Bed Bug Pesticide

A bed bug bite look like a small welt and it can itch or even burn a little. Because they usually happen after dark you usually are asleep. You can not feel a bed bug bite. If you wake up with a red bump that itches or even burns a little you probably got bit by a bed bug.

It can be common to get a bed bug bite while traveling when you are staying in a motel. Bed bug bites can be irritating, but are hardly cause for concern when compared to a mosquito, which can carry Malaria or West Nile disease. You can treat a bed bug bite by washing it with soap and water, apply some ice and use an antihistamine cream or no-itch cream.

If your bite gets tender and starts oozing yellow, white or greenish goo it is probably infected. You should see a doctor and have him treat it for you.

Many people think bed bugs live in areas where it is not clean, but that is not probably the case. Bed bugs are like any animal and like to eat, but it is your blood they want and hotels are convenient because of the number of beds and proximity of drapes to them.

Bed bugs are said to smell like sweet, rotten raspberries, and it's also said that an infested room smells like almonds, but you would need a huge amount of them to even smell them at all. A female bed bug is normally the biter and she can lay up to 500 eggs in her life.

Because they are such good travelers you can take them around the world in a suit case or sleeping bag, which show the importance of even cleaning your luggage after a trip and washing sleeping bags. Hot water is the best way to kill bed bugs.

Bed bugs can live up to one year without eating so it is important to always clean after a trip. In your home if you suspect you have bed bugs you will need to vacuum and wash anything and everything in hot water. Even after that you may want to hire an exterminator to do an even better job.

Need help detecting and getting rid of bed bugs? Try visiting http://www.howtopreventbedbugs.com , a popular website that provides tips, advice, articles on bed bugs and resources on how to properly kill bed bugs quickly and easily so you can reclaim your bed and get a good night's sleep.

One feature that is common in almost all the beds is the raised base. These raised bases are hard and flat. A loft bed is a bed that has ample space beneath, but without any drawers or closets. These days, most loft beds have shorter legs and so they look very similar to the platform-like beds. When you are buying the storage or platform-like beds, you need to check out the storage cabinets beneath them. Most often it is seen that the storage space beneath the storage or platform-like beds harbors insects and other microorganisms.

One of the worst pests is bed bugs. Resistance to pesticides has increased significantly over time and there are concerns of negative health effects from their use. Thus one needs to watch out for these bed bugs provided that the beds have the storage draws provision. If you believe that the beds have infested the storage or platform beds, then one should take the appropriate actions right away. Since these bugs and insects have a tendency to grow inorganically or multiply asymmetrically. Thus do not wait until the neck of the minute, provided that you are sure that the bugs have infested your storage or platform-like bed.

The minute you see few bed bugs in the bed, it is recommended that you call the experts right away. These experts are highly trained, skilled and equipped with necessary chemicals or drugs to eliminate the bed bugs or any other insects. One has to exercise caution once the pest control management is done, since there is a likelihood that the pest could have developed the resistance to the pesticides or the methods used by the experts. An individual has to brief the experts about the insects which have infested the storage or platform like beds prior to experts deploying the pesticides to kill the insects.

Who are pest control specialists? A person who is able to detect the existence of insects and bed bugs in the storage or platform beds are called pest control specialists. Before they deploy the required management, they might ask few questions to the individuals and they are as follows:

1. What pests such as reddish-brown, flattened, oval and wingless are seen during the night when one sleeps on the bed?
2. Do these pests cause any irritation, skin rashes or any other allergic symptoms?
3. Are these pests active during the day or the night since these are not nocturnal?
4. Did you try any other pest control management to eliminate the growth of these pests?

Indeed these are basic queries, which address the needs of the pest control experts to work with. One needs to regularly clean the storage or platform-like beds to prevent the growth or infestation of insects. Added to it, best mattress available in the market should be used for storage or platform-like beds. There is likelihood that these bed bugs might infest the mattress. These insects are micro-organisms and thus cannot be seen with naked eyes. You might think that your mattress is clean; on the other hand it may not be the case.

People who have been using metal frames for their beds can breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to attack by microorganisms. Most metal bed frames are not liked by the small insects or microorganisms. When the metal frames of the beds are cleaned, make sure that they are wiped dry. Moisture and water are greatest enemies of beds and bed frames. When water gets into touch with the wooden bed frames, the wood frames start to swell and they lose their shapes.

Although most bed frames manufacturers would tell you that metal bed frames are weather resistant and insect proof, there are chances that the metal can get rusted-especially with iron bed frames. If the metal used for the metal bed frame is aluminum, then there are no chances of rusting. However, aluminium is a lighter metal and may not give the required elegance.

Article by Bill Robinson of ModernBathroomVanity.com, a website with the largest selections of modern bathroom cabinets and modern small bathroom vanity for your household needs.

There are many expressions over the years when it comes to sleeping. "Sleep tight" which comes from medieval times when beds used ropes between the rails of the bed to hold the mattress. If these weren't tight your mattress would slip through to the floor. "Slept like a baby" which implies that you were quite asleep and that nothing was going to wake you up. Then of course this one, "Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Which of course is a reference to those small little oval shaped bugs that sneak onto your bed and proceed to bite you all over in the middle of the night.

Strong synthetic pesticides like DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane) were used to eradicate bed bugs from 1939 on until DDT was banned. Believed to be causing cancer in humans and animals and posing a threat to all wildlife from crop dusting, DDT was banned for agricultural use worldwide under the Stockholm Convention in 1972. However this pesticide went a long way in eradicating bed bugs and for decades there were few if any cases of bed bugs being reported throughout the United States.  The old adage "Don't let the bed bugs bite" was starting to fade out of memory much like other common phrases with references to things in society of the past. Unfortunately though bed bugs didn't go away and are troubling us more than ever in the 21st Century.

