Blue Diamond Pest Services

Yes, There Is Such a Thing as a Bed Bug

Almost everyone has heard the little bedtime rhyme:

Good night,
Sleep tight,
Don't let the bed bugs bite.

But for many years, that was all most people knew about bed bugs. Indeed, a lot of people wondered if there even was such a thing as a bedbug.

There is.

Bed bugs (sometimes called "bedbugs;" either form is correct) are small, parasitic insects that feed upon human blood. Once thought to be nonexistent in North America, bed bugs have been coming back with a vengeance in the past few years.

Some experts attribute the rapid comeback of the bed bug to increased international travel, while others believe it has more to do with changes in the way pest control is done nowadays. Older exterminating methods relied on residual sprays, which may have kept the bedbug populations down even though the sprays were intended to control other insects such as cockroaches.

Most likely, both factors have contributed to the bedbug renaissance. One thing, however, is certain: A lot of people are losing sleep over bed bugs. They can cause serious rashes, itching, and bleeding. They also impart a putrid smell when present in large numbers, and may cause allergic reactions in some people.

How Bedbugs Spread

In big, densely-populated cities like Dayton, bed bugs can spread very quickly. They've been known to travel on public transportation, for example, hitch-hiking on passengers and their clothing and belongings when they travel in taxicabs, commuter trains, buses, and airplanes.

Although commonly thought of as urban pests, bed bugs also are found in suburbs and small towns throughout Ohio and most of the United States. They're also found across all socioeconomic classes. They are equal-opportunity parasites.

In apartment buildings, condos, hotels, and other multiple dwellings, bedbugs can rapidly infest adjoining rooms or suites by traveling through walls and conduits; so treatment of adjacent areas is usually required for effective bedbug control. This often requires close cooperation between tenants and neighbors. (Luckily, our environmentally friendly, "green" approach to bed bug control and our earthy-friendly products make this part of the job a lot easier.)

Bedbug Control

Bed bugs are among the most difficult insects to control. There's even a bedbug control blog. Their small size, secretive habits, and prolific reproductive potential make them a challenge for even the best exterminators.

A typical bed bug job will take several hours and consists of a detailed, meticulous treatment of almost every crack, crevice, nook, and cranny in the affected rooms -- as well as all of the furniture. Special preparations on the customer's part are required, as well. The room should be thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed and all bedding, carpeting, clothing and other textiles in the room washed or cleaned in the manner most appropriate for the individual items.

As with all the work we do, we approach bed bug control with the environment in mind, using only the most earth-friendly products and application methods. For more information about bedbugs or to schedule a confidential, onsite consultation anywhere in Fort Worth and Surrounding Area, please call Blue Diamond Pest Services.