Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans.

Do they cause disease?

Please see the link here for more detail on case studies.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

Adult Bed bugs look something like an apple seed, and are small (approximately ¼ inch long), oval in shape, and are reddish-brown in color. Juvenile Bed bugs, known as nymphs, differ from adults in that they are often much smaller (1 millimeter) and may appear clear or tan in color.

While Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye they are most active at night and due to their cryptic nature they are not often seen during the day.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Because Bed bugs are small and flat, they are able to squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices on the mattress and box spring, behind headboards, and inside furniture. They prefer to live in groups and are often found in clusters where the adults, nymphs and eggs are together in a protected area.

Bed bugs are adept hitchhikers. They travel in luggage, on clothing and inside furniture. They are found in hotels, movie theaters, train cars, airplanes and many other public places where people are at rest for a period of time.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Bed bug bites are difficult to distinguish from flea or mosquito bites because (as with all biting insects) not all skin reactions are the same. Bed bugs bite the exposed skin of humans while they are sleeping or at rest, often including the neck, face, arms and hands.

Why Am I Being Bitten and My “Significant Other” Isn’t?

The anesthetic that a Bed bug uses to numb your skin so you won’t feel the bite-may or may not cause a visible allergic reaction. This allergic reaction may cause raised, red bumps or blemish-like skin irritation, accompanied by an itching sensation. While some people find that they observe mild to severe discomfort and itchiness, others may observe no discomfort or bite marks at all.

Can I Treat for Bed Bugs Myself?

Bed bugs are “maddeningly difficult” to treat, even for our well-trained pest control technicians. You should not attempt to control an infestation with do-it-yourself products, but rather leave the treatment to the pest control professionals of Imperial Pest Prevention.

How Does Imperial Pest Prevention Treat for Bed Bugs?

Imperial Pest Prevention uses the latest products and techniques in the battle against these blood-sucking arthropods during our Bed Bug Treatments. While individual circumstances vary from household to household, Imperial Pest Prevention Pest Control Service Technicians may use a combination of techniques that include traditional insecticide treatments, fogging, and steam/ heat treatments in conjunction with.

How Many Treatments Will It Take To Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Typically at least two treatments are needed. This is because bed bugs eggs, which are very small, hard to locate, and may survive treatment, may hatch into tiny bed bug nymphs which are often unaffected by the pesticide residue of the prior Bed Bug Pest Control treatments.

Should I Throw Out My Mattress and Furniture?

In most cases Imperial Pest Prevention does not recommend that you discard mattresses unless heavily infested, box springs, or furniture, these items can be inspected and treated successfully, However, discarding a contaminated mattress will expedite the treatment and allow a smoother bed bug pest control service. Imperial Pest Prevention also sells mattress and box spring covers for bed bug services which may purchased through our website or calling us directly.

Bed Bug Treatment Company Near Me

Imperial Pest Prevention is a leading local company specializing in bed bug treatment. With a strong reputation in the community, we are known for our effective, reliable, and customer-focused services. We proudly offer Bed Bug Treatments and Bed Bug Inspections to all of Volusia County, Flagler County, Seminole County, Brevard County, St. Johns County, and Orange County of Florida.

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What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects notorious for invading homes and feeding human blood, usually at night. These pests are oval-shaped, flat, and brownish, resembling the size of an apple seed. Due to their nocturnal habits, bed bugs are often elusive, hiding in cracks and crevices near sleeping areas during the day and emerging at night to feed.

Their feeding process is unique. Bed bugs pierce the skin of their host with two hollow tubes. Through one tube, they inject saliva that contains substances to numb the area and prevent blood clotting, while the

other tube draws out blood. This process usually lasts about five to ten minutes and often goes unnoticed at the moment due to the anesthetic properties of their saliva.

Bed bugs are not picky about their habitats as long as they can access their food source - humans. They can be found in various environments, from homes and hotels to public transportation. They typically reside in mattresses, bed frames, furniture, and even behind wallpapers.

Reproduction of bed bugs is a significant reason for their rapid spread in infested areas. Female bed bugs lay hundreds of tiny eggs, making it easy for infestations to grow quickly. These pests can survive for several months without feeding, adding to the difficulty of eradicating them.

While bed bugs are not known to spread diseases, their bites can cause discomfort, itching, and allergic reactions. Additionally, dealing with an infestation often leads to psychological stress. Effective control and elimination of bed bugs usually require professional pest control services, as over-the-counter solutions are often inadequate in dealing with a full infestation.

