Giertsen Bed Bug Blog

Restoration Specialists since 1918 Bed Bug Remediation Services Provided by the Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Provided by the Giertsen Company 262-717-1300 www.GiertsenCo.com

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Bed Bug Facts Scientific Name: Cimex lectularis Common Name: Bed bug Family: Cimicidae Order: Hemiptera (true bugs) U.S. Distribution: All states World Distribution: All temperate areas

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Identification Signs
Unfed bedbug nymph is straw-colored
Engorged nymph is crimson
Unfed adult can be various shades of brown
Engorged adult is a darker reddish-brown
Covered with short, golden hairs
Body broadly oval shape
Body flattened when unfed
Wingless
4-segmented antenna
Piercing/sucking, 3-segmented beak on underside
Adult is ¼-inch long (6mm)
Match the Color Match the Shape and Size

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Biology and Habits
Hides during the day, usually near sleeping areas in cracks in walls, behind baseboards, under mattresses, in box springs, in furniture, under wallpaper or pictures, in drapes, under rugs, under window or door frames.
Scent glands emit a “sickly sweet” odor
Often transported to new locations in infested items such as luggage, used beds or bedding, secondhand furniture, or clothing.
Can migrate from one room or apartment unit to the next through pipe and wiring runs, and in wall and ceiling voids, much as cockroaches move.
Found most often in hotels, apartments, rooming houses, schools, private homes, homeless shelters, hostels.
Also can infest hospitals, nursing homes, trains, planes, buses, cruise ships, theaters, moving vans, or any place frequented by people.
Both adult and nymph suck blood; humans are the preferred host, but bed bugs can feed on a variety of other animals.
Leaves dark fecal spots (partially digested blood) on mattresses, bedding, clothing, and even walls, ceiling, and other surfaces.
Feeds mainly at night
Bed bugs travel up to twenty feet to feed, and occasionally much further
Can go for months between feedings
Painless bite can leave an itchy welt
Feeding bugs do not transmit any diseases
One bug often inflicts multiple bites when feeding
Infested Sites Feeding Habits

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! How do infestations occur? Bed bugs are master hitchhikers
Worldwide Travel
Visiting an actively-infested area
Resident neglect
An infestation can be an personal embarrassment. If a resident does not feel comfortable letting management know about their issue, a small infestation can quickly grow. Our world is connected. As travelers visit other areas of the world, bed bugs can easily hitch a ride in luggage. A bed bug can easily climb aboard when a person visits an infested site, utilizing clothing and baggage.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! How do infestations occur? Bed bugs are master hitchhikers
Furniture
Resident turn-over
Bed bug travel within a building
Bed bugs can infest adjoining rooms through voids in walls, and through holes in which wires and pipes pass. Bed bugs easily infest furniture. When moving, bed bugs can be dropped off simply by dropping or setting down the item that is infested. Proper remediation is necessary, short of disposal. As residents come and go, new infestations can be introduced to the building or brought to another building.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! The Bed Bug Life Cycle A blood meal is needed to develop to the next stage.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Bed Bug Feeding Habits
Bed bugs only feed off of blood
They go to their host only to feed, and spend the rest of their time hiding
Bed bugs feed not only on humans, but also on household pets
Under good conditions ( 80° ), bed bugs feed on a weekly basis.
Bed bugs can survive up to one year without eating, depending on temperature

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Signs of Infestation Bed bug fecal tracks. Example: These were found on a bed frame Blood spots found on bedding with no visible wounds

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Signs of Infestation

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Health Implications At this time, aside from allergic reactions to bites, there are no other known health implications that have been recorded. Itching, scratching and burning are known side-effects attributed to the bites. In the lab, bed bugs have been found to be able to carry several disease organisms such as bacteria and viruses. However, there are no documented cases in the field to show the transmission of these organisms from one human to another via the bed bug.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Potential Sites of Bed Bug Infestations Malls Used furniture outlets Donation centers Health clubs Community centers Dressing rooms Day care centers Theaters Restaurants Laundries Office buildings Churches Assisted living Nursing centers Hospitals Moving vans Motor homes Campers Ferries Cruise ships Trains and buses Schools Low security prisons Corporate housing Backpack lodges Cabins Barracks Hostels Resorts Hotels/motels Private homes Dormitories Condominiums Apartments

