Bedbug Control
Why you need protection from bedbugs
A. Bedbugs
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Bed Bug Who has troubled humans for the last 3000 years?
Pests like these have plagued humans for over 3000 years. Bedbugs are small, flat parasites, which can hide in small crevices like corners of mattresses, wooden joints of beds, cushions and blankets, sofas and chairs, quilts, crevices of the wooden floor, curtains, carpet suitcases, etc. There are many storage beds in people’s homes, inside which stuff can be kept, so it is difficult to find and eliminate them. There is a high risk of bedbug infestation in them.
They are difficult to kill and easy to catch. Can suck up to 6 times more blood than body weight. The blood they drink gives them the nutrients and water they need to live. Bedbugs spread very quickly. They hide in clothes, luggage furniture, suitcases, bedding and household items. Move from building to building.
The most significant aspect of bedbug control is timing. 90% of the time, people waste their valuable time with home remedies, and products available in departmental stores and grocery stores because they lack the right information. However, the truth is that these remedies, such as kerosene oil, do not dry when exposed to sunlight. Similarly, the products found in shops are not effective for many reasons. If the appropriate measures are not taken at the earliest possible time after bedbugs, the cracks in the corners become difficult to treat.
If the bedbugs are inside the joints of furniture, or inside the mattress, then no chemical or hot air gun can reach them and kill them. This is until all the joints have been opened by the carpenter. If you have lost your precious time, then you will have to throw away all the furniture and mattresses in the house and get new mattresses. And yet, between removing the old furniture, mattress and the driveway, lane, professional Bedbug treatment of the whole house will still have to be done, otherwise, the problem of Bedbugs will arise in the new one, not only in our country India but in every country.
Bedbugs are a very serious problem even in western countries like Europe America etc. Every year many people throw away all the furniture mattresses in their homes, but by making big heating chambers abroad, they treat all your furniture by putting donkeys in it and some services are not available due to very less demand for expensive treatment in India. But if the technician and supervisor are trained and use the right chemicals and equipment etc. And if the conscious customer gets the treatment done at the right time, then proper prevention of Bedbugs can be done.
C. RODENT BEHAVIOUR
Rats and Mice have very weak eyesight and it is even weaker during the day. Humans can see three primary colors, red, green and blue with ease even from a great distance, but rats are colour blind and their perception of depth is zero. This is why rats always move adjacent to walls.
Contrary to vision impairment, their senses of smell, touch and hearing is very strong. Mice use their whiskers to thoroughly understand their surroundings and make a detailed survey of their surrounding area. Their whiskers are much more sensitive than the tips of our fingers.
Gnawing: rodents gnaw on anything that comes to their way (like false ceiling, cartons, packets, containers, bags of grains, bread, biscuits and pet food etc.) and leave behind ragged holes.
House Mouse (Mus musculus): It has pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a hairless tail which is equal to its body’s length. House mice are from 65 to 95 mm long and their tails are 60 to 105 mm long. Their fur colour ranges from light brown to black, and they generally have white belly. Their weight ranges from 12 to 30 grams. House mice usually run or stand on all four legs, but while eating, they balance themselves on their hind legs with additional support from the tail – a typical behaviour which is called as “tripoding”. House mice are primarily nocturnal and terrestrial. Nervously active, they are agile climbers and jumpers and are also good swimmers. They make their nests in any protected place, contaminate food and damage your property.
Roof Rat (Rattus rattus): It is also known as Black Rat or ship rat. The tail is longer than its body (longest tail amongst rats of our concern) and have large eyes and ears, a pointed nose. Roof rat droppings are soft and moist when fresh but their old droppings are hard and dried. The droppings usually measure about half an inch and have pointed ends. Roof rats prefer to make its nest /shelter in the upper parts of buildings, such as false ceiling, trees, lofts, dense cover and shadows of thick shrubbery, vine covered trees, power lines and fences. behind walls, above ceilings, and in chimneys. They are also likely to be found infesting basements, areas under buildings, and in sewers.
