As you are visiting this site it is likely that you fall into one of several categories.

The Bed Bug

Possibly you may have bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) already and want to get rid of them. Maybe you suspect you may have bed bugs and want information, maybe you may be worried about getting a bed bug infestation and want to know how to prevent this, or possibly you are just curious about bed bugs.

Whatever the case this site has the answer for you.

What are bed bugs?

There are a lot of fallacies and misconceptions about bed bugs, one of the biggest urban myths is that every bed has them.

This is simply not true!

Every bed has dust mites which feed on human skin, these are not bed bugs!

Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye and are surprisingly large, especially after a meal of blood! Adult bed bugs are about the size and shape of an apple pip and can move quite quickly when disturbed.

Where did bed bugs come from?

Bed Bug Life Cycle

They evolved from bugs which feed on bats (Cimex pipistrella etc) and probably evolved around the times when human beings started living in caves.

Bats would only live in the caves for half the year round whereas human beings would inhabit the caves all year round, thus providing a better opportunity for a regular meal.

However, because the bugs historically had to endure long periods without feeding, modern day bed bugs can survive

for extended periods without a meal, up to a year or more in fact.

For many years they were practically extinct in many areas, the invention of highly effective insecticides such as DDT and the removal of much of the slum dwellings where they were prevalent saw pest controllers dealing with very few infestations during the middle and later part of the twentieth century. However, during the last few years they are back and with a vengeance.

To say they have reached plague proportions is not stretching the matter too far.

Unlike flies and many other insects they have an ‘incomplete metamorphosis’ which means that they do not go through a larval or ‘maggot’ stage in their development, but the young hatch from eggs as a complete but smaller version of an adult and then grow by shedding their skins.

These skins are often found in beds.

What do bed bugs feed on?

Blood, simply that! They prefer humans but they will bite your cat, dog or other pets as well.

Bed Bug Bites

They are nocturnal and typically will emerge in the early hours of the morning when their target is in a deep sleep. They sense their target by detecting the carbon dioxide in exhaled breath and when close in on their meal they switch to infrared detection of body heat.

They inject their prey with a fluid which is both anaesthetic and anti-coagulant which stops you feeling the bite and keeps the blood flowing. They need to feed about once every seven to ten days.

For these reasons bed bug bites tend to be concentrated on the upper torso, bites on the ankles and lower legs suggest fleas.

Where do bed bugs live?

Another urban myth is that they are confined to beds and that burning the beds will solve the problem. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

Bed bugs live anywhere within around fifteen to twenty feet of where a person normally sleeps, which in most cases means the entire bedroom. This is why eradicating bed bugs is so difficult as they are not only in the beds but everywhere in the room, in the beds, under the carpets, in furniture, picture frames and even inside electrical sockets and switches.

I have bed bugs, does this mean I’m a dirty person?

Not at all! Some surprisingly upmarket hotels are fighting a losing battle with these pests and some very famous people have suffered.

Bed bugs do not live in dirt and squalor, their diet is YOU and they are the ultimate in having no prejudices, white or black, rich or poor, young or old they will bite you!

How did I get bed bugs?

Well, very difficult to say as they are so very easy to get these days. Maybe you stayed in a hotel or guest house that had them. Maybe you sat next to the wrong person on a bus, tube or train, transport related cases are booming these days. If you live in an apartment or terraced row, any building in fact with attached neighbours, then maybe they just walked in under the door!

Bed bugs spread like wildfire in any form of communal building, apartments, terraced rows, condos etc.

I’m worried I may have bed bugs, how do I tell?

Checkout our page How To Prevent Bed Bugs

How do I get rid of bedbugs, I know I have them?

Visit our page Before The Treatment

** please read the Legal Disclaimer before taking any actions

How to get rid of bed bugs how to prevent bed bugs

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Cheshire, Liverpool and Wirral

0161 930 8814 / 0151 471 8660

Bed Bugs in Manchester, Trafford, Cheshire, Liverpool and Wirral – One of the most reviled and misunderstood pests known to man is the bed bug (Cimex lectularius). How many of us gone off to sleep at night as children with the words of our parents in our ears ‘sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite’?

The Bed Bug

Bed bugs probably started to feed on man at about the time we moved into caves, the ‘bat bugs’ Cimex pilosellus and Cimex pipistrella primarily feed on bats and it is probable that bat feeding species of bug evolved to feed on human blood when our ancestors started dwelling in bat infested caves.

Until the arrival of DDT in the early 20th century bed bugs were common non-paying guests in much low quality homes, bed bug bites would be commonplace.

The later part of the 20th century experienced pest control companies dealing with very few bed bug calls indeed, their presence being largely confined to inexpensive holiday camps and student accommodation etc.

Many people mistake dust mites, which are not visible to the unaided eye, with bed bugs which very definitely are.

Adult bedbugs are reddy-brown, about a quarter of an inch in size and decidedly swollen after a meal of our blood.