How Did I Get Bed Bugs?

Getting bed bugs can happen in various ways, as they are excellent at hitchhiking and can easily be transported from one place to another. Here are some common ways people often end up with bed bugs in their homes:

Travel: Bed bugs are notorious for infesting hotels, hostels, and Airbnb accommodations. They can hitch a ride in your luggage, clothing, or personal belongings and then enter your home.
Secondhand Furniture: Purchasing or acquiring used furniture, especially beds and sofas, is a common way to bring bed bugs into your home. These pests can hide in the crevices and folds of furniture.
Visiting Infested Places: If you visit a friend's house, a workplace, or any public place that has a bed bug infestation, there’s a chance you might inadvertently bring them back with you on your clothing or in your belongings.
Shared Walls: Bed bugs in apartment complexes and hotels can travel between rooms and units through ductwork or false ceilings, especially if an adjacent unit is infested.
Public Transportation: Public modes of transport, like buses, trains, and taxis, can sometimes harbor bed bugs. They can attach themselves to your clothes or bags while you're commuting.
Laundry Facilities: Shared laundry facilities can also be a hotspot for bed bug transfer, particularly if you are dealing with an infested area or using shared laundry baskets and tables.

It's important to note that bed bugs are not a sign of dirtiness or poor hygiene. They are opportunistic pests only looking for a blood meal and can be found in clean and cluttered spaces. To prevent bed bug infestations, it's advisable to be vigilant in situations like traveling or bringing second-hand furniture into your home and to inspect your living spaces regularly for signs of these pests.

How Can Imperial Pest Prevention Help Me With Bed Bugs?

As Imperial Pest Prevention, we understand the distress and disruption bed bugs can cause in your home. Our expertise and comprehensive approach to bed bug treatment are designed to effectively and efficiently resolve your problems. Here’s how we can help:

Specialized Bed Bug Inspections: Our first step in addressing your bed bug issue is to inspect your home thoroughly. Our trained professionals use advanced techniques to detect bed bugs, even in

the most hidden locations.

Customized Treatment Plans: Recognizing that every infestation is unique, we develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific situation. Whether it’s a minor infestation or a widespread problem, we have the solution.
Advanced Treatment Techniques: We utilize the latest and most effective bed bug extermination methods. This includes both chemical and non-chemical treatments, like heat treatments, which are particularly effective in eradicating bed bugs in all stages of their lifecycle.
Eco-Friendly Options: For those concerned about the environmental impact and safety, we offer eco-friendly treatment options that are effective yet gentle on your living space.
Preventive Strategies: Our service doesn’t end with treatment. We provide expert advice on preventing future bed bug infestations, offering tips on what to look for and how to maintain a bed bug-free environment.
Follow-Up Services: We understand the importance of ensuring that the bed bugs are completely eradicated. Therefore, we offer follow-up services to inspect and ensure the treatment succeeds and your home remains bed bug-free.
Educational Resources: Our commitment to your well-being includes educating you about bed bugs. We offer resources that help you understand these pests and how to avoid them in the future.

At Imperial Pest Prevention, we are dedicated to providing you with prompt, effective, and discreet bed bug extermination services. Our goal is to restore your peace of mind and comfort in your home. Trust us to handle your bed bug concerns with the utmost professionalism and efficiency.

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How Do I Prepare For A Bed Bug Treatment?

How Do I Prepare for a Bed Bug Treatment?

A: The following Bed Bug Treatment document and checklist are designed to ensure you receive the most out of your Bed bug treatment. Contact us if you have further questions regarding Bed bugs or treatment preparedness.

PREPARING FOR YOUR BED BUG TREATMENT | BED BUG EXTERMINATION SERVICE

Proper preparation is essential for ensuring the most effective results from your upcoming Bed Bug Exterminating service. Imperial Pest Prevention will provide detailed instructions on what to do before your scheduled Bed Bug treatment in the following document. Preparation involves providing adequate access to your unit or property for cleaning and post-treatment recommendations. We understand that appropriate preparation can be challenging to achieve quickly and that senior citizens or disabled individuals may need additional assistance and time considerations For the Bed Bug Pest Control service.

Please note: Imperial Pest Prevention will not guarantee any Bed Bug Pest Control treatment to any structure that has not met the preparations in this instructional document.

PACKING AND FURNITURE PREPARATION

All furniture should be removed from the walls and baseboards at least 2 feet. It is common for items that could provide hiding places for bed bugs, such as bookcases and desks, to empty their contents and remain empty for treatment. Items previously stored in sealed containers may remain unopened.

