Tag Archives: bed bug removal

Where do bed bugs come from? And why are they in my home? 

If you’re wondering about the origins of those pesky bed bugs that have invaded your home, you’re not alone! Bed bugs have been a source of frustration for homeowners and travellers alike, and understanding where they come from and why they’ve chosen your home as their new residence is essential to effectively combating these unwelcome guests. In this blog post, we will answer all your most pressing bed bug questions and explore the factors that can lead bed bugs to enter your home. By gaining insight into their habits you’ll be better equipped to prevent and address these nocturnal nuisances.

Summary: 

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of many animals, including humans. These insects have flat oval-shaped bodies and are brown to redish-brown colour. 

Bed bugs are primarily active at night and are attracted to the carbon dioxide humans exhale, as well as the warmth of sleeping bodies. They typically feed for several minutes before returning to their hiding places. Infestations are typically found in areas where people sleep, such as beds, mattresses, and upholstered furniture, but they can also hide in cracks and crevices throughout a room. 

Their bites can cause itchy welts on the skin, and their presence can lead to anxiety and stress. Bed bug infestations are challenging to eradicate, as they reproduce quickly and are becoming increasingly resistant to many pesticides

Bed Bug Close Up

What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are small, flat, and oval-shaped insects. Their size and shape can help distinguish them from other common household pests, such as fleas or ticks. However, their ability to hide in cracks and crevices makes them expert hiders and can make them challenging to spot. 

Here’s what to look for when identifying bed bugs: 

  • Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, measuring approximately 5-10 mm in length
  • They have a flat, oval-shaped body, which allows them to easily hide in cracks and crevices.
  • Bed bugs can vary in colour depending on how recently they have fed.
    • When they have not fed recently they can appear translucent or brown in colour depending on their age. 
    • After a blood meal, they become engorged and turn reddish-brown, this can make them slightly larger and more noticeable.
  • Bed bugs have six legs short legs. 
  • They have two antennae on their heads, but these are not easily visible without close inspection.
  • Bed bugs are wingless insects and do not have the ability to fly or jump.

How can bed bugs get into my home?

Bed bugs typically enter homes by hitchhiking on some sort of object or person. Though their movement is limited to crawling they are adept at hiding and are often overlooked. 

Here are some common ways bed bugs can get into homes:

  • Used Furniture: Buying used furniture, particularly mattresses, couches, and upholstered items, can introduce bed bugs into a home. If the furniture was infested with bed bugs, they may still be hiding within it, ready to spread to your living space.

  • Secondhand Clothing: Bed bugs can also hide in secondhand clothing, especially if it has been stored in an infested environment or was previously owned by someone with a bed bug problem. Though thrift stores and consignment shops do their best to eliminate bed bugs there is still some level of risk when shopping at these locations. 

  • Visitors: If someone who has a bed bug infestation visits your home, they could accidentally bring bed bugs with them. Bed bugs can crawl onto their clothing or belongings and then transfer to your furniture or bedding.

  • Neighboring Infestations: In multi-unit housing, such as apartments or condominiums, bed bugs can migrate from one unit to another through wall voids, electrical outlets, and plumbing. Infestations in neighbouring units can easily spread to your home.

  • Used Books and Electronics: Bed bugs can hide in the bindings of books and in the crevices of electronics, such as laptops and gaming consoles. Purchasing used items of this nature can introduce bed bugs into your home.

  • Laundry Facilities: In shared laundry rooms or laundromats, bed bugs can crawl onto clothing, especially if infested items are placed in the same machines as your own.

How can I avoid bringing bed bugs into my home?

To reduce the risk of bed bug infestations, it’s essential to be cautious when travelling and inspect used items before bringing them into your home. If you suspect an infestation, it’s advisable to seek professional pest control assistance promptly.

How do I know if I have a bed bug problem? How do I check for bed bugs? 

To determine if you have a bed bug problem, you should look for a combination of signs and symptoms. Here are some key indicators of a bed bug infestation:

  • Bed bug bites on the body 
  • Blood stains on the mattress 
  • Black feces spots on the mattress 
  • Eggs & Molted skins on the mattress

For more details on how to perform a thorough search, check out our blog post: How to Check for Bed Bugs

If you suspect a bed bug infestation, it’s essential to take action promptly. Bed bugs can reproduce quickly, and infestations tend to worsen over time. Consider contacting a professional pest control expert to conduct a thorough inspection and develop a plan for extermination if necessary. Attempting to eliminate bed bugs on your own can be challenging and often requires specialized knowledge and treatment methods.

