for being bitten by bed bugs?</b><br />
<br />
Yes,
there are a number of examples, but three of the most popular include a
woman who filed a lawsuit against Catskills resort for $27 million;
bitten so bad that she can no longer stay in hotels. Because this is a
critical part of how she makes her living (she’s in entertainment
booking), she can no longer continue her lifestyle.<br />
<br />
The second
involves a woman staying at the Hilton hotel in Ohio; Sai Kim filed a
lawsuit for more than $5 million claiming that she ended up with a 150
bedbug bites on her hands, feet, face, fingers, toes, legs, neck, back,
chest, stomach and genitals, see picture below.<br />
<br />
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 480px;">
<img alt="Bed Bug Bites on Sai Kim who filed a 5 million dollar lawsuit" height="282" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/images/bedbug-bites-sai-kim.jpg" title="Bed Bug Bites on Sai Kim who filed a 5 million dollar lawsuit" width="470" /><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">
<br /></div>
</div>
The
claim reads like this: “As a direct result of exposure to bed bugs, she
was left physically scarred and emotionally damaged and that these
consequences were a direct result of the defendant’s negligence and that
the hotel breached its duty to provide reasonably safe accommodations
that eventually led to “embarrassing injury and tremendous emotional
distress”. The first claim was also similar to that above.<br />
<br />
The
last case and probably the biggest bedbug case ever settled out of
court, was a woman who was bitten more than 400 times while staying at a
Ramada Plaza Hotel in San Francisco. It’s reported that she received
$71,000 to settle her bed bug claim. Note: The reports on the net claim
information about the lawsuit came from the City Star, a local paper,
but in trying to find the actual case, no information was available.<br />
<br />
<b>What is the size of a Bed Bug?</b><br />
<br />
The picture below shows the size of a bed bug compared to a paperclip<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugsize.jpg" rel="lightbox[27]"><img alt="What is the size of a bed bug?" class="size-full wp-image-937" height="422" src="http://www.badbedbugs.com/wp-content/uploads/bedbugsize.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 5px;" title="What is the size of a bed bug?" width="443" /></a><br />
If you have a question, please don’t hesitate to ask!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541116977448317370noreply@blogger.com13