1. Lift mattresses and box springs from the bed frame and stand them against a wall.
2. Empty closets of remaining (un-laundered) items and stored items, place them in plastic bags and move them to the living room center.
3. Remove contents from dressers and nightstands so that the interiors may be treated. Items should be placed in plastic bags and moved to the center of the living room.
4. Remove books from the shelving and place them in boxes in the living room center.
5. Remove all pictures, mirrors, and hanging items from the walls so we may inspect them before treatment.
6. Open any sleeper sofas, futons, or convertible beds for treatment.

Please note: All homes or apartment/condo units with excess clutter will NOT be treated. A thorough and successful Bed Bug treatment cannot be achieved while excess clutter and an untidy home. Once the clutter has been removed, your Bed Bug treatment can be rendered.

LAUNDERING

Everything that can be laundered should be laundered and placed in clean/new plastic bags or plastic containers and sealed before the Bed Bug treatment. The list of items that should be laundered is at the end of this document and includes drapes, stuffed animals, bed skirts, etc.

1. Launder all items (including linens and bedding) according to the manufacturer's label; however, use the highest allowable heat settings in the washer and drier. Temperatures reaching 140 degrees (or above) have been proven to kill all stages of bed bug development.

2. Bags used to transport laundry before the washing/drying cycles should never be reused and discarded outside the property after transportation. All clean items should be placed in new bags and sealed tightly during treatment.

3. items that cannot be washed but dried in the dryer at a high heat temperature should be for a minimum of 30 minutes. Discard debris collected in the lint trap after each cycle.

4. Items that cannot be laundered should be taken to the dry cleaner.

Vacuuming

The mechanical removal of bed bugs by vacuuming is essential to preparing for treatment. A crevice attachment is imperative to access bed bugs hiding inside mattress seams, furniture interiors, baseboards, and any place that could accommodate them.

1. Vacuum floors, carpets, and area rugs

2. Vacuum mattresses, including all crevices, handles, or buttons

3. Vacuum the baseboards, bed frame, sofas, futons, recliners, and other over-stuffed and upholstered furniture

4. Discard all vacuum bags immediately after each use

Disposal of Furniture

There are differing opinions about whether it is necessary to dispose of mattresses, box springs, futons, sofas, and other furniture. The cost of replacing beds and other furniture is to consider when deciding what works for you. Replacing these items alone will not solve a bed bug problem. The decision to replace the bed unit and other furniture often depends on the condition and the level of infestation within the items, the owner's comfort, and whether the owner can afford a replacement. Imperial Pest Prevention recommends the installation of a Bed Bug mattress encasement. Any need to discard the mattress and box spring is often eliminated once treated and covered by a high-quality Bed Bug mattress encasement. An Imperial Pest Prevention representative takes accurate measurements, and the encasement covers are typically installed during the initial treatment. The mattress and box spring encasement will further reduce the likelihood that Bed Bugs will continue to live upon the mattress and box spring.

If You Decide to Throw Out Your Furniture

Deface or otherwise damage any furniture items so others will not use them. Mattresses should be slashed or otherwise damaged to make them unusable and wrapped in plastic before being removed from the bedroom. *Note: moving beds without completely enclosing the mattress and box spring in plastic may spread the infestation by allowing eggs, bed bug nymphs, and adult bed bugs to drop from the item as it is moved, resulting in the need for additional Bed Bug Treatments.

Post Treatment

Once the initial Bed Bug Exterminator treatment service has been completed, we recommend staying out of the treated home or unit for at least four hours. This allows for an appropriate time for the materials to dry completely. Only after four hours should you, your children, and your pets resume residence in the home or apartment. From this point forward, you may carry on with your normal household activities; however, to prevent the need to repeat many of the steps necessary to prepare for your follow-up Bed Bug treatment, we do recommend that you not move your furniture and items back into place if at all possible. In most cases, a follow-up Bed Bug treatment has already been scheduled for you and generally will fall within 2-3 weeks from the initial treatment. We do understand that thorough preparation may present a considerable hardship for some. Still, we cannot stress its importance on the overall effectiveness of Bed Bug treatment. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the content included in this preparation guideline or the following checklist. We are here for you!

All content related to the Imperial Pest Prevention Bed Bug web page and PDF Bed Bug Preparation Sheets has been handwritten in natural form by Entomologist Jonathan Stoddard with references from the US National Library of Medicine.
National Institutes of Health and is copyrighted.

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