Terminix Tech Searching for Bed Bugs

How to get rid of bed bugs

If you suspect or confirm a bed bug infestation, it’s highly recommended to contact a licensed pest control expert with experience in bed bug eradication. Professional pest control companies have the knowledge, expertise, and specialized tools to effectively eliminate bed bugs. They can assess the extent of the infestation, determine the most appropriate treatment method, and ensure safe and thorough eradication.

Are you in need of bed bug extermination services? Terminix Canada has you covered! We use safe and non-toxic bed bug treatments to effectively eliminate bed bug populations of any size and severity. We offer expert pest & wildlife control services for both residential and commercial properties with locations across Canada including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Call us today to get rid of your bed bug problem for good!

Bed Bug FAQs

How big are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small insects that vary in size depending on their life stage and feeding status. Generally, adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, which is approximately 5-10 mm long. They are oval-shaped and flat, which allows them to hide in cracks and crevices.

Can you see bed bugs?

While bed bugs are small they are still visible to the naked eye, especially if you know where to look. 

Do bed bugs have wings? Can bed bugs fly? 

No, bed bugs do not have wings and they cannot fly, they rely on crawling to move from place to place. 

Do bed bugs jump?

No, bed bugs cannot jump. Instead, bed bugs move by crawling and hitchhiking on luggage, clothing and other belongings. 

How long do bed bugs live?

Bed bugs can live anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on factors such as temperature, access to blood meals, and environmental conditions. 

Where do bed bugs hide? 

Bed bugs are skilled at hiding in cracks and crevices such as in and around mattresses, box springs, and bed frames. They can also hide in upholstered furniture, behind wallpaper, in electrical outlets, behind baseboards, in clothing, in luggage, and even behind picture frames or within cluttered belongings.

How long can bed bugs survive without eating? 

Bed bugs can survive for over a year without a blood meal.

What do bed bug bites look like?

Bed bug bites typically appear as small, itchy, reddish welts on the skin, often clustered together in groups or lines. They may have a linear or zigzag pattern and are commonly found on exposed skin areas. However, not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, and the itching can vary in intensity.

How to Check for Bed Bugs

The Greater Toronto area including Oakville, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Scarborough and Oshawa has become a hotspot of bed bug activity and cases have only risen since the COVID-19 pandemic started. People started opting to visit each other in their homes instead of public spaces, bringing the unwanted hitchhikers along with them.

Toronto area homeowners who suspect they may have bed bugs should act quickly to identify the problem and determine if they need to call a pest control service to complete a bed bug removal treatment. Bed bug infestations grow notoriously fast and treating a smaller infestation is significantly easier than a large one. Unfortunately the less conspicuous nature of smaller infestations makes them harder to identify. In this article we will go through the key indicators of an infestation and walk you through how to do your own mattress check to determine if you are sharing your sleeping quarters with bed bugs.

Can bed bugs fly?

No – bed bugs cannot fly nor can they jump. Phew! They are also quite slow maxing out their speed at about 3 to 4 feet per minute. This is likely why most bed bugs don’t stray more than 30 feet from where they are feeding.

What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are very good at staying hidden and come out to feed only when you are resting. This is why actually seeing a bed bug isn’t the most reliable way to tell if there’s an infestation. It is also easy to mistake them for carpet beetles or other insects. If you have already noticed a creepy crawly around your home look for these key traits to know if it may be a bed bug.

  • 2 – 5 mm long depending on the age
  • Flat oval shaped body
  • Adults have consistent reddish brown colour
  • Young nymphs are either colourless or a light yellow colour all over
Bed bug

TIP

Look for uniform colouration all over the body. Many other beetles, including carpet beetles have speckled patterns on their backs.

Carpet Beetle
Carpet Beetle – Source: Udo Schmidt – Anthrenus verbasci

What do bed bug bites look like?

Contrary to what you may think, noticing red bites on your skin is not a concrete sign of bed bugs. Small red bumps could be caused by other insects such as mosquitos, or be related to eczema or hives. The reason their bites are so hard to identify is because everybody’s body reacts to them differently and on some people they are not visible at all. This is why the best way to tell if you have bed bugs is a mattress inspection.

Can I starve out bed bugs?

Bed bugs can live for months without a blood meal and in some laboratory experiments they have survived over a year without eating! Trying to starve out bed bugs is not an effective solution to an infestation.

How to check for bed bugs?

To perform a bed bug mattress check you’ll want to use a flashlight and a rigid flat tool such as a credit card or paint scraper to help pry open and illuminate small cracks. Bed bugs like to hide in very small spaces and this is where you will find the clearest evidence of them. Bed bugs are primarily found in mattresses and in the cushions of furniture that is used frequently. Start your search there and then expand to other common hiding spots as listed below.