Sewer or Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus): It is also known as the brown rat. It is a brown or grey rodent with a head and body length of up to 28 cm or 11 inches long, and a tail slightly shorter than its body and head length put together. It weighs between 140 to 500 grams. Brown rats dig well, and often excavate extensive burrow systems. The brown rat is a true omnivore and will consume almost anything, but cereals form a substantial part of its diet. Sewer rat makes a new burrow adjacent to an object or structure in order to provide proper strength to its burrow as sturdy roof.
Greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica): It can grow to about 27–29 cm without including the tail which can grow to 28 cm. It has a dark gray-brown upper parts with a profusion of long, black hair. Large, aggressive bandicoot rats erect their guard hairs on their backs and emit grunts when disturbed. If caged with other bandicoots, it is likely to fight to death within a few hours. They ‘re so aggressive that sometimes dogs and cats are afraid of these bandicoot rat, they occupy the outskirts of human dwellings such as compounds and gardens and are commonly found near garbage bins. They are also sometimes found on the roadside. Sometimes they get run over by cars and die on the road. Burrowing habits cause great damage to grounds and flooring, as they can also tunnel through brick and masonry. Their characteristic large burrows give away their presence. They are not fastidious eaters, feeding on household refuse, grain, and vegetables, and are very serious pests in poultry farms. They are also a carrier for many diseases.
Lesser bandicoot rat (Bandicota bengalensis): They are also known as Indian Mole Rat. Their length can be up to 40 cm long (including the tail). They are considered a serious pest for the the cereal crops and gardens. They emit piglike grunts when attacking. The head-body length is around 250 mm, and the uniformly dark tail is shorter than the head-body length. These rats are also known to inhabit houses in villages and are particularly aggressive when threatened.
D. MOMENT OF DOUBTS: RODENTS
When, you can’t see the rodents but every day you find their droppings or foul odour.
Every morning, you find half eaten tomatoes or damaged bread and biscuit packets.
You hear strange sound usually at night, which is combination of squeaking, hissing, chattering, scratching, gnawing, and rustling sounds. It disturbs your sleep and you are not sure how to stop it.
You notice that there are greasy smears on tile floor, around the holes or chimney or exhaust fans, on the white paints on walls and you don’t know what caused those ugly black smears?
When you find nauseating smell as if rat has died somewhere but don’t know where?
You have bought rat baits from market and you find that rats are not eating it and your problem only increasing.
You have bought rodent glue traps from market and you find that rats are not getting stuck or trapped on it but they are strong enough to run over it.
E. DIY (Do It Yourself) – Is it good idea?
If you are willing to take the pain of doing it yourself, we can certainly help you with right Rodent chemical, equipment and guidance to do it at your own convenience and privacy.
You can fill up the Rodent DIY information form and we will contact you with all the help, suggestion and estimates. A DIY kit can include rodent glue traps, pre baiting material, baiting material, cages, rodent bait station, dead rodent disposal kit and last but not the least guidance to do the rodent control yourself.
F. CHEMICAL OPTION: RODENTS
For Rodents, the recommended chemicals are as follows:
Bromadiolone 0.005%
Klerat Wax blocks known as 0.005% Brodifacoum
For further details on above chemicals, popular brands available in India, how do their bottle and packet look like, refer to our Chemical Section on Rodent control.
G. HERBAL / NON TOXIC CHEMICAL OPTION: RODENTS
Bitterant 1% (non-pesticide bittering agent): bitteRTM from UPL is a powerful and effective rat repellent spray. Its unique bitterant formulation delivers an intense sensation to the gnawing rodent and compels it to stay away. Rats cannot stop gnawing and the bitteRTM formulation uses this behavior to devise an effective repellant.
Odorless rodent repellent
Eco-friendly: No organic solvents used. Safe for humans
Sticks on most of the surfaces easily
Creates uniform coating
Application does not require any training
H. PREVENTIONS EFFECTIVE AGAINST RODENTS
Best way to prevent the rodents is by using the 4Ds - Deny Entry, Deny Food & Water, Deny Shelter and Destroy but responsibly.
