Although bed bugs are very tiny, they are capable of tormenting human beings in immeasurable levels. Their bites on the human skin causes a lot of irritation and itching. Bed bugs can terrorize a home for long as they usually hide in places that make it hard to detect them. Common places that house bed bugs in a home range from sofa sets, drawers, mattresses to wall papers. For example, the seams of mattresses and beneath loosely fixed wall papers act as good hiding areas for bed bugs. To deal with the issue of bed bug menace, the most crucial step is to detect them early enough. This is by discovering their hiding places using various methods. In this article, we will look at 6 methods that aid in early detection of bed bugs.
Integration of passive interception devices
Passive in this context means the devices do not use attractants/chemicals lures to capture bed bug bugs. These devices are simply detectors used to capture and trap bed bugs on a 24/7 basis. They are affordable and prove very easy to use. In trapping bed bugs, the devices are strategically located beneath the frames of beds and furniture. This is to enable capturing the bed bugs as they find their way to the beds and furniture. Passive interception devices are believed to be productive more so when used for an extended duration. Allowing them to stay at the defined places for about a month guarantees capturing of many bed bugs. As bed bugs freely move around the bed frames and furniture, the devices are able to easily trap them. When bed bugs have been trapped, the devices are emptied to create room for more to be trapped. It is also crucial to clean the devices to enhance their proper functioning.
How passive interception devices work
The key objective of the devices is to prevent further bed bug infestation in a home. The textured outside part of the devices facilitates trapping of bed bugs. Subsequently, the bed bugs become trapped in the interior part (a well) of the devices. This happens because the interior is a smooth and slippery surface that prevents the bed bugs from escaping to the exterior.
Integration of active interception devices
Active interception devices function almost in the same way as passive interception devices. The difference arises because they use attractants and chemical lures to trap bed bugs. Carbon dioxide is the common attractant used in these devices. The devices have the capacity to lure bed bugs that are about 5 feet from where they are placed. This method is not popular because the devices are very expensive when compared to passive bedbug detectors.
Inspection using a pest control expert
Detecting bed bugs individually can be ineffective. Bed bugs have many hiding places which a person can fail to check. When proper physical inspection is not done, bed bug infestation can escalate making a home inhabitable. It is necessary to use the services of a pest control expert. The expert helps in conducting a full bed bug inspection while focusing on all the potential places that bed bugs can infest. Because they are trained on how to detect the bed bugs, they are able to perform the task with maximum efficiency.
Other benefits of using pest control experts are:
路 They are authorized to offer pest management services.
路 They are enriched with pest control knowledge- understand what needs to be done to detect and control bed bugs.
路 They offer quality services while charging fair prices.
Physical inspection at an individual level
This method might not be very effective because it requires plenty of time and is very tiring. All the same, it helps in establishing if bed bugs do exist in a home. It works best if a home has bed bug infestation at a very low level. The method involves visually looking for physical indicators of bed bugs. A functional torch helps when examining dark places for bed bugs. Where a magnifying lens is available, it can support in identifying bed bug eggs. The best time to do this is when vacuuming the house and removing beddings. Beddings that display red stains indicate presence of bed bugs. Other than red stains, dark spots (excrement from bed bugs) also reveal bed bug infestation in a home. It is also possible to spot live bed bugs on fabric. Even when individuals think they have thoroughly inspected their homes, bed bugs can go undetected. Physical inspection should be done on a regular basis to be thorough in confirming the presence or absence of bed bugs.
Use of mattress encasements
This is among the pioneer methods invented to detect bed bugs. The method is specially used to prevent bed bugs from hiding in mattresses and box springs. By lessening the chances of bed begs penetrating the interior of mattresses, mattress encasements aid in exposing bed bugs to the surface leading to their detection. When using this method, individuals need to be aware that not all mattress encasements are effective. The encasements are of varied brands and quality. Careful assessment should be done to be sure that a quality brand is chosen to aid in bed bug detection.
Canine scent detection
This is a method that is starting to gain ground in detection of bug bugs. It supplements visual inspection and involves use of dogs to detect bed bug presence in a home. Its practicality is realized if the level of infestation is significantly low. For it to work, services from a credible company that runs a canine scent detection program ought to be considered. When quality services are offered, high accuracy levels are attained as the dogs are able to detect if bed bugs exist.
In conclusion
Bed bug control and management in your home can bear fruits when the infestation levels are still very low. Practicing the above discussed bed bug detection methods will help you both in the present and future. Nonetheless, the methods are not effective when used in isolation. One method might have some flaws or little power rendering it ineffective. Using more than one method concurrently is advisable to facilitate effective detection of bed bugs.