Common Bed Bug Hiding Spots:

  • Seams and tags of mattresses
  • Seams and joints of upholstered furniture
  • Between pillows
  • Between carpeting and the walls
  • In the folds of curtains
  • Around the the edge of the ceiling especially in the corners
  • Around electrical sockets
Bug bed mattress inspection

As you do your search look for the following:

  • Blood stains
  • Black feces spots
  • Eggs & Molted skins

Blood Stains

Small reddish brown blood splotches are created when a bed bug gets crushed, usually from someone sitting or lying down on it. Look for them on your sheets and mattress especially.

Feces spots

Black spots about the size of a pen tip are a sign of bed bug feces. They also bleed like a marker would on fabric. Look for them everywhere in your search on your sheets and mattress and in all the crevices in which bed bugs might hide.

Eggs & Molted skins

Eggs are also roughly the size of the tip of a pen (1mm) and pale yellow in colour. You may find them whole or crushed as they are molted and discarded when a bed bug matures. Look for these in all the bed bug hiding spots listed above.

Common bed bug signs

If you do spot some of these signs it’s time to contact your local pest control experts. They will be able to confirm whether you have bed bugs or not and work with you to find a solution that fits your situation. Bed bugs are notoriously hard to control and an infestation can grow rapidly so time is of the essence.

Terminix uses safe & non-toxic bed bug treatments to effectively eliminate bed bug populations of any size and severity. We offer expert pest control services across Canada including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Call us today to learn how we can help.

How To Test For Bed Bugs & Tell If A Room Has Them

Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

As you can guess from the name, bed bugs usually live in bedrooms, nearby beds, and other sleeping areas. They feed on warm-blooded animals to survive and therefore are attracted to the spaces where they congregate. For whatever reason, that science still hasn’t discovered, bed bugs seem to prefer humans over other warm-blooded animals.

Where Do You Find Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are super small, even smaller than an apple seed at 4-5 mm long. Therefore, it can be very difficult to spot bed bugs unless you are actively searching for them. Even if you are looking, it can still be tough to spot them unless you know where to look.

Bed Bugs In The Bedroom

In order to easily feed on humans, bed bugs make their homes as close to us as possible. Therefore, they often congregate in bedsprings, headboards, and bed framing. You may also spot them on or in furniture and fixtures nearby the bed.

Bed Bugs In Chairs And Soft Furnishings

Once a bed bug has entered the room, they will settle near their food source. This is also why chairs and other soft furnishings can be just as attractive as the bed to set up their shelter.

Despite the name, bed bugs don’t just bite you in bed. They will bite you anytime they are nearby, and when you are settled into one spot for a long period of time, such as a couch watching television, a computer desk where you are working, and so on.

How To Test For Bed Bugs And Inspect Your Room

Unfortunately, the idea that bed bugs can only be found in cheap hostels or dirty motels is a misconception. They are common in hotels, motels, and hostels because people are frequently moving in and out of those locations and can carry bed bugs with them on their clothing or in their suitcases. Ultimately, it’s possible to pick up bed bugs in 5-star hotels as well as inexpensive hostels.

No matter where you are staying, you should still be testing for bed bugs. By being proactive, you could save yourself a lot of money, time and effort in having to eradicate bed bugs from your home upon your return.

Signs To Look For When You Test For Bed Bugs Include:

Live bugs — Inspect the mattress, pillows, blankets, linens, cushions and chairs. This is where you may spot live bugs. Bear in mind, you could still have a bed bug infestation with no visible bed bugs, so it’s important to look for the below signs as well.

Stains — Bed bugs leave brown droppings that stain mattresses, pillows, and other soft fabric materials. These spots are very small, less than a millimetre, so you’ll have to look very closely. They tend to appear in clusters and look similar to ink stains. However, you may also spot small red or brown stains that can appear when a bed bug is squashed.

Eggs and eggshells — Bed bug eggs or eggshells are just as tiny as the stains, about a millimetre in diameter, but they appear yellowish instead of brown. If you are not aware of an existing infestation, it can be very difficult to spot the eggs. However, if you’re closely inspecting these surfaces, then you should be able to spot proof of eggs.

What To Do If You Find Signs Of Bed Bugs

If you have spotted signs of bed bugs, the first thing to do is remove yourself and your belongings from the room. After you’re away from the infestation, it’s important to closely inspect all of your clothing and belongings that were in the room. You want to make sure that none of the bed bugs have crawled into your stuff. The only thing worse than being kicked out of your room due to bed bugs, would be accidentally bringing them home on top of it.

Once you and your belongings have been safely evacuated, it’s important that you inform the owners about the problem. Whether it’s a friend’s house that you’re staying at or a hotel, if they aren’t made aware of the issue, they can’t fix it. Instead of moving to a different room in the same building, you should rebook your stay at a different building altogether to be safe. If one room is infested with bed bugs, it is quite possible that some of the other rooms are as well, especially ones directly above or beside the room you were in.