Seal each and every hole that you find inside and outside the home to prevent their entry.
Install door sweeps on exterior doors
Inspect items such as boxes, grocery bags and other packages brought into the home.
Routinely inspect the loose soil or ground below the shrubberies, around the building periphery, near drains for rodent burrows. Block them or get them treated by licensed pest control operator.
I. Do’s and Don’ts
The do’s and don’ts to follow when you notice that you have a Rodent problem
DO’S
If you have seen a rat in a room, please close the door and if there is gap below the door, put a door mat or towel or paper sheet to block it so that the rat doesn’t come out of that room to other part of the house.
If you have noticed rat trapped inside a carton or a wardrobe and it has no way out, put some rodent glue traps at the exit point so that rat gets stuck.
Call your pest control operator and don’t panic.
DON’TS
Don’t use rodent baits directly by yourself without expert guidance. If at all, you wish to do it yourself, get a DIY kit for rodents and follow the instructions. It will guide you to identify the rodent species troubling you and then right tools and chemicals to be used in right proportion in a systematic mann.
An effective Bed Bug control starts with a thorough inspection by our Bed Bug experts. Having said that, we always assist people if they wish to do the bed bug control themselves. As a result, we recommend that people not attempt to perform a bed bug control treatment on their own, as they will most likely fail. It will probably unknowingly drive the bed bugs deeper into their hiding places and make it much more difficult for the pest controllers to control Bed Bug.
- One bed bug can suck blood more than 6 times their body weight, in about 3-10 minutes.
- Adult Bed Bugs can live up to 10 months.
- Adult Bed Bugs can survive 80-140 days without food or water.
- Compared to young bed bugs, adult bed bugs can survive for longer periods without food.
- Bed Bugs cannot walk on polished glass and other surfaces, and neither can they fly.
- Bed Bugs bring with them mould that has a very pungent smell that can be easily detected.
- Mattresses, pillows and quilts will have blood spots on them. This is an indication of a bed bug.
- Black spots of their excreted blood are also visible while bed bugs walk.
- Adults, nymphs and eggs of bed bugs are as big as grains of rice.
- Don’t throw away your mattress or furniture having a problem with bed bugs; this will not solve the problem.
- Moving rooms also doesn’t help. A bed bug will keep on your trail and won't stop following you. As long carry things with you. Once you get your house treated for bed bugs then you shouldn’t move for 2 months otherwise you will carry the bed bug problem along with you.
- Do not move decorative elements from one room to another. If you move your bedding or pillows to a different area then you are probably spreading the infestation. If your child cannot sleep without a stuffed toy then you should keep it within a warm drawer for 20 minutes.
- Do not try to perform a Bed Bug treatment on your own. This attempt will most probably be unsuccessful and will probably unknowingly drive the Bed Bug deeper into their hiding places and make it much more difficult for the pest controllers to solve these problems. This should only be attempted by a trained professional.
- Do not try to freeze them at all, if you try to freeze them or keep them in a temperature lower than zero – 32 degrees Fahrenheit – and then take them out into a normal room temperature, then they come straight back to life.
- There is no merit in panicking. Bed Bugs are difficult to eradicate but this is not a completely impossible goal. Do not through away objects that are infested with Bed bugs because through treatment they can all be salvaged.
- Try and reduce places where they can hide to a minimum and get rid of as much garbage and trash as you can. When a house has a lot of trash in it then it gives bed bugs easy hiding places; this makes finding them and treating the situation very difficult. If there are bed bugs in your mattresses, there are bug proof mattresses available in the market the help of which it will prevent the bugs from coming out at night and showering you with bites. Be careful that this product has been satisfactorily tested and certified and should work properly at least for a full year without any wear and tear.
- Cleaning, washing, heat-drying and maintenance of your mattresses, pillows, beddings and carpets that touch the floor is necessary at regular intervals. Doing so will reduce the bed bug population in your home considerably. Bed bugs can hide their eggs in laundry baskets and tanks, therefore they should be inspected and cleaned before you begin doing your laundry.
