Bed Bug Pesticide

The Facts & Causes

Although most commonly found in hostels and B&B's, bed bugs can be carried into the home on bags, clothes, bedding or even on people. Infestations of bed bugs have been on the rise recently, with changes in pest control methods being blamed. We are moving away from pesticides like DDT and on to bait-based methods of pest control in buildings. Bed bugs however thrive on blood, so the baiting method doesn't work.

Bed bugs can lay between one and five eggs a day, so a travelling bug can take over your mattress in no time. Incubation time for eggs is about ten days, and some people do not develop a reaction to bites until they have been exposed for a few nights in a row. Although healthy adults may suffer from itchy welts at worst, children can become anaemic if exposed to bed bugs for nights in a row, so prevention is vital.

Prevention & Cure

There are a numbers of ways you can reduce the risk of both these unwelcome bugs:

o Good hygiene can reduce the risk considerably, with mattresses and bedding regularly inspected, and areas in the room such as curtains, headboards and behind picture-frames also being checked and vacuumed regularly.

o If you visit a hotel or hostel with a bed bug problem, it is vital that you ensure you don't unwittingly bring some of the insects back with you to your home. Inspect all clothing, fabric items and bags very carefully for signs of infestation. Washing all clothes and thoroughly vacuuming travel bags and suitcases is crucial.

o Do ensure that any bugs you find are actually bed bugs. They are flat, oval, about one fourth of an inch in length but can look considerably bigger after feeding. If you treat a room for bed bugs but in fact the insects are something else, your pest control methods may not work.

o If you find one bed bug, there are going to be more. You will need to clean room thoroughly - including pulling out drawers, emptying contents, taking apart furniture... etc.

o There are sprays available on the market for killing bed bugs, and in the case of infestation these may be a useful tool. You will not, however, want to use these on fabrics that are going to come into contact with your body and you may need to check the potential effects pesticides may have on any household pets. To rid mattresses of the hiding insects, the crevice tool on your vacuum is the best idea.

o If you find signs of infestations the best idea is to employ a professional pest control company to deal with the problem. Empty clutter and mess from the relevant rooms (but clean and inspect them first to ensure you're not just moving bed bugs to another room!) to make their jobs faster and easier.

o To considerably lower the chance of bed bugs occurring in your home, swap your regular mattress for a waterbed. The plastic surface gives bugs nowhere to hide, and one quick going-over with a cloth will clean the waterbed surface efficiently and quickly. A waterbed also removes the risk of dust mites which can cause considerable problems for allergy sufferers and those with asthma.

In the end, prevention is better than cure with these bugs, and with infestations on the increase it is wise to regularly check your bedding in particular. Reducing the amount of clutter and fabric in your bedroom areas can make this job a lot easier, and also significantly reduce the amount of dust mites and other microscopic insects that can live in materials around the home.

The British Waterbed Association aims to support both their members and the buying public to ensure waterbeds are promoted in a manner that accurately reflects the significant benefits that a well-made waterbed provides. You can find more information, and a list of BWA members, on their website: http://www.waterbed.org