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Inspections Questionnaire A simple questionnaire should be given to the resident to help determine where the infestation may be coming from, and where we would most likely find it. This questionnaire can be nonbug specific so it can handle multiple problems and not cause any undo suspicions or worries about any type of bug. On-site Inspection Reviewing the results of the questionnaire to inspect the property accurately. Common hiding spots would be inspected for infestation, as well as areas pinpointed by the resident. A thorough visual inspection should be done by the owner/manager or a bug control expert. Inspection Tools A good set of eyes, a pair of gloves and a powerful flashlight are all you need for an inspection. There are also companies that employ Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs. Trained like drug sniffing dogs, they can smell and detect signs invisible to the naked eye.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Treatment In the past
Dangerous applications in the past were used, such as:
Using a plumber’s torch or candle to burn the bed bugs in metal bed frames
Applying Kerosene to bedposts, sulfur dioxide, ethylene oxide, and pyrethrum powder were all used but considered ineffective.
In the 1950’s, DDT was introduced and was very effective. It would be sprayed on or around the bed and would provide protection for a year or more. Although resistance to DDT started to show up in bed bug populations, other chloronated hydrocarbons like lindane were used in tandem with DDT to fight the infestation. Due to health risks and environmental damage, DDT was outlawed, and could no longer be used to fight bed bugs.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Treatment In order to solve the problem, you must act quickly and aggressively
20-30% of adjoining units become infested
Regular vacuuming, cleaning and even steaming does not work. The bugs hide
inside furniture, clothes, bedding, mattresses and the walls.
Sending clothing and bedding through a 10-15 minute dryer cycle is proven
effective.
Do not take items to a Dry Cleaner. You risk infesting the dry cleaner and 99%
of all Dry Clean Only items are not harmed by a dryer cycle if put in dry.
Mattresses can be encased with Bed Bug rated covers to increase effectiveness
of treatments.
Chemical treatments can work, but are very labor intensive for you, the tenant
and must be repeated over a several month time period.
Chemicals only kill live bugs that come in contact with spray or residual. Eggs are
unaffected. Areas must be retreated every 2 weeks as the eggs hatch.
Bed Bugs also build up resistance to chemicals over time. What worked once
is not guaranteed to work again.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Treatment Thermal Treatment is Proven to be Consistently Effective In the 2000’s, research by universities and industry found that the use of heat was effective in pest control. Thermal Remediation is taking an infected area, applying heat gradually, and minimizing the population. During the process, opening of drawers and cabinets, and movement of contents will be done to allow heat into affected areas. Death in less than a minute 143.6°F Death in less than an hour 114°F-122°F Death in less than a day 107.7°F-113°F Lower survival; prolonged developmental time; reduced egg production; insects seek cooler environment 95°F-107.6°F

Thermal Treatment We heat up the treatment area to temperatures as high as 135 degrees using a generator trailer, portable furnaces and air movers. All equipment is labeled as Giertsen Restoration to provide you with a nondescript and discrete process. We provide a chemical free solution while minimizing disruption to your business.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Obstacles Clutter is one of the leading obstacles in the control of bed bug infestations. Units with excessive clutter can harbor large populations and require extra time and energy to prepare and fully remediate the infestation. Residents must leave behind all personal belongings to insure that they will be treated as well. Anything removed from the unit may have a hitchhiker. A check-list will be provided to residents to properly prepare an occupied unit. If the resident leaves and either brings with them infested contents, or visits another contaminated location, re-infestation can occur.

Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Giertsen Company Bed Bug Remediation Services Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Tonight, sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Questions? Please Call 262-717-1300 www.GiertsenCo.com Sources Treating With a Simple Principle – A Complex Application Heat by Lisa Lupio, March/April 2008 Bed Bug Handbook – The Complete Guide to Bed Bugs and Their Control by L.J. Pinto, R. Cooper, and S.K. Kraft; Pinto & Associates, Inc. Turn Up The Heat! Thermal Remediation from Temp-Air by Temp-Air Urban Pest Profile Sheet and Treatment Strategy by BASF

Giertsen Bed Bug Blog

by Petrie Stocking on Jul 07, 2010

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