It's been a half-dozen years or so since bed bugs made a big, unwelcome comeback into the homes and consciousness of NYC apartment dwellers. In the 2011 fiscal year, complaints to 311 peaked at 13,140. By mid-2013, the number of 311 complaints dropped to 9,233, according to this article, with pest control experts attributing the fall to better education about how to spot bed bugs and what to do if you've got them., one of the country's largest online retailers of anti-bed-bug gear."There’s not as much panic from New Yorkers as there was in 2010 and 2011," Greenberg confirms. "The panic aspect has migrated west as New York has made it through the worst part, which was the lack of education and awareness about bed bugs. We spend less time talking consumers off the ledge when often times they are not even sure they have bed bugs. Most, but not all, have become more educated about bed bugs and what their telltale signs are."Product-wise, says Greenberg, "It has become less popular to purchase sprays to try and keep bed bugs away as they are not very effective unless applied in a targeted manner by a professional.
The business from New York now tends to be more from people that are sure they have a problem and from building managers needing products for ongoing control."So what are New York City residents ordering most when the bed bugs start biting these days?, which pays BrickUnderground a portion of sales generated here, at no additional cost to you. How to bed bug proof your NYC apartmentHow bed bugs spread through apartment buildingsHow to tell a bed bug from an imposterCan you get bed bugs and lice in the communal laundry room?Finding an apartment without bed bugsBedbugged! She's lived through it. And she doesn't want to freak out.The price of bed bugs: $4,100 (extermination not included)About that bed bug insurance bill...The best advice I can give youBed bugs like to live in protected, small locations where they can aggregate together and not be readily noticed. Bed bugs are typically found hiding in cracks and crevices in bedrooms, and mattress covers are no exception. Infested mattresses, comforters, cushioned furniture and mattress covers may show bed bug fecal smears, which are the dried excrement of bed bugs.
Maturing bed bug nymphs molt or shed their skins during their development; these skins can sometimes be found in or around infested materials. In addition, bed bugs themselves are often visible if the source is examined closely enough. The seams of mattresses and mattress covers, especially on the underside, make great bed bug hiding places. In addition, mattresses, mattress covers and other parts of the bed are very close to where people spend much of their time, so feeding bed bugs do not need to expend very much energy to find a suitable blood meal and their host location stimuli such as body heat and carbon dioxide are relatively easy to focus on. Bed Bugs Crawling on Over-the-counter sprays prove largely ineffective in treating bed bug infestations. Vacuuming and laundering at high temperatures provides short-term relief, but if there are bed bugs on a mattress cover, it is likely that bed bugs and their eggs are also present within the mattress, sheets and elsewhere within a home.
If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact your local pest control management professional for an evaluation. How to identify Bed Bugs? Learn what Bed Bugs look like, and how to detect if you have a Bed Bug Infestation. How do you get Bed Bugs? Find out how Bed Bugs infiltrate your home and where they are attracted to. How serious are Bed Bugs? Learn about Bed Bug bites. their feces and how they can impact your health. Learn how Orkin handles Bed Bugs, homeopathic cures and the cost of Bed Bug extermination services. Bed Bugs in Comforters Bed Bugs in Offices Bed Bugs in Pillows Bed Bug Organic Cures Natural HomeopathicThe common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a small, nocturnal insect – feeding on blood and causing itchy bites on humans. The pests are reddish or brown in color, with a flat, oval shape body and an adult may grow to be the size of 4-7mm (about the size of Abraham Lincoln’s head on a penny). Young bed bugs are smaller and lighter in color.
Bed bugs are primarily active at night and will feed on humans when they are sleeping. Adult bed bug after feeding. Bed bugs can come from a variety of locations. Most commonly, they are transported to people’s homes via clothing and/or luggage from hotels, motels and resorts, as well as many other high traffic sources including movie theaters, apartments, dormitories, parks and cabins. Bed bugs are very successful hitchhikers, moving from an infested site to bedding, baggage, boxes, and clothing with ease. Although they typically feed on blood every five to ten days, bed bugs are very resilient and are capable of surviving over a year without feeding. Bites from bed bugs can be painless, but may become itchy later and can look like small reddish welts. They do not have nests, but tend to live in hiding places that provide them easier access to people that they can feed from. Common hiding places in the home can be in mattresses, box springs, headboards, nightstands, baseboards and even in cracks in walls.
Baby bed bug feeding on a human. While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they generally only appear in dark conditions. You may have been bitten by bed bugs if you wake up with itchy areas on your skin that you didn't have before falling asleep. You can spot a possible bed bug infestation by looking for the following indicators: Bed bugs on a mattress. Although they are a nuisance, bed bugs have not been found to transmit any human diseases. Consider encasing both the mattress and box spring in a protective cover like those used for allergy relief to eliminate access to your mattress by bed bugs. Mattress encasements will seal the mattress and box spring, keeping bugs in the mattress trapped (where they will eventually die) while also keeping new bugs out. While an encasement will not keep bed bugs from crawling onto a bed and biting a sleeping person, it will be easier to spot and destroy any bugs residing on the outer surface during examination. Without an encasement, once a mattress becomes infested, you should consider replacing it since treating your bed and pillows with pesticides can be harmful.