Bed Bugs Outside The Bedroom While Travelling

Bed bugs don’t exclusively eat at night. They will eat during any time of the day, but they require their hosts to be still long enough to feed. They are opportunistic eaters, which means they don’t mind if the host is awake.

Besides hotels, there are many different places you may encounter bed bugs while either travelling or just exploring your own city. Essentially, the risk of encountering bed bugs is high in any space where there is high human turnover and soft, fabric materials. Some of these locations are much more public and therefore difficult to test for bed bugs. This includes:

  • Movie theatres
  • Restaurants
  • Planes
  • Trains
  • Buses
  • Taxi cabs
  • Thrift shops
  • Hospitals

Basically, anywhere that you are still for prolonged periods of time leaves you, victim, to possible bed bug bites.

How Do Bed Bugs Spread?

Bed bugs are fast. Despite their size, they crawl quickly and can complete a meal in 3-10 minutes. A bed bug population can double every sixteen days, and they can quickly and effortlessly spread a full-blown infestation in a home, hotel or wherever else they choose by simply running from room to room.

Not only are they speedy, but they’re seasoned travelers. They can effortlessly hide in your clothing, suitcases, purses or other belongings to spread to different houses, cities, or even countries.

How To Test For Bed Bugs Before You Leave

The only sure-fire way to ensure you are not the one spreading a bed bug infestation is to make sure you don’t have bed bugs in your home.

Packing Tips

  • Thoroughly look through your clothing and suitcases for signs of bed bugs
  • Cover your luggage in plastic to prevent bed bugs from crawling into your luggage from other people’s
  • Hard-shell suitcases and better at protecting your stuff from bed bugs than soft-shell

When You Arrive At Your Hotel, Hostel, or Airbnb:

  • Thoroughly inspect the rooms you are staying in
  • Inspect the cushions, bedding, mattresses, and linens to see if they contain any staining or eggs
  • Don’t be lazy – inspect the entire bed area, including the headboard and frame
  • Pro tip: Before inspection, place your luggage directly into the bathtub to make sure your belongings aren’t infested while you’re performing your bed bug test

What To Do Before You Return Home

Before leaving, you should wash all your clothes (in as hot as possible water and/or a hot dryer) before packing them back up. Additionally, be sure to check your suitcase closely for bed bugs before packing up.

If you are unable to wash your clothes before departing, then pack them in airtight plastic bags and put them in the wash as soon as you return home.

How To Test For Bed Bugs When Returning Home

No matter how many precautions you take, sometimes these sneaky buggers find a way to follow you home anyway. To make sure they don’t survive long in your home:

  • Inspect your luggage as soon as you come home, and preferably outside of your home in the driveway or garage
  • Take a flashlight and carefully inspect every single nook and cranny of your suitcase
  • Wash your clothing as soon as you arrive home, and whatever you do, don’t place the dirty clothing on your bedroom floor or bed

What To Do If Bed Bugs Hitched A Ride To Your Home?

Checking for bed bugs while you travel can save you a huge headache when you return. If you spotted anything that you believe to be bed bugs or evidence of bed bugs, do not bring your suitcase into the house. Leave it outside and give our bed bug exterminators a call ASAP.

If you accidentally brought the infested suitcase inside, don’t move it around anymore. Leave it exactly where you left it and call in the bed bug exterminators. Bed bugs are more likely to travel and move around when they are disturbed. At this point, you are performing damage control and trying to keep them contained to a single room if possible. Let the pest control experts handle the bed bug infestation, preventing it from running rampant in your home.

Have you returned home and spotted signs of a bed bug infestation? Schedule a professional inspection with Terminix Canada today. Remember, the safest and best bed bug treatments can only be performed by an experienced team of professionals. Foggers and other pesticides come with a list of health risks and other dangers if carelessly applied or improperly used. Licensed exterminators can provide effective heat treatment options, which require specialized equipment and expertise.

Save yourself the trouble and let us take care of your bed bug problems right now! Terminix Canada has provided superior bed bug extermination services all over Canada and is backed by over 90 years of experience. Our chemical and steam bed bug treatments will get rid of your unwanted visitors once and for all.

For more information regarding our pest control services, call us at 1-888-801-6348!

If you think you’ve accidentally brought bed bugs home, learn what to do and what not to do about your bed bug problem here.

Bed Bug Infestations On The Rise In Hospitals & Other Healthcare Facilities

Dealing with a bed bug infestation is already a total drag. It’s inconvenient. It’s itchy. And it can be very expensive and time-consuming to treat.