- One effective way of Bed Bug control is that they can be killed with high temperatures, but it is important to be careful. Increasing the temperature of rooms will not solve any purpose; special tools and equipment are required to change the temperature to the required level. Things with Bed Bug infestations should be put in black plastic bags and kept in direct sunlight (at a temperature of around 110 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 3 hours for the most effective results.
- Do not let the Bed Bug spread, this is a gift that no one will appreciate and they are hitchhikers that do not leave. If you throw away objects with bed bugs in them without destroying said objects they will spread to other places and then there will be new victims to the unwelcome urges of the bed bugs.
- Try and lower the numbers of the bed bug army flanking your home to minimize the risk of bites. If you thoroughly vacuum clean the place then the bed bugs will not be fully eradicated but there will be some relief. For this reason, quilts, glasses, sofas and their mattresses, on all four corners and under the bed should be carefully vacuumed. Change the vacuum bag after each usage and place the used bag in plastic and seal them before throwing them away.
- Rooms that have been attacked by Bed Bug need to be well cleaned and the trash needs to be demolished. Many things that people keep but do not use or would ever need to use, and tend to hoard such things for years. Objects that are left uncleaned for such a long time is perfect for festering and causing bed bugs to appear. Giving these old things away to charity is not wise and is borderline criminal behaviour.
- Bed Bugs love trash because it allows them to roam around freely without fear.
- After Bed Bug control vacuuming all mattresses helps and bedding should be cleaned with hot water (120 degrees Fahrenheit) and dried in a warm dryer.
- Isopropyl Alcohol is a bottled spray that works on mattress seams, but there are chances of ruining wooden planks that have varnish or lacquer on them. Therefore, spray over a small area to check, alcohol has a knockdown effect but there are no residual effects. Besides this, there is a dehydration effect and some effects also work on eggs after repeated treatments. If you are going for a journey or returning from one with a suitcase, you should spray it with alcohol and properly clean it and ventilate the room immediately. Remember that these are temporary solutions until a proper professional pest controller comes to help you with your pest problem.
- Try to use lightly washed mattresses and bed covers daily. Bed bugs are very agile and fast so instead of dusting or beating the mattress one should quickly wrap it into a plastic bag and wash it in the laundry with warm water for Bed Bug control.
We will do a thorough inspection of the bed bug and then give you the recommendations. Those seams, along with beading, under buttons, and corner protectors if they have not already been removed. For metal framed beds, be sure wooden slats are present; these contain many cracks for bed bugs to hide in and lay their eggs. If the wooden slats are bolted to the bed frame, the bolts should be undone and the drilled holes inspected and treated. Bed bugs can also hide in coils of bedsprings and inside hollow bedposts. The areas around the bed should be investigated next. These include:
- The bed frame, bed head and bedside furniture should be checked in detail for effective bed bug control.
- The drawers in tables and cupboards would be removed and examined for effective bed bug control.
- If bed heads are attached to the wall, they would be removed after consulting the customer.
- Other furniture in the room should be inspected, especially locations where luggage is placed, such as luggage racks. For these, close attention should be paid to the seams and buttons (if upholstered) and any wooden join (especially if constructed of chipboard).
- Other inspection sites include appliances such as telephones and audiovisual equipment, books, power points and behind switch plates, underneath carpet edges and the straight edge that holds the carpet in place along with rugs, skirting boards, joins in floorboards and under floorboards, loose wallpaper and paint, architraves, old nail and screw holes, ornaments, window casings and wall voids.
- Bed bugs may be found higher on the wall in wall hangings, picture frames, wall mirrors, Venetian and vertical blinds, curtains and curtain rods, books, behind electrical conduit, cracks and joints in the ceiling, under ceiling mouldings and light fittings.
- Treatment of the frame, slats, springs, and wood panelling of beds for effective bedbug control. To clean a Mattress, apply a light mist to seams, tufts and folds but not to the entire mattress. Allow four hours to dry the spray. Ventilate the room while spraying and drying. Treat infested upholstered furniture in the same way as mattresses by lightly spraying only the edges and seams of cushions, furniture joints and the inside framework. You should not treat the areas where you sit or rest your arms. Do not disinfect the bedding (mattress and frames) of infants and the infirm, but replace it with non-contaminated items.