The resurgence of bed bugs today can be attributed to many factors. Bed bugs are building up tolerances to weaker chemicals being used in managing them. Travel is also another consideration as more and more people travel between Europe, Asia and North America which may be helping to spread these annoying little creatures through living spaces, hotels and homes abroad. Having a clean and tidy home doesn't guarantee a bed bug free space since we know they can get onto clothing, luggage or anything else they come in contact with. There are some things to look for when trying to determine if you have a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs are nocturnal which means they only come out at night. More specifically when it is pitch black as they avoid light. Detecting them can be tricky because if you turn the lights on in a room they can hide and scatter quickly into floorboard cracks or crevices in furniture or beds without being seen. Try using a flashlight and avoid movement as this too will alert them. If you begin to notice red bites in a pattern or in the same area this is also an indication that bed bugs may be present. Visual detection of the bugs, the bites themselves or seeing them on your mattress or body will determine if you need to begin containment and eradication. Bed bug eggs are quite small almost the size of a grain of salt, very difficult to see. The bugs themselves are typically dark in color and oval shaped and about 3/16 of an inch in length. You may also see bed bug droppings or even small bits of blood in affected areas. If there are signs you have them and you're attentive you should be able to see them when carefully detecting them with the methods above.

Removing bed bugs can be attempted by the home owner or renter but it is actually best to involve a PMP (Pest Management Professional). They will have stronger industrial strength products that will be able to neutralize the bed bugs. They'll also be able to help determine what areas in your home are serving as a staging area for the bugs especially within walls and base boards. PMP's can offer suggestions for where to fill in cracks in floor board areas and are trained to find signs of where the bed bugs are coming from and what products can be safely used throughout your home to remove them. Adult bed bugs can live up to a year without a feeding so having professional help may be required to make sure they don't come back. Also, don't be surprised if it is recommended that you purchase a new mattress and bed then toss out current mattresses and other furniture if you do in fact have a bed bug infestation.

If you have bed bugs there have been some different techniques that have evolved over time that may or may not help you in your own situation. The idea of small bugs crawling on you while you're sleeping can be quite unsettling and can lead to poor sleep. Maybe some of these techniques will help. Some people have used cottage cheese cups or containers beneath the metal legs of their beds and used a combination of flypaper and double sided sticky tape to catch the little bugs as they crawled up. Other people recommend the use of neem oil sprayed on carpets, mattresses and bedding to control bed bugs. Neem oil is made from the neem tree in India and has been used for hundreds of years as an effective insect control. It has been approved as being safe by the FDA for external use. Just make sure nothing is touching the ground to your bed such as a bed skirt or have your bed pushed against the wall. Don't give bed bugs a chance to find away onto your bed.

In this article we've discussed the ever annoying bed bug. We talked about how they were nearly eradicated decades ago but have slowly been re-emerging in homes, hotels and other living spaces in recent years. We learned that they are nocturnal in nature and come out at night to feed which is the best time to detect them. Signs of bed bugs are bites on the skin in close proximately to each other as well as eggs or droppings that may be on your mattress or near the general sleeping area. Bed bug removal is best handled by a PMP who is trained in the proper products and detection to remove an infestation. We also discussed some techniques to manage bed begs yourself that others have found helpful over the years. So just remember, "sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite!"

P.Pendleton is an experienced furniture writer for several furniture websites. He enjoys writing about many different lines of furniture, beds and new trends in bed frames and mattresses.

© Copyright Phil Pendleton. All rights reserved worldwide.

It was thought that bed bugs had been eliminated after World War II. However, they are now becoming prevalent in many areas. Experts blame the infestations on the increase in global travel and the banning of many pesticides, such as DDT.

There is concern that these bed bug infestations may continue to spread to other areas. In Texas, the bed bugs live in bedding, furniture, luggage, clothing and the clutter that is left lying around on the floor.

Before feeding, bed bugs are dark brown insects with no wings. They have a crinkle shape on their shells. Once they have fed, the bed bugs swell up and change to a dull red color. The bugs become larger as they consume more human blood.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

Here are some guidelines published by the New York Daily News to help remove bed bugs from a home.

* Store your food in glass or metal containers.

* Hire a reputable pest control company.

* Seal up clothing in airtight plastic bags until they can be washed. They must be washed in hot water at a temperature of at least 140 degrees or dry cleaned.

* Bag up loose objects until the exterminator has treated the home.

* Ask the exterminator if they are using approved pesticides. The exterminator will need to come back for follow-up treatments.

* Don't spray your home with bug spray. It can cause the bed bugs to scatter.

* Wrap mattresses or furniture before carrying them out of the house to keep the pests from falling out in other parts of the home.

* Dispose of vacuum bags after vacuuming affected areas.

* Leave the home while it is being sprayed, especially if you are pregnant or have medical problems. Small children should not be present in the home when it is sprayed.

The best advice is to call an experienced pest control company and allow them to treat the infestation. They will let you know what steps you need to take other than having your home sprayed.

For more great info on bed bugs visit www.worldofbedbugs.com a website offering tips, advice and resources on topics such as bed bug treatments and habits, the bed bug life cycle and even discovering what bed bugs look like plus so much more.

Before you make reservations at a hotel, when booking your winter holiday you may want to read this article!

A particular hotel in Boston is using the services of Advanced Canine Detectives, LLC., which is a company that has trained dogs to sniff out pests for the hotel or hospitality industry. The bed bug sniffing dogs are quick, accurate and can do the job in 2 minutes in a hotel room. The dog sniffing method has been approved by the Boston Department of Health Inspectors. The Jury Hotel is a 225 room hotel that has not had these insects for almost 4 years as they have been using the Advantaged K-9 Services. These dogs are highly trained and their exceptional noses have help us to ward off diseases, and prevent further illness, even when we are traveling in a world full of mobile bed bugs.

The hotel chain called Jury Doyle Hotel chain from Britain have their Boston Hotel searched often, and this hotel has it all down to a science.

If after the dogs locate the pests, the room is fumigated and the mattress is burned. This is the best way to treat this type of infestation is to destroy the bed mattress. It is costly but not worth the bad publicity and injury to the guests if allowed to continue without treatments.

These dogs are mixed Labrador breed and they are on duty for a search every 3 months. This indicates to me that this type of infestations are an ongoing problem but Jury is at least being pro-active which is better than hotels that are not as vigilant in exterminating bed bugs.

My article on Dogs Detect Cancer in Humans indicates dogs have an incredible sense of smell and can identify parts per trillion of small particles and can also detect cancer in humans. Today, there are bomb dogs, drug dogs, arson dogs, and now they are experts in locating and sniffing out blood sucking bed bugs.

