What Every Mom Needs to Know About Bed Bugs

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Moms always seem to be the experts on what their children are bringing home, whether it’s a cold, the flu or even a dreadful case of head lice. These occurrences may present a few setbacks or sick days, but it’s nothing that Mom can’t handle. Now the newest issue: bed bugs. Moms in Michigan, Ohio, and throughout the country now have to worry about their children bringing home bed bugs from school, daycare and other places they visit. Are you prepared to deal with this problem? The good news is you can (with a little help from this Michigan pest control company) become an expert on bed bugs too!

For many years bed bugs were not a common issue in the United States thanks in part to the use of certain pesticides. Since bans on the use of certain pesticides along with an increase in traveling, bed bugs are making their return and with a vengeance. Hotels, homes and businesses all over the country are experiencing epidemic levels of bed bug infestations. The trouble with bed bugs coming into schools is the containment issue. It’s not just one family, one home, or one business, it’s one school with dozens or even hundreds of families that bed bugs can infest. Prevention is going to be the single most important factor in making sure you don’t end up with a home bed bug problem, or even worse, a school with a bed bug problem. It is important to know first that bed bugs are not a sign of a lack of cleanliness. All they care about is being able to feed off of human blood. The cleanest house in Detroit or the dirtiest are pretty much at equal chances of having a bed bug infestation.

What can Mom do to prevent bed bugs?

• Always wash clothing on the hottest water temperature allowed for the fabrics. Hot water will kill off any eggs or live bed bugs.

• Do a thorough inspection of your home to be sure that you are not the culprit of the infestation. Follow the inspection tips listed below and check mattresses, headboards, night stands, upholstered furniture, and even behind picture frames. Bed bugs hide in dark spaces during the day and then come out to feed at night. Using a flashlight for your inspection will help.

• Check your child’s backpack daily for any signs of these pests.

1. You want to look for any dark spots which are the fecal matter from bed bugs feeding off of human blood.

2. Also, look out for light brown skins which they shed as they grow through their various life stages.

3. The last thing to look for is of course the live bugs themselves which will vary in size depending on their life stage but are on average about 3/16 of an inch long.

If you do find any signs of bed bugs in your child’s school belongings, you must contact the school immediately so they can take the measures of having a professional pest control company come to take care of the problem. It may not be the most pleasant conversation but if you do not inform the school you are risking hundreds of homes becoming infested. If you’ve detected bed bugs or signs of them in your home, contact Rose Pest Solutions, the professionals with proven and effective bed bug treatments in the Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland and other service areas. Our bed bugs services include K-9 bed bug inspections, heat treatments and more!

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