However, when you are laid up in a hospital, you’re already dealing with discomfort. You’re stuck with an IV, you’re eating awful food, the beds feel like they’re made of nails, and presumably, you’re sick or injured. The only thing that could really make your stay at the hospital worse, would be to discover that your room has a bed bug infestation. The very place that is supposed to be most hygienic and safe, is actually crawling with bed bugs that have latched onto you and your stuff, ready to follow you home.

Sadly, this is the reality for thousands leaving hospitals every day. Across North America, bed bug infestations have been steadily on the rise, and they likely won’t be disappearing any time soon.

Bed Bugs By The Numbers

A study by the National Pest Management Association found a staggering jump in bed bug infestations contaminating healthcare facilities between 2013 and 2015. There was a 12% increase in bed bug infestations in nursing homes, a 3% increase in hospitals, and a 7% increase in doctor’s offices.

Another study done by a pest control provider found an even larger increase, at a shocking 388% in the number of bed bug services conducted in healthcare facilities between 2013 and 2016.

While this report was conducted a while ago, it’s likely these figures have just continued to increase, based on the previous pattern.

Bed Bug Infestations At Hospitals In Canada

Back in 2012, Hamilton, Ontario dealt with 10 cases of bed bugs at their Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) hospital network. Three cases were also reported at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton.1

These discoveries really aren’t shocking when you consider the fact that bed bugs seem to exist just about everywhere. College dorms, movie theatres, taxis, libraries and more.

However, treating bed bug infestations in a hospital or healthcare facility can be more complex than when treating infestations in a residence. Unfortunately, a bed bug infestation can cause financial losses and permanently damage public reputation. Any business that is dealing with a pest infestation is seen as dirty or unhygienic by many, and having your hospital seen as unhygienic is never a good thing. Therefore, bed bug infestations can harm hospitals far beyond the simple annoyance of itchy bed bug bites.

What’s Causing The Increase In Healthcare-Related Bed Bug Infestations?

Bed bugs normally get into hospitals through three different routes: emergency situations where people are brought to the hospital by ambulance, from patients’ clothes or from patient’s visitors.

Higher patient turnover means that the chance for bed bugs to enter the hospital grows. It’s a simple numbers game. The more patients and visitors that come in and out of the hospital, the more likely it is that one of those people is currently dealing with a bed bug infestation, knowingly or unknowingly.

Interestingly, there are more service calls to treat hospitals and other healthcare facilities in December, coinciding with a higher number of inpatients due to seasonal illnesses. This further proves that higher patient turnover raises the rate of bed bug infestations.

Signs Of Bed Bugs In A Hospital:

  • Bed bug feces looks like marker stains. They can be found on mattresses, box springs, bedding, or other soft furniture.
  • You’ll find dead bed bugs or cast skins in mattress seams and box springs.
  • Keep an eye out for tiny-but-still-visible bed bug eggs. They are white with a pearly sheen and found in clusters.
  • Bed bugs are found in a hospital’s sleeping or resting areas.
  • Break rooms, lounges, reception areas, and lobbies with soft furniture are welcome homes to bed bugs because of each area’s high foot traffic.

5 Tips To Prevent Bed Bug Infestations At Your Healthcare Facility

1. Properly Train Triage Nurses & Receptionists

Triage nurses and receptionists are present in every point of entry. Therefore, training them to recognize the signs of bed bugs or bed bug bites is a good idea. This will help prevent an infestation from literally walking through your doors. However, it’s important to note that you cannot deny treatment to someone with bed bugs. You just need to quickly isolate the patient and their belongings.

2. Choose Furniture That Doesn’t Help An Infestation To Spread

Avoid wood furniture in lobbies, waiting rooms and cafeterias. Additionally, using plastic encasements for pillows and mattresses will lessen the chance of potential outbreaks. Healthcare facilities should remove all fabric-based chairs, especially in emergency rooms, rest areas, lobbies and the cafeteria, since these spaces have a high turnover of people.

3. Assign A Team To Deal With An Infestation

Gather a team or committee that is well versed on what to do when bed bugs are discovered. This team will be in charge of terminating bed bugs quickly, to prevent infestations. Hire a pest control expert to train this team on what they should look out for and proper protocols. If bed bugs are spotted anywhere on the property, make this team the first call. The second call should be to professional bed bug exterminators should you have any doubt that the bed bugs had a chance to spread.  

4. Book Scheduled Bed Bug Inspections

Organizing regular inspections from pest control services is a proactive measure that can squash a bedbug outbreak in its tracks. Quickly discover and terminate bed bug infestations by getting regular inspections done. This mitigates the damage it can do to your business, reputation and patrons.