There is nothing worse that getting pests in a hotel, and do not be fooled by paying at a high priced hotel, they get infestations just the same as the cheaper hotels. I would think a hotel bed could have at least 30 or more people sleeping in it, in a month!

As Nicole Wong points out in her story in the Boston Globe, even the Park Plaza hotel has had the bug problem and in warmer climates the bugs just thrive on human blood!! I find it horrible just to think about sleeping in a hotel bed and being eaten alive by bed bugs!!

Apparently there is a " bed epidemic" out there in the hotel industry, which requires hotels to keep spraying their beds with insecticides which is even worse in some cases the insecticides can cause allergic reactions.

Over 50 years ago this problem was not so widespread thanks to a pesticide called DDT which is now banned. Now bed bugs have resurfaced to plague even the most elegant hotels as more people are traveling internationally the bugs are spreading more quickly. I think these blood sucking bed bugs are becoming stronger as they can survive between blood meals for one whole year! Bed bugs can spread in a building, hotel or other accommodation establishments on every floor.

When you get bitten you will develop irritated inflamed bumps and a white welt may develop which indicates infection. These infections cause severe itching and can also cause allergic reactions in people and it is suspected that these bugs can spread Hepatitis B, and initiate asthma attacks.

If your traveling this winter, be wary of hotel beds that do not have a protective cover on the mattress, which can stop the pests from getting to your body. This is not a foolproof solution, but it's a start. Unless the particular hotel you are going to stay at has hired dogs that control bed bugs you have to ask a lot of questions before you book your vacation.

Today in the world hotels can be sued as a New Jersey couple did after staying at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston for two nights. The couple were infested with bed bug bites and had a horrible experience.

In Toronto they use a dog named Inspector Kody for a hotel resort in Vaughan, Ontario which has ongoing problems with this type of infestation.

I hate to think of what is in a hospital bed and I hope I never have to find out.

Sara Smithers is a freelance writer with a site primarily on dog health issues that offers frequently updated articles on natural remedies, pet product reviews and current articles on pet foods. Visit: http://www.DogHealth1.com

In the 1940's they were mostly exterminated but an unfortunate resurge has allowed the blood sucking parasites to flourish. Unlike dust mites or ticks, these are classified as insects and they come in over 108 different species.

Although they cannot transmit any diseases, the host can become allergic to the bed bug salvia after being bitten over time and have skin irritations that resemble mosquito bites. The host can also become anemic from the constant loss of blood over time.

Bed bugs are very flat and this allows them to survive in the cracks and crevices unseen. Certain species of the bed bug can survive for up to three years without a host so even a clean, vacant apartment can be hiding bugs in the carpet, behind wall molding, in furniture or even in flaps of loose wallpaper. Most of the species however can only survive a year without a host to feed on.

Once a homeowner or tenant established that there is an infestation of these parasites the initial reaction is often to get rid of the infected furniture however this method of control is not recommended. Not only will this not get rid of the problem, it will have the potential to spread the bedbugs into other homes once the bedbugs hit the street.

A thorough house cleaning is recommended to remove excessive clutter where they can hide and the offending mattress and box spring should be sealed up in an air tight bag. Any bug inside the bag will die and can be disposed off.

Keep the cot away from the wall and make sure bedding is not touching the floor to keep the parasites from recessing it. Remember they are wingless so they can only get into bed with you by climbing. Placing the bed frame legs in cups or dishes of mineral oil will help eliminate this as an access point.

It is not recommended that residence take it upon their selves to use pesticides to rid a home of these unwanted invaders. Pesticides when mishandled can kill and harm more than just bugs and legally you are liable if your mishandling of pesticides causes any harm to others.

It is a far better idea to just let a professional exterminator handle the parasites. A professional exterminator is trained to thoroughly kill all eggs and developing insects and safely remove the offending insects from your home and can give you valuable insight into steps you can take to avoid another infestation of your home.

If you are looking out for bed bug control new haven based pest control services are dedicated to providing you with timely, safe and competitively-priced service. They are also dedicated to getting results and breaking the pest cycle once and for all. To know more, visit http://www.skpest.com/

Today these adaptations have created what some experts call "Super Lice" which simply means these little bugs are not easy to get rid of and it may take more than one type of product or method to rid your child of head lice. To make your treatments more effective familiarize yourself with these "don'ts" when treating head lice especially when dealing with lice that just won't die with the attempts you have tried.

Don't use a hair dryer on your child's hair shortly after treating the child's scalp with a specific remedy. Some of these products, especially the over the counter pesticide products are highly flammable.

Don't wash the hair or condition before treating or applying the selected head lice remedy.

Don't wash the hair up to 3 days after treatment.

Don't use the same remedy more than 3 times, if the product is not working it is time to try something else.

Don't mix head lice treatments in an effort to make them stronger.

Remember these following treatments are options and may or may not work on your child's head. They are listed here to give you an idea of what may work in your circumstances.

Physical Removal:

This is a time consuming method of picking out nits and lice physically, basically one hair strand at a time. You will need a strong light, preferably natural sun light, a magnifying glass and a nit comb. You will need to comb daily for about 2 weeks with due diligence and patience.

Pyrethoroid Insecticides:

This is an over the counter shampoo that contains a pesticide specifically designed to kill lice. Most of these products will not immediately kill the bugs. If it has worked you will be able to see the results usually by the next morning. Even if it does work, the scalp will need to be treated again in approximately 10 days. These shampoos will not remove the nits (eggs that are attached to the hair shaft) these will need to be removed using a nit comb.

If the insect has not been killed after the first treatment, be sure the specific directions were followed closely, and if that proves to be the case, you are dealing with a lice infestation that is resistant to this insecticide.

Suffocating Agents:

These are usually organic in nature. Food grade oils, combinations of mayonnaise & vinegar, lavender oil etc. all work to suffocate the nits and lice. These mixes need to be applied and left on the hair for up to 3 hours and then are followed by a thorough rinse. The nit comb is also needed to remove the tenacious nits attached to the hair strands. Most of the commercially sold recipes and remedies are not a "witches brew" of ingredients thrown together but are tried and true non-chemical methods to kill lice. Extensive independent research has been done in respect to these treatments independent of the large pharmaceutical manufactures.

