The top three places where pest professionals report finding bed bugs are single-family homes (91 percent), apartments/condominiums (89 percent), and hotels/motels (68 percent). Past bed bug statistics have shown these environments to consistently be the top three where bed bugs have been encountered.
Bedbugs are a relatively common pest across Australia. Bedbugs can be difficult to remove because their eggs are difficult to see, have a significant incubation period and can quickly infest new sites. A combination of multiple non-chemical and chemical treatments is typically needed to control a bedbug infestation.
Bed bugs can be found in almost every country in the world and in nearly every climate that humans thrive in. In recent years, infestations have happened in North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. The only continent they're not found on is Antarctica because human activity is minimal.
A bed bug treatment using heat kills bed bugs immediately, but there is no residual. A chemical bed bug treatment can take a few weeks, but it leaves a residual which provides continued protection from bed bug re-infestation.
Temperature That Kills Bed Bugs
Adult bed bugs die at 119 degrees Fahrenheit, and their heat-resistant eggs require temperatures upwards of 125 degrees. Some infested objects can be safely baked in the oven at these temperatures for three to five hours to get rid of the pests.
Increasing numbers of bed bug infestations have been reported in Australia, often in accommodation venues such as backpackers' hostels and motels. Bed bugs can be transported long distances in the seams of clothing, luggage, bedding and furniture. Adult bugs are able to survive more than a year without a blood meal.
Bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home or poor personal hygiene. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease, but can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. If you think you may have bed bugs, it's very important to do a thorough inspection, and to begin treatment as soon as possible.
Hotels regularly inspect for bed bugs, looking for signs such as live bugs, spots on sheets, and eggs or eggshells. Hotels also bug proof their beds using mattress or box spring encasements and bed bug interceptors (a kind of trap that wraps around the bed frame's legs). Hotels must isolate any affected rooms.
Bed bugs don't discriminate; celebs have had to deal with them, too. Besides having money, fame and paparazzi camped outside their homes, celebrities Bradley Cooper, Renee Zellweger and Howard Stern have all had to deal with an invasion of bed bugs, FOXNews.com reported Tuesday.
You may be thinking, can you get bed bugs from not washing your sheets? No—bed bugs have absolutely nothing to do with cleanliness levels. However, washing your sheets regularly gives you the opportunity to look for and remove any possible bed bug infestations.
They can come from other infested areas or from used furniture. They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces. They can travel between rooms in multi-unit buildings, such as apartment complexes and hotels.
Reality: Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt and grime; they are attracted to warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. However, clutter offers more hiding spots. Myth: Bed bugs transmit diseases. Reality: There have been no cases or studies that indicate bed bugs transmit diseases between humans.
Controlling a bedbug infestation
Some general suggestions to eliminate bedbugs include: Thoroughly wash, vacuum or clean all surfaces and bedding. Wash bedding and affected clothing where possible, using hot water. Dry in a clothes drier on a hot setting.
Bed Bugs Are Attracted to Warmth: FACT
Bed bugs know that a heat source is likely to mean a host is nearby. Your body temperature will give you away regardless of your clothing or the temperature of the room.
Wash everything on a high temperature or sanitary cycle for at least 30 minutes. Placing everything in the dryer on the hottest setting for 30 minutes will also kill bed bugs and larvae. Immediately after you're finished putting clothing in the washer, tie up and throw out the empty garbage bag in an outdoor trash bin.
You may not notice bites right away, as it can take up to 2 weeks for marks to develop. Unlike flea bites, which are mainly around your ankles, you'll find bedbug bites on areas of skin that are exposed while you're sleeping, often your face, neck, or hands.
If you've noticed red, itchy welts on your skin or found blood smears on your furniture, you may have a bed bug infestation.
Searching for a way to do so may lead you to DIY and home remedies. One such remedy is spreading baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, in the areas where you think bed bugs have been. Unfortunately, the idea that baking soda will kill bed bugs is a myth.
Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids: Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common compounds used to control bed bugs and other indoor pests. Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins.
Unfortunately, though, if you attempt to kill bed bugs with a hair dryer, you'll just be wasting your time. Although many hair dryers can get hot enough to kill bed bugs, the bugs will run from the dryer, meaning you won't be able to heat them long enough to kill them.
Technically, bed bugs can live through a cycle in the washing machine. The truth is that while washing your clothes or linens will kill most of the bed bugs, the heat of drying your items is what will ultimately exterminate any and all remaining bugs. As we mentioned above, bed bugs do not tolerate heat.