5. Obtain A Comprehensive Guide From Your Bed Bug Inspector

When your bed bug inspector comes to check out your business, ask them for advice. This allows you to implement proper daily bed bug protocols. Therefore, limiting your chances of experiencing a full-on bed bug infestation.  

How Terminix Canada Helps Keep Your Business Free From Bed Bug Infestations

Terminix Canada’s team of professional bed bug exterminators can help you stop a bed bug infestation in its tracks. We offer bed bug removal, control and prevention services to both residential homes and businesses. Whether you’re in Vancouver, Toronto, Nova Scotia or anywhere in between, we can help! Our pest control experts service medical facilities, office buildings, restaurants, shopping malls and more. If you need pest control in your healthcare building, it’s time to call in the experts at Terminix Canada.

Find your local Terminix Canada branch here. Give us a call today to treat your pest infestation, whether it’s bed bugs, ants, or cockroaches.

Do Bed Bugs Fly? And Your Other Bed Bug Questions Answered

Ask anybody what their favourite superpower would be and they’d probably respond – to fly. Nope, not as a passenger on a Boeing 747 but with their own metaphorical wings, flying high above civilization below. What an awesome view that’d be!

It appears humans are so obsessed with flying that we’ve enviously assumed that some pests can do what we cannot. In other words, “do bed bugs fly?” receives over 500 average monthly searches on Google. In short, myths and rumours travel fast. This Terminix Canada blog is here to help you determine the fact from the fiction. For starters, the answer to “do bed bugs fly?” is an emphatic no!

Do Bed Bugs Fly?

While bed bugs can get around surprisingly quickly, they can’t actually fly. Also, contrary to other similar species of parasite, they can’t jump long distances either. In reality, bed bugs can crawl rapidly but that is it. There’s no imitating Kawhi Leonard in the Toronto Raptors’ incredible run to the 2019 NBA Championship title.

A bed bug’s primary form of transportation is hitching a ride within your luggage or bags when you aren’t looking. While bed bugs don’t travel around on a person, their ability to infiltrate fabrics and belongings makes bed bug prevention very difficult.

What Are Common Bed Bug Signs?

Common bed bug signs include red bloodstains on your apartment, house or condominium sheets and mattresses. These red stains form when sleepers roll over and crush bed bugs that have intruded into your bedroom.

Elsewhere, other bed bug warning signs include dark bed bug excrement stains on mattresses and walls. Egg shells and shed skin lying around your sleeping area also suggests you have a bed bug infestation. Lastly, bed bugs leave behind a distinctive musty odour too. If you smell an offensive odour, this is likely from bed bugs’ scent glands.

How Easily Do Bed Bugs Transfer?

The good news is that bed bugs don’t spread from residence to residence super easily. However, they can definitely get around your home quickly. They do this by travelling along pipes and wires. Unlike other parasites like fleas, you don’t have to worry too much about them hitching a ride on your pet dog. Nevertheless, if bed bugs find their way into your luggage or bag, they can set up shop in your next sleeping area relatively quickly.

When traveling abroad and staying in hotel rooms, always make sure to check your mattress and sheets for any signs of bed bugs before you unpack.

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

The best long-term solution of how to get rid of bed bugs is through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In other words, making your home uninhabitable for them with the help of registered pest control professionals like Terminix Canada. This involves inspecting bed bug hiding places and eliminating them. In extreme situations, you might need a bed bug chemical treatment or a bed bug steam treatment to combat your bed bug infestation.

What Is Bed Bug Steam Treatment?

Bed bug steam treatment takes different forms, but it generally is what it sounds like – killing bed bugs with lethal temperatures. Common bed bug steam treatment includes placing infected items in hot boxes, steaming treatments in your bedroom, and placing infected clothes in dryers. Killing bed bugs with steam has to be accompanied with an IPM plan, otherwise the bed bug infestation could return if left unchecked.

Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

Originally, bed bugs come from caves in the Middle East. Bed bugs actually appear in ancient Greek writings with physicians actually claiming they could help heal ear infections and snake bites. This was still an age when bleeding was considered the leading form of medicine. Since then, bed bugs have spread across the world due to our reduced use of pesticides as a society, increases in international travel, and our use of second-hand furniture.

Are Bed Bug Bites Painful?

While actual bed bug bites aren’t painful enough to wake you up, the resulting inflammation could be painful and discomforting. The itchiness could also cause you to over-scratch and harm yourself. Ultimately, reactions to bed bug bites vary from one person to the next.

Leave Bed Bug Control And Bed Bug Removal To The Professionals At Terminix Canada

As we enter hibernation season, you want the peace of mind that comes with a nice and cosy bed bug-free bed.

Luckily for you, Terminix Canada is trained to handle bed bug infestations big or small. Our team is backed by 90 years of experience terminating household pests.