Heat

Heated curling irons, blow dryers and hair straightening irons have been proven to kill lice. The danger with this method is that the nits and bugs themselves live on or very close to the scalp. You will need to find a way to apply this method without burning the scalp.

This is a safe and effective method to kill lice on clothes. An iron or a dryer set on the highest setting should kill any lice that may have fallen onto the bed sheets, pillow cases, pajamas or any other in close contact fabrics. All combs and brushes you have been using to treat your child should be heat washed daily, also to kill what has been caught.

Freezing

Objects that cannot be thrown in a dryer or ironed, can be placed in the freezer or placed outside in a plastic bag for several day if it cold.

Cutting the Hair

A radical treatment does work for boys but would be difficult for any female is simply cutting off all the hair. A bald or shaved leaves nothing for lice to attach to. You will be able to see them easier and will prevent further infestation.

What ever remedy or combination of treatments you choose - stay the course. These have all worked at one time or another.

Sue Krippner is a educator and writer but most importantly the mother of 4 and the grandmother of 12. She believes that when it comes the safety and health of kids, no subject is off limits. Familiar with lice both in the classroom and at home she understands the frustration these buggers cause. When her son was discovered with head lice...it was not pleasant but an educational experience - for the whole family!

Visit [http://headlicecontrol.com/lice3.html] for a powerfully effective organic head lice remedy or [http://headlicecontrol.com/product2.html] for a cutting edge nit comb that "zaps" lice and nits dead!

When fire became portable, someone else discovered that smoke caused bees to become more amenable to robbing.

Some time later, a more settled tribe found that they could house bees in baskets or pots, which saved them the trouble of climbing trees to get the honey, and the craft of beekeeping was born. Pots, baskets and logs continued in use for many centuries, and while proficient beekeepers would have understood a good deal of the behaviour of their charges, the inner secrets of the hive remained closed from observers until the end of the 18th century, when a blind Swiss by the name of François Huber found them out through the medium of his faithful - and sighted - servant, Burnens. Huber's New Observations on the Natural History of Bees remains a classic to this day.

Some 30 years later, Jan Dzieraon developed Huber's experimental hive further to create the first truly practical, movable-frame beehive, and shortly afterwards in 1852, Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth publicized and patented his own version. Such was his talent for publicity and marketing that the 'Langstroth' became and remains the standard hive in the USA and the model upon which most other variants are based.

However, this type of hive is expensive to buy, very difficult for amateur woodworkers to build - due to the precise dimensions and many small parts needed for frames - requires constant maintenance, causes great disturbance to the lives of bees, and is heavy and cumbersome in use. Many women, especially, have been put off beekeeping by the weight-lifting needed to harvest honey from a Langstroth-type hive, and hernias are commonplace among commercial beekeepers.

In Nepal, honey-hunting is still practised by men descending cliffs on ropes and using long poles to dislodge chunks of comb. Elsewhere, bees are kept in skeps, baskets, pots, cavities in walls and other containers devised from local materials and - we can deduce from their longevity - more-or-less suitable both for bees and for their keepers. In Africa, probably the original home of the honeybee, the top bar hive was developed as an 'intermediate technology' solution, capable of being constructed using local skills and materials and being, in essence, a beekeeper-friendly hollow log, having the advantages of movable combs but without the need for machine-made parts.

Whatever the accommodation we offer them, our meetings with bees have always been a process of negotiation, albeit somewhat one-sided. We can protect ourselves from them, but they ultimately have no protection from us. The encroachment of chemical agriculture, deforestation and urbanization have reduced their natural habitat, while toxic cocktails of insecticides have poisoned their flowers.

The honeybee has come to be seen as the 'canary in the coal mine' of our civilization and she is showing early warning signs of her imminent demise, to which we must pay urgent attention.

Our challenge now is to re-negotiate our relationship with bees: we must learn to protect and nurture them, rather than simply exploit them, and we need to learn to listen to what they need from us. The process of discovering how we can most effectively do that is the project that myself and others have set ourselves, and we hope that many more will join us and carry this work forward.

We acknowledge the paradox inherent in the phrase 'natural beekeeping': as soon as we consider 'keeping' bees, we begin to stray from what is truly 'natural'. In nature, only bees keep bees.

To be considered 'natural', our beekeeping practice must take into account:

• the natural impulses and behaviour of bees, including - foraging, swarming, storing food and defending their nest
• how hive design affects bees
• the suitability of materials used in hive construction, including considerations of sustainability
• the nature and frequency of our interventions
• the impact of a localized increase in honeybee population on other species of pollinators
• the balance between honey harvesting and the bees' own needs
• the nature of any added inputs - medications, feeding

We are engaged in a process of working towards the ultimately unattainable notion of completely 'natural' beekeeping, while acknowledging that the bees will go their own way regardless of our wishes. Our relationship with them is that of facilitator or minder rather than 'keeper'. We could say that the role of the natural beekeeper is to enable our bees to attain the fullest possible expression of their bee-ness while in our care.

Our overall goal in natural beekeeping is to achieve a state of sustainability: balancing inputs and outputs such that our activities enhance rather than damage the health of our bees, other species and the planet.

To be truly sustainable, a system must be as close to carbon-neutral as it can be, requiring no synthetic inputs and having no detrimental impact on the natural environment. So if we are to continue to have a relationship with honeybees, we have to consider what impact current beekeeping practices have and how our 'natural' approach seeks to improve on this state of affairs.

A typical commercial beekeeping operation is a real energy hog. Lumber - which may or may not come from sustainable sources - is sliced and milled by powered machinery prior to assembly into hive boxes, which are transported by road, sea or rail to be further distributed by road to their apiary sites. Regular visits by beekeepers require oil-derived fuel, and more is needed to fire the boilers to heat the considerable quantities of water needed for sterilizing woodwork and washing down de-cappers, extractors, tanks and floors. More power is needed to retrieve the crop, to extract it and to mix and distribute the sugar syrup needed for the bees' survival following the removal of their stores. Honey must then be filtered, bottled and distributed to wholesalers and thence to retail outlets. Meanwhile, beeswax is recovered by means of steam or boiling water, cleaned and filtered and sent off to be re-melted and turned into sheets of foundation, which are then sold back to the beekeepers for insertion into frames for next season.

