For many years the phrase “Don’t let the bedbugs bite!” was simply a saying; unfortunately, for many people this is no longer the case. In the last several years bed bugs have made a resurgence to become a much more common and difficult to control problem. One of the problems with bed bug infestations is a lack of awareness to the problem until it gets out of hand.
Bed bug bites typically don’t cause any pain, and frequently go unnoticed for several months until our bodies develop an allergic reaction to the bite. Once people begin to develop this allergy to the bed bug saliva they often don’t associate it with bed bugs and begin to look for other sources. It is also common to have one person in a household develops a reaction to the bite sooner than others. This only contributes to the belief that it is something else, thinking that everyone would have the bite marks if they really were bed bugs. The best thing to do is call a professional exterminator with experience in controlling bed bugs if you reasonably suspect there may be an infestation.
Some homeowners attempt to control bed bugs on their own and only call a professional when their attempts fail. Unfortunately, often this can spread the infestation and make exterminating them even more difficult and costly. Again, the best method of control is to call us at the first sign of an infestation so we can eliminate it at the onset. If you think you may have bed bugs, give us a call and we will come perform a free inspection to confirm the bed bugs’ presence and discuss control options.
Once a bed bug infestation has been confirmed there are a variety of treatment options. At Scout, we provide a thorough treatment to eliminate both the adult pests and the bed bug eggs. These treatments are intense and do require a significant amount of work by the homeowner as well as our technicians. When we confirm infestation we will give you a prep list that will need to be completed in order to prepare for the treatment.
Green Bed Bug Control
We also offer a low impact treatment for bed bugs! While bed bugs are a concern, for many people exposure to pesticides also presents a concern. There are several options these days to get rid of bed bugs without risking exposure to traditional pesticides.
Heat treatments Heat treatments involve raising the temperature in the treatment area to levels higher than those that bed bugs can withstand. Done right this treatment effectively kills adults, nymphs, and eggs. Heat treatments can be very effective, generally ensuring 100% elimination of the bed bugs and eggs – even in homes with lots of clutter. Generally with heat treatments it is best to perform a whole home treatment, rather than trying to “spot treat” individual rooms or areas. With bed bug heat treatments experience is key. The success of the treatment depends on the operator ensuring even heat distribution and air-flow through the treated area, and on making sure temperatures reach a level high enough to kill all adults and eggs. There is also a possibility of heat damaging sensitive electronics, sensitive items will need to be removed during treatment. One downside to heat treatments is there is no residual control of the bed bugs after treatment is performed, so if there is a possibility that they may be reintroduced again then this could be a concern. At Scout we don’t perform heat treatments, but we can refer customers to an operator that can provide this service if needed.
Freeze treatments This treatment involves pumping extremely cold liquids into areas that bed bugs could be hiding. This method has the potential to damage plumbing and/or wiring inside walls, and technician experience and attention to detail is critical! This is a newer form of treating for bed bugs, and not one we currently offer. It should not be considered as a stand alone treatment, but may be effective as a PART of a larger approach to controlling an infestation.
Eco Friendly treatment With recent innovations in green pest control technology we are happy to offer another green pest control option. This is using a combination of products, which are either made from natural compounds like sand, or from plants and essential oils, and biologicals that target specific types of insects. These products offer a great residual varying from 3 months to several years, and have been proven effective through extensive field testing. Using the Green option we can effectively control for bed bugs now, and provide a relatively long-lasting residual protection against future infestations. These products are a little pricier than using traditional products, but they are a great option in the fight against bed bugs!
For answers to any questions or to schedule an inspection at your home, give us a call at (256) 216-1088! Alternatively you can email us at info@scoutpestcontrol.com, or fill out the contact form and we will call you!