Now you’ve discovered the answer to “do bed bugs fly?” do something about your own bed bug problem. Visit www.terminix.ca/branch-locator, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch and give them a call.

Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs: Man’s Best Friend Is A Bed Bug’s Worst Enemy

Discovering a bed bug problem in your home is as inconvenient as it is unsettling.

And it’s more unnerving considering us humans almost wiped out bed bugs in the 1950s via pesticide treatments. The wily household pests developed a resistance to pesticides, allowing them to aggressively reproduce their populations and torment homeowners and tenants worldwide once more.

So how can humans get rid of bed bugs that have evolved beyond man-made pesticides? Well, that’s two ways. You can hire pest control experts who utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM), such as heat treatments and chemicals to effectively rid your home of bed bugs.

However, the second solution is a four-legged friend who knows how to sit, stay and come on command.

According to a study conducted by the University of Florida, trained and certified bed bug sniffing dogs are nearly 100% successful at detecting infestations.

This is opposed to the approximate 35% accuracy rate of even the best-trained human bed bug inspector. In short, a trained bed bug control technician can only detect visible signs of bed bugs in a room, however a dog can literally sniff them out, even if there are no signs available. Carry on reading to discover just how incredible a bed bug sniffing dog’s nose is!

Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs Are Beasts Who’ll Remove Your Burden

It only takes one pregnant bed bug hidden in your home to create a full-blown bed bug infestation.

Utilizing their heightened sense of smell, a bed bug detection dog can track as little as one bed bug. This is even in the most unlikely of places through walls, floors, and even underground. Whether they’re hiding behind an outlet, under a baseboard, or inside your child’s stuffed animal, no bed bug is safe when sly bed bug sniffing dogs are on the job.

Ultimately, dogs have smell receptors that are 10,000 times more accurate than a human. In other words, their nose is strong enough to detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion.

A bed bug detection dog can successfully identify bed bugs at all phases of their life cycle, from eggs to nymphs to adults. In addition, they can crawl into tight spaces that human inspectors cannot.

Ultimately, a K9 inspection can be far more thorough and accurate than alternative bed bug removal methods. So how does a bed bug dog inspection work in practice?

A K9 inspection involves bed bug dogs alerting pest removal technicians. After this, technicians have a good idea whether the removal of mattresses and box springs is necessary. Once intruding bed bugs have been identified in any area, bed bug sniffing dogs will perform what is called a ‘passive alert’. This is where a bed bug detection dog points out any infested area to the technician they are working with.

Expertly trained, these bed bug dogs can also differentiate live bed bugs and bed bug eggs from the markings of an older infestation, for instance, empty egg shells and caste skins. This all helps to determine the severity of a particular bed bug infestation.

A Dogged Training Regime

Bed bug sniffing dogs aren’t simply recruited from the street and hired on the spot. They undertake rigorous certification and training programs to ensure their aptitude.

Did you know it takes at least 600 total hours of training before a single K9 is eligible to perform a proper bed bug dog inspection? Typically, training is spread over two months and it costs approximately $10,000 for a dog to be able to detect bed bugs. Once fully trained, bed bug dogs can smell through walls, floors and even underground long before humans can see any visible warning signs.

So there you have it – man and dog working in unison like a well-oiled, bed bug extermination machine!

Leave Bed Bug Control And Bed Bug Removal To The Professionals At Terminix Canada

When a bed bug infestation is wreaking havoc in your home, you need a permanent, safe solution that guarantees results.

Select Terminix Canada locations nationwide have access to their own bed bug sniffing dogs. Terminix Canada’s trained K9 inspection team and their handlers have certification from the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA).

The locations that don’t have a trained K9 inspection team aren’t any less effective however. All of our technicians are expertly trained and licensed to spot bed bug infestations and effectively clear your home of them using our Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

To find out more about the bed bug removal options available in your town or city, visit www.terminix.ca/branch-locator, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch and give them a call. Now you’ve discovered the power of a bed bug dog inspection, give this foolproof solution the green light, get rid of bed bugs, and love your space again.

Bed Bugs – The Best (And Worst) Ways To Remove Them

This probably goes without saying, but the last thing you’d ever want to do in a zombie outbreak is to pretend like you know what you’re doing. Because the chances are, you’re not going to make things any better, regardless of what your intentions may be.

Bed bugs are a little bit like zombies. Not only can they also survive for lengthy periods of time without feeding (18 months!), but they also feast on humans and can multiply rapidly.

There are many courses of action that may seem logical to you in the heat of the moment. You might even come to believe that you’re capable of single-handedly winning against the overwhelming horde of bed bugs living in your home. You might dream of valiantly driving them away from your abode, graciously winning your family’s praises for your cunning wit and valour. But we assure you, you’ll most likely be doing the very opposite.