Migratory beekeepers in the USA truck hives by the thousands clear across the country for the almond pollination, while in the UK this type of activity is nowadays largely restricted to taking hives up to the moors in August for the heather crop, and some orchard pollination work.

Due to what might be called the Langstroth hegemony, this whole scenario is also enacted in miniature by amateur beekeepers, who largely mimic the activities of their commercial brethren. They may only have a few hives at the bottom of their gardens, but in most cases they have not considered any alternative to the expensive, energy-hungry equipment available from the glossy catalogues of the beekeepers' suppliers.

We know that bees need nothing much more than a dry, ventilated cavity in which to build their nest. Instead, 'modern' beekeepers insist on supplying them with a box full of wooden frames, in which are mounted sheets of wax, helpfully imprinted with oversized 'worker-bee' hexagonal cell bases. A newly-hived swarm of bees must be surprised indeed to find so much done for them: ready-made comb bases hung in neat rows, with spaces all around them for access - what a boon for a busy colony!

But what may at first sight appear to be a great convenience, also has some significant drawbacks. All these imprinted cells are the same size, yet anyone who has observed natural comb knows that cell sizes vary considerably, and not just between workers and drones: worker cells themselves vary in diameter according to rules only bees are aware of. All those dead-straight frames may look neat, but bees don't build dead-straight comb - they like a gentle curve here and there. And if you watch bees building natural comb in an unrestricted space, they hang in chains, legs linked, as if laying out the dimensions of the comb in space as they work above their own heads - something they cannot do on foundation.

So a good deal of so-called 'modern' beekeeping - in fact, virtually unchanged since the mid-19th century - is unsustainable from our point of view, as well as being a nuisance to bees. In terms of honey yield, it is clearly an improvement on logs and skeps, but in terms of bee health and energy efficiency, it has turned out to be a disaster.

The job of the natural beekeeper is to find ways of interacting with bees that are truly sustainable, both for the bees themselves and for the planet.

In The Barefoot Beekeeper, I proposed the following three, simple principles for the 'natural' beekeeper to consider:

1. Interference in the natural lives of the bees is kept to a minimum.
2. Nothing is put into the hive that is known to be, or likely to be harmful either to the bees, to us or to the wider environment and nothing is taken out that the bees cannot afford to lose.
3. The bees know what they are doing: our job is to listen to them and provide the optimum conditions for their well-being, both inside and outside the hive.

These principles seem to me to form a solid foundation for our thinking about how we approach bees and beekeeping. As soon as we step beyond those basic principles and attempt further to define the parameters, we find ourselves in danger of beginning to create a 'book of rules'. And it doesn't take much looking around the world today to see how divisive and destructive other 'books of rules' have been.

'Natural', 'balanced' or 'sustainable' beekeeping - whatever name we give it - is a process, not a destination. We have to remain flexible and always be on the lookout for ways to improve our techniques, so everything in this book is offered in this spirit: indications of what seems to work, always with the possibility that there are even better ways yet to be discovered, or - more likely - re-discovered, as there is really nothing new in beekeeping.

Historically, we began our relationship with bees when somebody discovered that the taste of honey was worth the pain it cost to harvest. We became honey-hunters, and while there were few of us and many of them, this was sustainable.

When somebody discovered that it was possible to offer shelter to honeybees while they made their honey, and then kill them off to raid their stores, we became bee keepers, and while there were few bee keepers and many honeybees, that too was sustainable.

Then someone invented a way to house bees that did not require them to be killed, but instead allowed people to manage and control them to some extent, arranging things so as to trick them into producing more honey for their masters than for themselves, and we became bee farmers. And that was sustainable for a while because there were still many of them and although there were also many of us, we could manipulate their reproduction so as to make more of them as we needed.

Now it has become clear that we have gone too far, for bees have begun to suffer from diseases that were virtually unknown in the old days, and they have to be given medicines in order to keep them alive. And because a whole industry has grown up around the farming of these bees, and there is a lot of money at stake, beekeepers have been slow to change their ways and many could not do so for fear of bankruptcy, and so the health of the honeybees has become worse and they are subject to parasites and viruses that never troubled them in the past.

Meanwhile, we forgot how to grow food in the way that we once had done because we were no longer inclined to labour in the fields, and instead devised clever ways to make the soil support more crops. We poured fertilizers onto our fields and killed off inconvenient creatures with 'pesticides' - defining a whole class of living organisms as our enemies and therefore dispensable. This was never sustainable, and never can be.

And that is where we find ourselves today, and this is the problem we face: bees have become weakened through exploitation and a toxic agricultural system, allied to the impossible expectation of continuous economic growth.

As 'natural beekeepers', our most pressing work is to restore bees to their original, healthy state. We think of ourselves as 'keepers' in the sense of 'nurturing and supporting' rather than 'enslaving'. We must seek to protect and conserve the honeybee by working within their natural capacity, not constantly urging them towards ever greater production. We must challenge the whole agricultural and economic system that has caused us to arrive at this point, because without change at that level, the future for both us and the bees is bleak.

We can make a start by re-establishing more natural, non-violent ways of working with bees: neither we nor they have any need of routine or prophylactic 'treatments' with synthetic antibiotics, fungicides or miticides. We don't need to operate 'honey factories' - we can content ourselves with providing accommodation for bees in return for whatever they can afford to give us. In some years, this may be nothing at all, while in others there may be an abundant harvest.

Such is nature: bees depend on honey for their survival; we do not.

If the price of returning bees to a state of natural, robust health is a little less honey on our toast, is it not a worthwhile sacrifice?

Philip Chandler
Free DIY plans for building a top bar hive are available from the author's web site at http://www.biobees.com - where you will also find a support and discussion forum for top bar beekeeping. The Barefoot Beekeeper is also available from this site.

For best results and total elimination, a comprehensive cleaning of the house, and an insecticide application to infested areas, should be carried out, under the advice of a professional pest control expert. However in cases where that kind of comprehensive treatment is not required or infestation is only suspected, there are several other steps a homeowner can take to kill bed bugs.