They grow by an incomplete metamorphosis which means that the nymphs are just smaller copies of the adult, they do not have a pupal stage like fleas or a fly.

Bed bugs regularly feed on human blood every 7 – 10 days, emerging in the hours before dawn and finding their target by detecting the exhaled CO2 from human breath and when close in on their target, infra red body heat.

In the absence of a suitable human host to dine on they can remain dormant for periods of up to 18 months.

Indications of a bed bug infestation are spots of blood on bedding and on the underside of mattresses and some people can react badly to their bites.

The early 21st century has seen bed bug numbers explode across the globe, the easy availability of global travel and economic migration have both been blamed for the resurgence.

What is positive is that they are now making a real return not only in poor quality dwellings but high class hotels, schools and even hospitals.

One London borough reports a doubling of bed bug infestations each year from 1995 – 2001.

One night away in an infested hotel is all it takes, they hitch a ride in your suitcases or bags. Pest control companies are also now reporting instances of transport related bug infestations on tubes, trains and buses so a simple journey to work on an infested tube or train can be sufficient to spread the infestation to your own home.

They are an expensive pest to deal with as contrary to popular opinion they do not just live in beds. They infest any nook and cranny conveniently close to a sleeping human, beds, electrical sockets, televisions, bed-side telephones etc and treatment is both difficult and time consuming. They have even been found living beneath the toe-nails of infirm people and in the rolls of flesh on heavily over-weight people.

They are not a pest that can be tackled by an amateur and a professional will almost certainly be required to achieve a satisfactory eradication if these pests.

Bed Bugs in Manchester, Trafford, Cheshire, Liverpool and Wirral is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Harrier Pest Control on Radio Lancashire

Harrier Pest Control on Radio Lancashire – Our principal Ken Chadwick now appears regularly on Radio Lancashire to talk about pests and pest control throughout the Lancashire & Manchester areas.

If you have a question about pest control or pest matters, be it bed bugs, mice, rats, flease or any other pest problem then tune in next on December 16th at around 1- 3 pm and email in your question.

Ken is an acknowledged pest control expert appearing on TV, The Radio and in Local & National Press.

For a more immediate answer to your problems why not give Harrier Pest Prevention & Control a ring now on 01257 230637

Hear a recording of one of Ken’s earlier broadcasts.

Harrier Pest Control on Radio Lancashire is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Bed Bugs Are Biting

Bed Bugs Are Biting – One of the most hated and misunderstood pests known to man is the bed bug (Cimex lectularius). How many of us gone off to sleep at night as children with the words of our parents in our ears ‘sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite’?

Don't Let The Bed Bug Bite

Bed bugs probably started to feed on man at about the time we moved into caves, the ‘bat bugs’ Cimex pilosellus and Cimex pipistrella primarily feed on bats and it is probable that bat feeding species of bug evolved to dine on human blood when our ancesters started dwelling in bat infested caves.

Until the arrival of DDT in the early 20th century bed bugs were common unwelcome guests in most poor quality homes.

The later part of the 20th century saw pest control companies dealing with very few bed bug infestations indeed, their presence being largely restricted to inexpenisve holiday camps and student lodgings etc.

Many people mistake dust mites, which aren’t visible to the unaided eye, with bed bugs which very definitely are.

Adult bedbugs are reddy-brown, about a quarter of an inch in size and greatly swollen after a meal of human blood.

They have an incomplete metamorphosis which means that the young are just smaller versions of the adult, they don’t have a maggot stage like fleas or flies.

Bed bugs typically feed on human blood every 7 – 10 days, coming out in the hours before dawn and sensing their target by detecting the exhaled CO2 from breath and when nearing in on their target, infra red body heat.

In the absence of a regular human host to dine on they can lie dormant for periods of up to 18 months.

Indications of a bed bug infestation are spots of blood on bedding and on the base of mattresses and some people can react badly to their bites.

The early 21st century has seen bed bug numbers increase across the world, the easy availability of international travel and economic migration have both been blamed for the increase.

What is sure is that thet are now making a real return not only in low quality housing but high class hotels, schools and even hospitals.

One London borough reports a doubling of bed bug infestations every single year from 1995 – 2001.

A single night away in an infested hotel is all it takes, they hitch a ride in your suitcases or bags. Pest control companies are also now reporting cases of transport related bug infestations on tubes, trains and buses so a single ride to town on an infested tube or train can be sufficient to spread the infestation to your home.

They are an expensive pest to eradictate as contrary to popular mythology they don’t just live in beds. They infest any nook and cranny conveniently close to a sleeping human, beds, electrical sockets, televisions, bed-side bed side telephones etc and eradication is both difficult and time consuming. They have even been found living beneath the toe-nails of infirm people and in the rolls of flesh on grossly over-weight people.

They are not a pest that can be eradicated by an amateur and a professional will almost certainly be needed.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Don’t let the bed bugs bite… (guardian.co.uk)
• Bedbugs return to British hotels (telegraph.co.uk)

Bed Bugs Are Biting is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control