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Bed Bug Bites Here are some pictures of bed bug bites to help you identify the problem. Bites should be treated by simply washing with soap and water. Calamine lotion can help relieve the itch.	How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs	Natural & Organic Remedies: *Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)* in the form of leaf teas are, according to the National Park Service, used as a natural astringent and an insecticide against bed bugs. Information about application of Black Walnut as an insecticide is scarce. Boric acid powder is often spread around areas where bed bugs are suspected to find refuge. It should not be applied directly to the mattress, but in the immediate area to help control migrating bed bugs.
I’ve been fortunate enough not to have bed bugs in my home, but considering that bed bugs are making a comeback here in the United States, it might serve you well to learn how to prevent a beg bug infestation and how to get rid of bed bugs if you do find them in your home. Cimex lectularius, the scientific name for bed bugs, are found in most parts of the world, but are generally native to the northern areas. Their southern cousin, C. hemipterus, is usually found in warm, tropical areas, but have been found in places as far from the equator as Florida. Not to be mistaken for the dust mite, bed bugs are big enough to be seen, with a flat body and a reddish brown color. They on their hosts’ blood at night and move quickly, hiding in cracks or crevices in and around the area where the host sleeps. Plainly speaking bed bugs are gross, and if you have them you’ll know. So, here is some advice about how to keep your home bed bug free.
Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.
Preventing an infestation is the best form of bed bug control. If you think you’re being bitten (usually identified by rows of welts that appear during the night) it’s best to do a sweep of your home for these pests. Furniture, luggage, bedding and clothes hampers are probably the first places you’ll want to look for bed bugs. They’re small, but if you need help identifying them, here is a picture of a bed bug.
Bed bugs tend to be found in dwellings that are frequently used. Places like dorms, apartments, motels, hotels, and especially used furniture departments. If you’re traveling or you’ve just recently purchased some used furniture, it’s a very good idea to do a thorough inspection for any mature bed bugs, bed bug husks, or their eggs. According to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, “tufts, seams, and folds of mattresses” are the first places you should look.
Blood stains and dark spots on bedding from fecal matter are a sure sign of a bed bug infestation. The reason blood stains happen is either because you’ve rolled over and crushed an adult full of blood, or the anticoagulant they’ve injected worked well enough that you continued to bleed after the bed bug has fed. If you see anything like blood, or even empty skins (from molting) around your bed, chances are you have bed bugs.
If you’ve positively identified your problem as a bed bug infestation, it is time to sanitize the affected areas. If you can spare money for another mattress it would be a good idea to throw your old one out. If you can’t afford another mattress, vacuuming the mattress and applying a sealable cover should be sufficient. Meanwhile, all clothes, linens, and bedding should be washed in hot water, and the immediate area vacuumed thoroughly.
Insecticides are not an option to get rid of bed bugs, because insecticides should never be applied to an area where you sleep. Sticky traps, like those used for mice, are a good way to capture rogue bed bugs that have managed to escape your domestic exorcism. Some insecticides like Boric Acid might be used in areas around the bed, but never on the mattress itself.
Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.
Bed Bug Treatment: Insecticides and Sprays There are, apparently bed bug treatment and sprays available from several vendors online, but if you have an infestation that you think you cannot handle on your own, we recommend contacting a professional extermination service that can specifically address the issue of bed bugs. The sprays available online may or may not be able to be used on mattresses. It should be noted that any spray you use on a mattress should be explicitly noted in the directions on the bottle. If there is no guarantee from the manufacturer that you are not putting yourself in danger by applying their bed bug control agent on your mattress, it’s best not to use it.
Home \| Pest Control \| how to get rid of bed bugs

Disclaimer: Jonathan Hatch & Natasha Laumei cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Home | Pest Control | how to get rid of bed bugs

Bed Bug Bites

Here are some pictures of bed bug bites to help you identify the problem. Bites should be treated by simply washing with soap and water. Calamine lotion can help relieve the itch.

bed bug bite

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

bed bug illustration

Natural & Organic Remedies:

natural bed bug remedy
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) in the form of leaf teas are, according to the National Park Service, used as a natural astringent and an insecticide against bed bugs. Information about application of Black Walnut as an insecticide is scarce.

natural bed bug remedy

Boric acid powder is often spread around areas where bed bugs are suspected to find refuge. It should not be applied directly to the mattress, but in the immediate area to help control migrating bed bugs.

I’ve been fortunate enough not to have bed bugs in my home, but considering that bed bugs are making a comeback here in the United States, it might serve you well to learn how to prevent a beg bug infestation and how to get rid of bed bugs if you do find them in your home. Cimex lectularius, the scientific name for bed bugs, are found in most parts of the world, but are generally native to the northern areas. Their southern cousin, C. hemipterus, is usually found in warm, tropical areas, but have been found in places as far from the equator as Florida. Not to be mistaken for the dust mite, bed bugs are big enough to be seen, with a flat body and a reddish brown color. They on their hosts’ blood at night and move quickly, hiding in cracks or crevices in and around the area where the host sleeps. Plainly speaking bed bugs are gross, and if you have them you’ll know. So, here is some advice about how to keep your home bed bug free.

Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.

Preventing an infestation is the best form of bed bug control. If you think you’re being bitten (usually identified by rows of welts that appear during the night) it’s best to do a sweep of your home for these pests. Furniture, luggage, bedding and clothes hampers are probably the first places you’ll want to look for bed bugs. They’re small, but if you need help identifying them, here is a picture of a bed bug.

Bed bugs tend to be found in dwellings that are frequently used. Places like dorms, apartments, motels, hotels, and especially used furniture departments. If you’re traveling or you’ve just recently purchased some used furniture, it’s a very good idea to do a thorough inspection for any mature bed bugs, bed bug husks, or their eggs. According to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, “tufts, seams, and folds of mattresses” are the first places you should look.

Blood stains and dark spots on bedding from fecal matter are a sure sign of a bed bug infestation. The reason blood stains happen is either because you’ve rolled over and crushed an adult full of blood, or the anticoagulant they’ve injected worked well enough that you continued to bleed after the bed bug has fed. If you see anything like blood, or even empty skins (from molting) around your bed, chances are you have bed bugs.

If you’ve positively identified your problem as a bed bug infestation, it is time to sanitize the affected areas. If you can spare money for another mattress it would be a good idea to throw your old one out. If you can’t afford another mattress, vacuuming the mattress and applying a sealable cover should be sufficient. Meanwhile, all clothes, linens, and bedding should be washed in hot water, and the immediate area vacuumed thoroughly.

Insecticides are not an option to get rid of bed bugs, because insecticides should never be applied to an area where you sleep. Sticky traps, like those used for mice, are a good way to capture rogue bed bugs that have managed to escape your domestic exorcism. Some insecticides like Boric Acid might be used in areas around the bed, but never on the mattress itself.

Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.

Bed Bug Treatment: Insecticides and Sprays

There are, apparently bed bug treatment and sprays available from several vendors online, but if you have an infestation that you think you cannot handle on your own, we recommend contacting a professional extermination service that can specifically address the issue of bed bugs. The sprays available online may or may not be able to be used on mattresses. It should be noted that any spray you use on a mattress should be explicitly noted in the directions on the bottle. If there is no guarantee from the manufacturer that you are not putting yourself in danger by applying their bed bug control agent on your mattress, it’s best not to use it.

Home | Pest Control | how to get rid of bed bugs

Disclaimer: Jonathan Hatch & Natasha Laumei cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.