Bed bugs come out at night to feed on the blood of the host. So one of the first steps that can be implemented to kill bed bugs is to remove the physical possibility of their traveling from wherever they are hiding to the host at night. This can be done by separating the bed from any adjacent furniture or walls. Legs of the bed can be coated with Vaseline or mineral oil. Coating should be about 2 inches in width. A barrier of silica aerogel or chalk can also be placed around floor of the bed posts.

Another method that can be used is placement of sticky tape on bed posts so that individual bed bugs can be captured. This would also make it possible to identify the infestation clearly. Double sided carpet tape can also be used to trap bedbugs.

It is also possible to physically remove some of the bed bugs and their eggs. One of the many misconceptions about bed bugs is that they cannot be observed by human eyes. In fact they are about a quarter of inch in length and can be seen. They are not much observed because they tend to hide out in dark crevices and only come out at night. After a through examination around the sleeping area they should dislodged by brushing and scraping their hiding places and by immediately vacuuming before they scramble to another hiding place. Trash in the vacuum bag should be sealed and disposed of safely. Any hiding places and crevices found through this method should be caulked and filled up if possible so that they do not offer shelter to bed bugs in the future.

Various insecticides can be used to kill bed bugs. Most such insecticides available commercially can kill lot of other pests like ants and cockroaches as well. Generally insecticides that kill bed bugs come in the forms of aerosols or dusts, and can be sprayed or spread on the bugs and their hiding places. Unlike with some other insects, bed bugs cannot be baited. These insecticides generally remain effective for a long period.

Other methods of killing bed bugs include placing infested furniture and garments in very cold temperature or in the sun for several days. Bed bugs cannot stand cold temperature or heat for long. This method also destroys bed bug eggs. Before reintroducing the furniture so treated to everyday use again, they should be thoroughly inspected.

By regularly carrying out such steps a bed bug infestation may be stopped in an early stage.

Learn how to get rid of bed bugs quickly and easily by visiting http://www.howtopreventbedbugs.com a popular website that provides tips, advice and resources on getting rid of bed bugs so you can avoid having house infested with bedbugs.

During the 20th century DDT almost managed to eliminate these pests however being the true survivor they are, these bug suckers are still obviously around and alarmingly their numbers grow each year. In the US alone an increase of 70% of bed bugs within 5 years are reflected in the datum. An adult bed bug can lay 5 eggs a day or 500 in their entire lifetime. Their ability to survive without a meal for as long as 18 months also make these bugs tough opponents and definite survivors.

Research has shown that the boom of cheap travel to various parts of the world have added to the spike of bed bugs as these pests don't mind the intercontinental travel and are immune to jet lag unlike humans. Just one night spent in a pest ridden motel, hotel, hostel or any infested area is all it takes for these uninvited travel buddies to hitch a ride in your luggage. These bugs are not ones to shy away from other forms of transportation reports also show that trains, tubes, buses and other forms of public transport have been known bug terminals make infestation easy and convenient and less tiring than flying if they had wings.

Extermination can be done using store bought sprays but are often as expensive as hiring a professional pest control expert. Most people find it more economic and convenient to let the experts handle these nasty little buggers. If one were brave enough though to still take the DIY extermination route it is important to follow the same steps experts would take or would require you the homeowner to take when planning to eliminate these pests. Start by stripping the mattress bare of sheets and pile up furniture. Do your laundry, any object that can be washed, should be washed, laundered, dry cleaned etc. it is integral that all objects to be washed must use hot water and high heat this disinfects and ensures that the eggs that are possibly attached to these objects are exterminated. Getting Rid of Bed Bugs can be hard but is crucial to live a calm and peaceful life.

Once washed store in an air tight container, sealed bag or tightly knotted garbage bag it is also best if these items are stored while the rest of the house is still being treated. Vacuuming is essential, sweeping isn't. Vacuum as much of the household as possible and toss the filter contents outside in a bin. At this point you will now proceed to spraying the infested area with contact spray or store bought pesticide that is effective in eliminating bugs. When all else fails its time to call professionals in to do the job so that you can sleep tight and not let the bed bugs bite.

My name is Michele Adams. I love to write about health, hair, fashion, and more. I wrote this article today to share my knowledge on getting rid of bed bugs. When I was infested I went crazy for months trying to find a solution. I want to share everything I learned with all of you. For more information please visit my blog - Bed Bug Signs.

To begin with, the utilisation of leaves that fall to the ground or grass freshly cut from the lawn is important as it saves you so much money. Any plant material of this nature is very close at hand, you can get it from your yard or even sawdust from the local mills. Once this is done a compost heap is the way to go. Nothing more complicated than a good old heap of plants, animal droppings and soil that is watered regularly to promote decay. With time the grass plants will die down and this is when you take a garden fork and carefully throw it in your lettuce, cabbage or spinach patch. Don't forget to mix it with the soil with shallow cultivation.

What is even better is that garden manure feeds not only your plant but the environment in which your plant grows. When the soil structure is improved with time by organic matter, helpful micro-organisms that get rid of disease causing bacteria and viruses also survive and flourish. This promotes a healthy plant environment and the same micro-organisms release nutrients when they die. Manure is also good at keeping waterlogged soils well drained. But that's not all.

Adding leaves and grasses that haven't decayed is a method of conserving soil moisture for plant growth. Mulching will ensure that the direct sun has very little contact with the soil, allowing in just enough to sustain photosynthesis. By so doing your garden remains well watered, and the vegetables grow with no growth strains that affect produce quality. Yet another aspect of mulching is that it discourages the growth of weeds by blocking them from the sun.

But wait, there's more. If you go all out with organic gardening you will soon discover a way to apply nitrogen to your soil without having to waste money on organic fertilisers with nitrogen extracted from plants. Green manure is where you plant green beans or clover and then plough them into the soil when they're smallish. Beans and clover possess nitrogen-fixing bacteria that will boost your soil nitrogen and the greening of your vegetables. Whilst on the footing, growing certain pest repellent plants like neem can work as pesticides for you at a close to zero cost.

