Bed Bugs Archives

Check Out the Oddest Places You’ll Find Bed Bugs

When you think bed bugs, the first thing you think is “Ewwwwww”. You probably think they are found in beds; that those beds are in hotels; and you would never stay in one of those hotels. People find these disgusting bugs all over. Here are some of the weirdest places they’ve been found.

In the Bedroom

They are called bed bugs because they like beds. They also like other spots in the bedroom.

Alarm Clocks. Bed bugs have been found inside alarm clocks sitting on nightstands next to the bed. It’s dark; it’s warm; it’s close to the bed and the food source. It’s heaven and there are have quite a few reports of people finding bed bugs in alarm clocks.

Picture Frames. These guys crawl away to hide during the day. If they can’t find a spot on the floor they just head up the wall. The first good hiding spot they may find is a picture frame. People find bed bugs hiding behind pictures and in picture frames.

In the Laundry

They don’t wear clothes, but they love laundry. It’s a great place to hide.

Laundry Baskets. Lots of folks find them in their laundry baskets. It can be full or empty. These laundry baskets are usually kept in the bedroom. The little buggers crawl in to hide. Keep the laundry basket out of the bedroom.

Public Laundry. Laundry baskets end up at the Laundromat and bed bugs come along for the ride. My son’s wife took the oversized comforter to wash at a coin laundry. She brought it home damp but before it went in the home dryer she checked it out. She found bedbugs. That freshly laundered comforter immediately went outside into the trash. The entire basement was treated. If you wash at a laundromat; check everything carefully before heading home.

Other Odd Places for Bed Bugs

Bedbugs have been found in curtain hems. Exterminators say this is pretty common in the bedroom. Drapes are close to the ground and make an awesome hiding place. Who looks in curtain hems?

Pity the management at AMC Empire 25 in Times Square. That theater has been hit twice with bed bugs. If you are watching a creepy movie and feel your skin crawl, it might be the movie theater. Ewwww

Best Defense

The best defense is to stop them before they get started.

Periodically check odd places for bed bugs.
If you travel, know how to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.
Keep your mattress and boxspring protected with bed bug covers designed to keep the little buggers out.

Found a bed bug in a weird place? Comment below!

All Natural Bed Bug Treatments Not Effective

If you have bed bugs, you are searching the net for all the information you can get. If you start thinking about all natural bed bug treatments as an alternative to synthetic pesticides, you might be wasting your time and money.

Bed Bug Treatments Found Not Effective

Researchers with Rutgers University looked into the effectiveness of essential oil based treatments and the results were not promising. They looked at brands that used peppermint oil, clove oil, lemongrass oil, geraniol, rosemary oil, mint oil, cinnamon oil, and eugenol as the active ingredients. Some contained the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate, also known as soap. The findings were published in a fast track article in the Entomological Society of America’s Journal of Economic Entomology.

The results were not promising for those seeking to avoid conventional pesticides. Researchers discovered that even under the best of circumstances (the treatment applied directly to the bed bug) only 2 of the products testedhad kill rates of over 90%. In the practical world, every bug is not always sprayed with the active ingredient. That is because bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices during treatment.

Soap as a Bed Bug Treatment?

On of the most interesting findings is that the “active” ingredients (the essential oils) in the products that were found to be marginally effective were also found in products that were not effective at all. Could it be that the inactive ingredients (such as the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate) are why the more effective product work? It is interesting that the two products that were found to work best were products that also contained the common ingredient in soap. Maybe the researchers will investigate further.

Tried and True Bed Bug Treatments

If you find that you have bed bugs, you should call on a professional that has effective tools in their arsenal. Since the essential oil treatments have shown not to be effective, discuss with your pest control specialist what they recommend that is low in toxicity to humans and high in toxicity to bed bugs. Treatments using heat instead of chemicals are also available.

No matter if you use pesticides or heat or other methods, make sure that your mattress, boxsprings, and pillows are covered in bed bug proof zippered encasements.

Sleep tight…don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Til Next Time

Cheryl

Why Did Your Bed Bug Treatment Fail?

If you have ever had to deal with bed bugs or know someone who has, you know how bad it can get. You do everything you were told to do but the bugs just won’t go away. Why?

We had some send us this great article and we thought you may want to read it when you get the chance. It is titled “4 Reasons Your Bed Bug Treatment Failed”

You did not kill all of them or get rid of the eggs. Bed bugs will hide in the smallest of cracks and while they are there lay eggs. They also will move around the house.
The wrong treatment was used. Bed bugs are already becoming resistant to some pesticides. One problem is you won’t know that until after it is done.
You weren’t persistent enough. You have to be tougher than the bed bugs. You have to be relentless in your bed bug treatment and not let your guard down.
You didn’t apply preventative measures. The best offense is a better defense. Keep bed bugs out of their favorite hiding place in the first place. Make sure you cover the beds with bed bug-proof mattress covers. Make sure they are bed bug proof and not just bed bug resistant.

There is no easy answer or treatment for bed bugs. Bed bug treatment should be considered a war. But is a war that can be won. It just might take more than one battle.

Wishing you the best of health

Mike Krause
Allergy Store – Helping customers since 1989