Bed bugs are known to be extremely resilient and devilishly crafty. Here’s our list of the best ways to treat bed bugs, as well as some of the worst!

Bed Bugs Warning Signs  

The best time to deal with any infestation is before it actually happens. Don’t let bed bugs catch you off guard! A single female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime. But if you find and eliminate the source early on (aka, her), you can stop her from breeding and increasing her followers.

Here are some signs that you should look out for:

1. Bed Bugs Leave Spots

If you have bed bugs, you’d normally see small, dark spots on furniture, walls and flooring near their hiding spots. They’re composed of your undigested blood that the bed bugs had to excrete. Gross!

2. Bed Bugs Dispose Of Exoskeletons

These annoying pests molt five times in their lifetime.  They molt and grow in size with every life stage from instar nymph, to full adult.  You might find their empty shells in the crevices and corners of your home.

3. Bed Bugs Leave A Musty Scent

Individually, they probably won’t smell of anything. But when huge groups of them are clustered together, you’ll most likely detect a distinctly musty-sweet odour wafting in the air. What, you can’t recognize a bed bug infestation when it hits you right in the nose?

Don’t Use A Bed Bug Fogger

Where do we even begin with this one?

A bed bug fogger, also known as the bug bomb, sounds like a quick and easy solution to exterminate those nasty suckers from your home in one clean sweep, right? WRONG!

Foggers use an aerosol propellant to disperse its contents through the air, which settles onto open surfaces. However, bed bugs tend to hide when they aren’t feeding. And guess what? They tend to hide in spots the foggers don’t reach.

Not only are the foggers ineffective, they’ll cause the bed bugs to scatter and dig deeper into the nooks and crannies of your home to get away from the source of the chemicals. Ultimately, this means a more settled in, hard-to-reach pest infestation.

Foggers also contain a very low concentration of pesticide, which means that they’ll likely fail at killing the bed bugs they DO reach. And the bad news doesn’t stop there. The low-level exposure to pesticides actually helps the little buggers to develop immunity – and they’ll only continue to get stronger as time passes. You’ll actually be making them harder to kill!

Do Protect Your Bed From Bed Bugs With A Mattress Encasement

If you encase your mattress and box springs, you can trap the bed bugs inside and keep them from gorging on your blood. They’ll be unable to feed and eventually starve to death.

Furthermore, bed bugs will be very easy to spot and remove, since they can only scuttle around the white surface of the encasement. Mattress encasements are easily one of the best ways to prevent these bloodsuckers from making your home theirs! Just make sure you install them properly and get a handle on how they should be maintained. Remember that the encasements should stay on for at least a year.

Don’t Dispose Of Your Bed

We can’t stress this enough. It’s very common for people to assume that they have to get rid of their beds and textiles once their homes are infested with bed bugs.

No, no, and no. Doing so will do more harm than good:

  1. Hauling that infested mattress could spread the infestation even further throughout your home.
  1. You’ll be giving the remaining bed bugs a chance to throw another housewarming party on the new mattress that you’ll be bringing in.
  1. Your hard-earned money will be spent for no reason.

Do Eliminate Any Clutter In Your Home

Bed bugs are great at hide-n-seek. Giving them a playing field will only make it worse! Try to reduce clutter and organize your personal possessions as much as you can.

In particular, don’t store anything under your bed, and keep the floors neat and tidy. If you’ve got any piles of laundry, newspapers, magazines, shoes and toys lying around, you better clear them out. They give bed bugs millions of hiding spots, and bed bug treatment will become close to impossible!

And if you need to dispose of any items, make sure you seal them tightly in plastic bags before tossing them in the outdoor trash.

Don’t Escape To A Friend Or Relative’s Home

You don’t want to be doing this since these pests are notorious hitchhikers. They’d definitely be more than happy to tag along and settle into your friend’s humble residence too. Furthermore, bed bugs can live up to 18 months without feeding, so escape just isn’t an option.

Have Bed Bugs? Call A Licensed Exterminator For The Best Results

This is THE way to go for a complete extermination. There’s only so much you can do alone! Remember, the safest and best bed bug treatments can only be performed by an experienced team of professionals. Foggers and other pesticides come with a list of health risks and other dangers that you don’t want to be dealing with! Licensed exterminators can provide effective heat treatment options, which require specialized equipment and expertise.

Save yourself the trouble and let us take care of your bed bug problems right now! Terminix Canada has provided superior bed bug extermination services all over Canada for over 90 years. Our chemical and steam bed bug treatments will get rid of your unwanted visitors once and for all.

For more information regarding our pest control services, call us at 1-888-801-6348!