The next step is to encourage the breeding and nesting of beneficial insects like lady bugs and hover flies and their corresponding plant associates dill and zinnia. On top of that, the crop rotation cycle is a unique way to protect your plants from pests and diseases that harbor in particular vegetable beds. This is done through growing plants in different vegetable beds all the time: grow peas where you grew carrots.

The use of natural plant and animal material to nourish your garden can be very interesting and exciting. Apart from being healthy alternatives to synthetic materials it gives you the peace of mind that your vegetables are pure of dangerous chemicals. Once you have selected an area with good and well aerated loamy soil and with adequate exposure to the sun and water, go ahead and venture into organic gardening.

Matt Sumerstone enjoys writing about many topics, including sports, gardening, and home improvement. Visit his latest web site where he covers what to look for in outdoor party lighting and outdoor party lights.

Many experts debate if bedbugs are capable of transmitting diseases to humans much like how mosquitoes transmit deadly fevers. Many scientists contend that bedbugs transmit bronchial asthma, but it no formal studies were made as of the moment. When a bed bug bites humans, the attack site is usually characterized by itching, swelling, and rashes, where the bites are usually formed in a row of pinhead-sized holes - one for each meal during the night.

The real threat that bedbugs pose is not directly cause by them. Bedbug bites can cause lack of sleep among its victims along with infections from the wounds that they cause. Proper medical care for wounds is usually sufficient to fix this problem though.

The more serious threat, however, is the wanton use of insecticides which can cause more harm than good. A lot of households in the United States, as soon as they see a bug infestation, rush to the local store to purchase artificial chemical pesticides. A majority of these chemicals are declared safe by the government but many homeowners are not sufficiently trained for their use, increasing the risk for accidental ingestion which can be catastrophic for the family's well-being.

Bedbugs are not very innately mobile, but they can easily transfer from one place to another by riding on vectors, which can range from anything like peoples clothes to luggage that gets transported through air travel. Mature bedbugs, being a very hardy type of insect, can survive prolonged periods of hunger so that they can bear the time it takes to transfer locations.

Even though she is glad they do not transmit diseases, Tina still hates the thought of bedbugs in her house. Her favorite ways to get rid of them are diatomaceous earth or cedar oil!

First, you need to confirm bugs identity. There are several different kinds of insects that resemble bed bugs. Thus, specimens should be carefully compared with good reference images to confirm their identity. If you have any questions concerning the identity of your samples, then submit them to a competent entomologist for evaluation.

Once you are sure that you have bed bugs on hand, devise a good plan how to exterminate them in a way that would guarantee success while limiting unnecessary costs and exposure to insecticides. Don't treat and don't discard furniture until and unless you have a strategy. Infested furniture can be cleaned and treated. Placing infested furniture into common areas or on the street simply will spread bugs to the homes of other people. Infested furniture intended for disposal should be defaced to make it less attractive to other people. Don't panic, bed bugs can be exterminated safely and successfully if you adopt a well-considered strategy. Exterminating a bed bug infestation can certainly be a big task but you should not delay it as the colony can multiply.

If you are like most people, you probably want to save some money and try to exterminate bed bugs on your own. You can search for the products that can be utilized for pest control and then spray and apply them yourself. Be careful and don't apply pesticides unless you fully understand what you are applying and the risks involved. You are legally liable if you misapply a pesticide, or apply it without a license to the property of another (including common spaces in apartment buildings). Only use over the counter sprays and powders that are designed especially for bedbug extermination. Clean each room and remove anything that can be washed. Spray everything else down with your spray and wipe clean. This will help to kill any bugs left over as well as their eggs. Once you have everything wiped down, you should go over everything again with a vacuum cleaner. Do not do a quick vacuuming of the area. Run the vacuum slowly over every surface several times.

It can be a time-consuming process, and in addition, certain sprays are harmful to breathe in because of the chemicals that are used. This would be rather impractical especially if you have children or pets at home. You could cause harm or damage to them if you don't know what you are doing.

If you want to be safe and don't have the time to really clean everything and treat your infested rooms, you may want to hire an exterminator. A professional and licensed exterminator has knowledge and experience in managing bed bug infestations.

Check a company's reputation. Ask the them for references, and ask at least a few clients about their experiences before you agree to any contract. Request a written integrated pest management plan from the professional exterminator. This plan should detail the methods and insecticides to be used by the pest control operator.

Most people buy sprays to kill pests and after their use they think that the pests or bugs won't come back. But it doesn't happen. The pests come back leaving you angry and frustrated.

It's up to you what to do: to exterminate bed bugs on your own or call a professional pest control operator. But keep in mind the proverb: "Miser pays twice". You can save money exterminating bed bugs on your own, but if you fail you will only increase expenses in the future.

Do your homework and it will save you a lot of time, money and frustration. Learn more about choosing a Bed Bugs Exterminator. And when you're ready, find pre-screened local Bed Bugs Exterminators for free.

Further information about this charming creature tells us that bed bugs are scientifically known as "Cimex lectularius". They are wingless with a brownish, ultra-thin body. Various studies indicate these creatures originated from Asia but unfortunately, they can now be seen in all parts of the world. Bed bugs thrive in areas with a warm and dry climate but they have been able to invade the northern regions because of the proliferation of heated buildings. So there is something to be said about living in a cold house. Heating keeps you and your family toasty; so too the bed bugs!

The adult bed bug is ј to 3/8 in length when it is unfed but its size will expand considerably after a hearty meal. (Much like a human after a buffet dinner!) A starving bed bug looks far more different compared to one that is well fed. Young bed bugs or nymphs resemble the adults but have a yellowish color after molting. A nymph can develop into a fully grown bed bug as fast as one month depending on how much it is able to eat, which is not the most pleasant of thoughts.

When they become a pest

Bed bugs start to become a problem when they become hungry for blood, though frankly they will never be a particularly desirable resident in your house. They typically stay in their homes in between meals and are only forced to go out if they are starving. The warmth of a nearby body is what attracts them they can detect a food source up to approximately 5-10cm away.

Bed bugs use their highly developed mouthparts to bite and suck blood from the skin of an unsuspecting person. Engorgement time can last as long as seven minutes or as short as one minute. An adult bed bug can absorb around seven times of its own body weight in blood. The bed bug immediately retreats to its hiding place after feasting and then lays eggs again.

