Learning About Cockroach Removal Techniques

Posted on: 26 July 2017

While bed bugs mainly target human hosts, they can also annoy your pets. These parasites bite their hosts, usually during the evening hours when you've dozed off for the night. As a result of the bites, individuals will develop itchy bumps. Before deciding on a bed bug treatment plan, it is important to identify the insects. The University of Minnesota Extension states that bed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8-inch long, oval in shape, brown in color, and lack any wings. If you find  you do have an infestation, it is best to call a professional for the following reasons:

There May Be a Specific Law in Your State

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are 22 states that have specific laws about bed bugs. Some states may not allow homeowners or renters to treat their property for bed bugs, while others require a professional exterminator have the proper certification in order to be permitted to eliminate the pests. Your local pest control company will know what the regulations are in your state and will ensure those rules are followed as they consider options for bed bug treatment. 

Rapid Reproduction

Individuals who are not knowledgeable on the proper way to rid a home of bed bugs are at risk of their infestation growing at a rapid rate. Purdue University points out that it only takes a bed bug 1 month to complete their life cycle. The institute of higher learning goes on to reveal that each female lays approximately 500 eggs in her lifetime. It is not hard to see how quickly bed bugs can get out of control if they are not all successfully eradicated all at once. 

Lots of Hiding Places

Many homeowners try to get rid of the bed bugs using a fogger purchased from their local hardware store. Unfortunately, bed bugs have a great deal of hiding spaces where they are most likely to go congregate when you set off the fogger. A professional pest control expert will know exactly where to spray the pesticide in order to ensure he is getting every possible bug. This includes around baseboards, headboards, under sofas and recliners, and even in some floorboards. 

Professionals Can Administer Whole Room Heat Treatments

In some cases, using pesticides is not ideal. Exterminators who implement bed bug treatments will also be equipped with a machine that can heat the infested room. The University of Minnesota reveals that it takes temperatures of 118 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bed bugs within a 90 minute time frame, and temperatures of 122 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the insects instantly. A pest control specialist will typically treat the room for a period of six to eight hours to ensure every last bug is destroyed.