Bat Bugs

Yes, bed bug infestations are on the rise again. After almost 50 years of complete silence from these little pests, we are now seeing a resurgence in populations. The two biggest contributing factors to this resurgence are: more and more worldwide travel, and resistance in the bed bugs to many of the conventional pesticides used today. So far we see most of the problem redeveloping in centers of travel. In Wisconsin we see Milwaukee and Madison as by far the main trouble spots. After that we see university cities and resort communities beginning to struggle with the problem.

The bed bug control process is a complicated and time-consuming process. In order to fully inspect a house or apartment we need to look in, around, under, behind, and through everything in the living space. While it is true that bed bugs usually congregate near their feeding host's sleeping area, they can be found anywhere there is a tight spot for them to feel safe; between the carpet and baseboards, in the dressers, in luggage, even in the corners where the ceiling and wall meet. Once we know the extent of the bedbug infestation we apply a many-sided approach to eliminating them. We steam the bed, upholstered furniture, and other areas where the bed bugs congregate. These guys are very susceptible to heat; they cannot survive temperatures above about 112 degrees. Next we apply the most effective pesticide available to us to the corners, baseboard areas, and other cracks and crevices in the living space. Because bed bugs are hard to eradicate we recommend at least 3 follow-up services to monitor the situation and retreat as needed. In the case of bad infestations we like to have all the items that are possible to be put into a clothes dryer on high heat for at least 15 minutes.

Some things you can do to avoid picking up bed bugs: Every time you stay overnight away from home, inspect the bed under the sheets. If you see anything suspicious, brown spots, large flaky pieces, or even live or dead bugs, immediately evacuate that room and ask for a different room. When you do return home immediately throw everything into the clothes dryer for 15 minutes- even your luggage if possible. Store your luggage as far from where you sleep as possible; in a separate building is best.