A person will only realize that he has been bitten by a bed bug once he discovers the large wheals in the affected part of the body. These wheals eventually develop into a tiny read mark that will stay for at least two to three days.

Bed bug bites can also be distinguished by the orderly way the wheals are formed, unlike mosquito bites that have a random pattern. It is always advised that the affected area should never be scratched to avoid infection and immediately washed with soap and water.

Bed bugs do prefer any part of the body that has good blood flow so, sorry to say, the reproductive organs will always be included in their list of target spots.

Solving 'em bugs

Treating bed bug bites is only a small part of solving the problem, as the next step is actually getting rid of these unwanted visitors. Those often traveling to areas with a tropical climate are very susceptible to bed bug infestations, as the luggage they carry might become their new home. Seeing bed bugs crawl into boxes, suitcases and belongings is very difficult, as they are tiny, agile and cryptic. Homes not yet infested could inherit this problem from the use of second hand furniture, couches or beds.

Those that want to get rid of bed bugs in beds will have a difficult task at hand. Fabrics with holes and tears are perfect locations for them to lay eggs. During the 40s and 50s the use of DDT, which was developed as the first of the modern insecticides early in World War II, was popular, as it helped minimize the spread of bed bug infestations but was eventually outlawed due to concerns over their effects to humans.

Pest control firms have a wide array instruments to help get rid of beg bugs ranging from pesticides, aerosols and other chemical agents. Beds in poor condition or heavily infested should be automatically discarded. Regardless if the bed is thrown out or not, encasing the box spring and mattress is very helpful especially if the bugs are still there.

Vacuuming could also help in getting rid of bed bugs and some pest control experts even use portable steam machines to treat beds. Whether the infestation is minor or major, bed bugs are always a pest especially for those that want to get a good night's sleep. Perhaps, the most effective way to avoid a bed bug problem is to practice good hygiene and observe cleanliness.

Nat Price is the owner and creator of http://www.superzyme.com/ He is a veritable expert on bed bugs and, more importantly, how to get rid of them. To find out more about these pesky creatures, visit http://www.superzyme.com/

Cartoon makers and animated movies make them like cute little creatures. Thus we find amusing bugs images in modern day kids' books, comic magazines, and commercials with characters imitating human attributes. But to most adults, bed bugs appear nasty because of the known trouble they bring.

2. The Real picture

Bed bugs are so tiny which could be mistaken as ticks and cockroaches because of their physical appearance. They are as small as 1/4 inch in size, with flat oval shape and wingless. They belong to the insect specie Cimicidae and specifically classified in entomology as the "Cimes Lectularius."

Under naked eyes, they look just like tiny apple seeds. One cannot see the real image of bed bugs without an aid of a magnifying tool. To be able to study its external anatomy, it must done through a low powered microscope. Bed bugs appearance and color is similar to young cockroach minus the wings and the long hind legs. Its is reddish brown in color. Tiny hairs running across their backs form stripes. The bed bug's armor are translucent especially those of the young ones. Like other insects, their body support is the armor itself, meaning they have no bones. Their body is shaped as flat and oval. They grow to a size of about 5mm or .039 inch. Its size and shape enables them to hide in intricate crevices of beds and furnitures and dark places around the house.

Just by looking at them, it would appear that they are tiny innocent and harmless creatures. But if we will closely examine their lifestyle, it will be found that they employ a very smart system of feeding, traveling and reproducing.

2. Feeding

Bed bugs are nocturnal insects who sleep by day and active at night time. They are attracted to human body temperature and carbon dioxide it exhales. They attack their victims at the time they are fast asleep which is about 4 am or an hour before dawn. These pests have two hollow tubes as their mouth which pierces the skin of their host. One of the tubes injects saliva with anticoagulants and anesthetics. The other one is used to suck blood. The anesthetic substance keeps them feeding unnoticed until they are full. They do this for several minutes. When they are done, the itchiness could only be felt after an hour and swelling of skin could happen.

3. Traveling

Bed Bugs travel with humans as they migrate from one place to another. They travel in their luggage, beddings, in the furnitures that get transported. Experts even propose that Bed Bugs followed humanity from the age of the cavemen to civilization. They cannot fly nor jump but they are sure good crawlers. If one may find a nesting ground, they scamper away like ants upon a sense of vibration and appearance of light. They go on top of a bed or furniture by crawling through the crevices of walls and ceilings then fall down. That is why to catch them, it is best to do it by waking up slowly at an hour before dawn then make use of a flashlight to beam on their suspected hiding place in the mattresses, beddings, chairs and sofas or places that people used to rest and stay.

4. Reproducing

Bed bugs multiply very productively. Its eggs are almost invisible to the naked eye. So minuscule and light weight they can be carried by dusts and wind. It is resilient that it can hatch itself without the aid of its mother after about 10 days. Bed Bugs can get pregnant 500 times in its lifetime. It can fertilize 300 eggs in one pregnancy then lay them at about 5 eggs per day. This is the reason why female pregnant bed bugs get enlarged than the male counterparts.

Pictures of bed bugs show that their external armor protects them from environmental hazards and pesticides. Only a few chemicals are effective in killing them. The most effective was the DDT that almost eradicated their species in the United States in the 1950s. However, due to health hazard concern to humans they were banned in the 60s.

5. There are two ways to control bed bugs infestation. Chemical and non-chemical methods

Chemical Methods
Two popular forms are the inorganic diatomaceous earth and the silica aerogel. They are desiccants placed in their hiding places to dehydrate the bugs. The chemicals are safe for humans and domestic animals. Pyrethroids are liquid insecticide chemicals used as repellant to prevent bed bugs from creeping back into possible hiding places.

Non-chemical Method
a) Vacuum Cleaning -daily vacuuming of mattresses, furnitures, beddings and crevices of places where bed bugs hide. Content of the vacuum bag must be burned or disposed of carefully.
b) Steam clean and Hot drying - Steam cleaning and hot drying of beddings, carpets and curtains.
c) Housekeeping - Maintain good housekeeping of hiding places like cabinets, drawers, stockrooms, etc.

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