- Treatment of infested area with liquid chemicals. Treatment of baseboard crevices, closets, wood panelling and other places that harbour bed bugs.
- If infestations are discovered in electrical connections such as junction boxes, wiring casings, etc. for effective bed bug control, we use a small quantity of oil-based chemicals as a spot application. This can also be used to brush hard to reach places like furniture joints.
- Don’t throw your mattress or furniture; this will not solve the problem.
- Moving from one room to another will also not help as they will keep following you and wont stop as long as you carry things with you. Once you get your house treated for bed bugs then you shouldn’t move for 2 months otherwise you will carry the problem along with you.
- Do not move decorative elements from one room to another, and if you move your bedding or pillows to a different area then you are probably spreading the infestation. If your child cannot sleep without a stuffed toy then you should keep it within a warm drawer for 20 minutes.
- Do not try to perform a bed bug treatment on your own, because this attempt will most probably be unsuccessful and will probably unknowingly drive the bed bugs deeper into their hiding places and make it much more difficult for the pest controllers to solve these problems. This should only be attempted by a trained professional.
- Do not try to freeze them at all, if you try to freeze them and then take them out to a normal room temperature, then they come straight back to life.
- There is no merit in panicking. Bed bugs are difficult to eradicate but this is not a completely impossible goal. Do not through away objects that are infested with bed bugs because through treatment they can all be salvaged.
- Try and reduce places where they can hide to a minimum and get rid of as much garbage and trash as you can. When a house has a lot of trash in it then it gives bed bugs easy hiding places; this makes finding them and treating the situation very difficult. If there are bed bugs in your mattresses, there are bug proof mattresses available in the market the help of which it will prevent the bugs from coming out at night and showering you with bites. Be careful that this product has been satisfactorily tested and certified and should work properly at least for a full year without any wear and tear.
- Cleaning, washing, heat-drying and maintenance of your mattresses, pillows, beddings and carpets that touch the floor is necessary at regular intervals. Doing so will reduce the bed bug population in your home considerably. Bed bugs can hide their eggs in laundry baskets and tanks, therefore they should be inspected and cleaned before you begin doing your laundry.
- Bed Bugs can be killed with high temperatures, but it is important to be careful. Increasing the temperature of rooms will not solve any purpose; special tools and equipment are required to change the temperature to the required level. Things with bed bug infestations should be put in black plastic bags and kept in direct sunlight (at a temperature of around 110 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 3 hours for the most effective results.
- Do not let the Bed Bugs spread, this is a gift that no one will appreciate and they are hitchhikers that do not leave. If you throw away objects with bed bugs in them without destroying said objects they will spread to other places and then there will be new victims to the unwelcome urges of the bed bugs.
- Try and lower the numbers of the bed bug army flanking your home to minimize the risk of bites. If you thoroughly vacuum clean the place then the bed bugs will not be fully eradicated but there will be some relief. For this reason, quilts, glasses, sofas and their mattresses, on all four corners and under the bed should be carefully vacuumed. Change the vacuum bag after each usage and place the used bag in plastic and seal them before throwing them away.
- Rooms that have been attacked by bed bugs need to be well cleaned and the trash needs to be demolished. Many things that people keep but do not use or would ever need to use, and tend to hoard such things for years. Objects that are left uncleaned for such a long time is perfect for festering and causing bed bugs to appear. Giving these old things away to charity is not wise and is borderline criminal behaviour.
- Bed Bugs love trash because it allows them to roam around freely without fear.
- After vacuuming all mattresses and bedding, they should be cleaned with hot water and dried in a warm dryer.
- Try to use lightly washed mattresses and bed covers daily. Bed bugs are very agile and fast so instead of dusting or beating the mattress one should quickly wrap it into a plastic bag and wash it in the laundry with warm water to eliminate the bugs.
