Bed Bug Control

What are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are insects found across the world who feed on the blood of other animals. They pierce the skin with their two feeding tubes, each of which has a specific purpose; one tube injects the bed bug’s saliva, which contains painkillers and anticoagulants, into the victim’s blood, while the other tube is used to draw the blood of the host. This process leaves behind the distinct red sores commonly associated with the insect. 

Adult bed bugs are wingless insects with oval-shaped, flat bodies in a red-toned brown colour. They typically measure roughly 5mm in length and, depending on the amount of blood they’ve consumed, between 1mm to 3mm wide. Whereas bed bugs in their early stages of life, often referred to as nymphs, are much lighter in colour and appear almost translucent under a light.

Life Cycle of a Bed Bug

Did you know: An adult bed bug can lay dormant without food for up to a year!

With an abundance of food available, bed bugs can grow rapidly. Plus, female bed bugs will lay around 4 to 5 eggs each day, so it’s clear to see just how quickly a bed bug infestation can become out of control. 

Bed bugs have a life cycle that includes seven steps on average, beginning as an egg and then transitioning to a nymph for a number of iterations before reaching its adult stage. This life cycle takes roughly ten weeks on average; however, blood meals are required before the bed bug can move on to its next stage, so if there’s no available food source, it cannot grow.

Are Bed Bugs Harmful?

Most pests cause structural damage to properties and spread diseases wherever they go, but bed bugs don’t do either of those things. Unfortunately though, this doesn’t mean they aren’t harmful. Bed bugs cause a number of problems for people living in infested properties, including:

• Bites – Bed bugs take advantage of your stillness while you sleep and use this time to feed as much as possible on your blood. Thanks to the anaesthetic and anticoagulants in their saliva, many people don’t realise they have been bitten until a day or two after, when it turns red and itchy. While bed bug bites are mostly harmless, they can be very painful and itchy, creating discomfort that will last around a week or two. Scratching at your bed bug bites also increases your risk of developing a secondary skin condition or infection, so it’s vital to keep them clean and use an anti-itch cream if possible.
• Allergies – While it’s rare, bed bugs can cause severe allergic reactions for some people and unfortunately, you don’t know if you’re allergic until it’s too late. In some cases, bed bug bites will trigger anaphylaxis which requires immediate medical attention. Mild reactions are common and often present in rashes and itchiness but can usually be treated rather quickly with antihistamines and topical creams.
• Psychological Issues – Bed bug infestations are a common cause of anxiety and stress for a lot of people. The feeling of discomfort in your own home, added to by waking up to numerous bites every morning, can play havoc with your mental well-being. Plus, bed bug infestations can severely impact your sleeping pattern, further impacting your mental health.

Can I Get Rid of Bed Bugs Myself?

Although the internet is full of DIY bed bug solutions, and your local shop sells a ‘guaranteed bed bug treatment’, we strongly advise against attempting to remove a bed bug infestation yourself. DIY treatments are not effective, as bed bugs are notoriously challenging pests to remove. 

Unless you remove the infestation fully by destroying all bed bugs in all stages of their lives, then your problem will return in a matter of weeks – rendering your attempts futile and placing you right back at square one!

If you’re suffering from a bed bug problem, you’re better off leaving it to the professionals. We have the professional-grade equipment and effective solutions to successfully remove a bed bug infestation in full, so call now on 01622 296055, and we’ll have your property bed bug free in no time.

Preventing a Bed Bug Infestation

While you can’t remove a bed bug infestation yourself, there are a couple of things you can do around the home to prevent bed bugs, including:

• Regular hoovering of your carpets and upholstery, particularly around your bed
• Use a mattress protector and regularly wash your bedding on a hot wash
• Check and inspect around the seams of your mattress for signs of bed bugs
• After travelling, make sure to check suitcases and luggage for signs of bed bugs
• If buying second-hand furniture, check them thoroughly for bed bugs and give them a clean before bringing them into your home

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

The most common sign of a bed bug infestation is their bites. Red and itchy bites all over your body are definite signs of bed bugs, especially if you wake up with them. Other commons signs of bed bug infestations include:

• Live bed bugs on your mattress or soft furnishings. They can be difficult to see due to their size, but a bright torch will help.
• An unexplainable sickly scent that is unpleasant in your bedroom.
• Small spots of blood on your sheets from the bites.
• Bed bug moults that are brown in colour and usually dried up after they shed their skin.
• Small, black spots or stains on your mattress thanks to bed bug excretion.

If you’ve noticed any of the signs listed above on your property, then it’s highly likely you’re suffering from a bed bug problem. If so, you need our help! Book your survey today by calling 01622 296055, and our technicians will be out to identify and treat your problem pest.

Pest-Tech’s Bed Bug Treatments

In order to effectively remove the infestations in full, we have a wide range of bed bug treatments available, including heat treatments, sprays and ULV fogging. We’ve been in the game long enough to know that every pest problem is different, and not all treatments are suitable for all properties. To decide on the most appropriate treatment for your infestation, we first begin by thoroughly inspecting the affected areas as part of our site survey. 

Following the survey, we make a treatment plan tailored to you. Please rest assured that all of our bed bug treatments are safe for humans and pets. If you would like to discuss our available bed bug treatments in Maidstone in more detail, please contact us today.

Commercial Bed Bug Extermination

Businesses are also at risk of bed bug infestations as anyone can bring them in. Establishments like hotels and hostels are particularly at risk due to the high volumes of different people from all over the place sleeping in the beds each night. Unfortunately, bed bug infestations in hotels are not looked upon kindly and can have a lasting impact on your company’s reputation.

We’ve helped numerous hotel chains across Maidstone and Kent to remove bed bug infestations in full using our discreet commercial bed bug control services. If you’ve noticed signs of bed bugs on your commercial premises, we’re here to help. 

Check out our commercial pest control services for more information, or contact your local technician now on 01622 296055 to book a site survey. 

Local Bed Bug Removals Near You

We’ve been delivering bed bug removals and control treatments to homes and businesses across Kent for years, so you know you’re in safe hands. Check out our areas we cover page to find your local technician or call 01622 296055 now to book your site survey and well have your home pest-free in no time. 

If you’re suffering from bed bug bites and sleepless nights, enough is enough! Contact us now to book your bed bug treatment, available to homes and businesses across Maidstone and the surrounding areas of Kent.