Pests in London | Bed Bugs
Bed Bugs
Bed Bug (Cimex Lectularius) infections have exploded across London over the last decade.
Bed Bug Facts
Bed bugs are flat, oval shaped insects that are reddish-brown and up to 4 to 5mm in length. Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices, and are commonly found in mattress seams or around joints in and around your bed.
Although not exclusively nocturnal, bedbugs are most active at night, attracted to warmth, moisture and the carbon dioxide released from humans. Bedbugs feed exclusively on blood and often bite exposed areas of the body, such as the face, neck, arms and hands. They typically feed for 3-10 minutes and then do not need to bite again for several days. The bites are very similar to those of mosquitoes or fleas, but whilst mosquito bites are randomly placed and flea bites tend to be most often found around the ankles, bedbug bites are often grouped in straight lines. Bites from a bedbug can go unnoticed, but allergic reactions can occur and bites can be infected from scratching.
Bed bugs are becoming commonly found in places of high turnover of people such as hostels, hotels or short term rental property, but since bedbugs can live for months without feeding, they can also be found in vacant homes.
Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius) Image Gallery
How to tell if you have bed bugs
- Small blood stain spots on your sheets or pillowcases in the morning
- Dark or deep red spots of bedbug excrement on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes and nearby walls
- Egg shells, shed skins and faeces can be found in the areas where bedbugs hide
- Bed bugs can leave behind a musty, offensive odor
Preventing Bed Bugs
It can be difficult to avoid bedbugs, as they can be hard to spot and can be transported so easily.
Common locations to pick up bed bugs are when staying away from home - it is always best to do a visual check around the bed, paying particular attention to the seam of the mattress and the joints in the bed frame.
Carefully inspect any second hand furniture for bed bugs before bringing it into your home.
How to get rid of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are difficult to treat. All clothing, materials and fabrics need to be washed at the highest temperatures possible and all clutter needs to be removed to expose the bed bugs.
Chemicals need to be used - applied to all areas where bed bugs can hide, particularly around the bed and mattress. Bed bugs will require at least two treatments to kill and are extremely difficult to treat yourself.
The best method. Call the experts - we can use chemicals not available to the home owner, with a treatment plan guaranteed to solve your bed bug problem.