Daily Archives: August 7, 2015

Last month I stayed at an oceanfront cottage on the Big Island in the Puna area and it was nice. But here comes the but:

In the morning when I woke up in the cottage, I noticed what seemed like mosquito bites on my arms and legs. I got bitten multiple times almost every night and since I wasn't familiar with bed bugs back then, I assumed there were mosquito bites.

But ever since I'm back home, the bites haven't stopped, even though I have never had a bug problem in my house. So today I finally researched what this could be and I came across bed bug information, a common pest in Hawaii. The bite pattern on my body matches pictures on the Internet.

And yesterday I found a bug in my bedroom. Today after a thorough cleaning of my entire bedroom, I found more bed bugs, including on precious keepsakes, which made me very upset. Also, this problem will keep me busy for who knows how long, since bed bugs are a tricky pest. Now I know that bed bugs are "hitchhikers" who can easily be transferred in luggage and clothing from one location to another.

I read that bed bugs can even be found in 5-star hotels and basically everywhere. It doesn't mean that the place is not clean. The bugs could, for example, have been brought in by someone who stayed there before. And here in Hawaii they have the perfect conditions to flourish and multiply.

So next time you go on vacation in Hawaii and happen to notice bites after sleeping that seem to concentrate in one area of your body and be close together, make sure you thoroughly clean your luggage and clothing before going home and after arriving home, so you don't have to go through the hassle of having to clean your whole house to get rid of a serious infestation.

Read the original here:
Beware of bed bugs in Hawaii - To-Hawaii.com

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugsare parasites that have existed since ancient times. For nearly 50 years, they have been dormant, but unfortunately we are now experiencing a widespread recurrence of bed bugs in Hawaii and all across the United States. They are small wingless insects that are reddish brown, flattened, oval, with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. They grow to about 1/8" in length. Bed bugs are generally nocturnal and feed exclusively upon the blood of humans and warm-blooded animals.

It is important to remember that a bed bug infestation is not a sanitation or housekeeping issue. They are resourceful hitchhikers and are typically transported in or on luggage, clothing, or other belongings unknowingly by individuals as they travel. Current outbreaks have been traced to increased domestic and international travel. Bed bugs are a particular problem for hotels, motels, hospitals and apartments, where the turnover rate of occupants is constant. Infestations can also occur accidentally by bringing home infested furniture, mattresses or used clothing.

Bed bugs will feed on any warm-blooded animal, but they prefer the blood of humans. Fortunately, they are not known carriers of any diseases, but bed bug bites often cause red, itchy welts. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may be given to help relieve the itching. Approximately 50% of bed bug victims do not show any evidence of bites.

Bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of once they have infested a property. Sandwich Isle offers conventional treatments that involve steaming, vacuuming, chemical application, tent fumigation. We begin by scheduling a thorough and detailed inspection of your property to determine the extent of your infestation. With this information, our pest control team will customize a program to your specific needs, treating not only the infested rooms and furniture, but surrounding areas as well.

Due to the complexity of treatment and the time required, bed bugs are generally not a pest many people have success in eradicating without professional help. Beware when purchasing pesticides and other products online as many simply do not work and pesticides can be harmful to people and pets if they are misused or mixed improperly.

Sandwich Isle uses vacuuming and steaming as well as the option of mattress encasements to limit the amount of chemical applied in your home. Our chemical treatments are limited as much as possible to remain effective. With conventional pesticides, we follow very strict guidelines for the use of the product so that it poses no threat to people, pets or plants. All products are EPA registered. Our service technicians will inform you of any specific safety measures that need to be taken prior to service.

Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions is committed helping you as soon as possible. In most cases, we can respond the same or very next day.

If you are not satisfied with the results of Sandwich Isle's Pest Prevention Service, we will provide the necessary service at no additional charge. After 30 days, should your pest problem persist, we will continue to provide service at no additional charge until you are satisfied, or we will refund half of your last regular service payment.

Bed bugs are very difficult to prevent, given their ability to enter the home in a number of different ways. The best thing to do is remain vigilant and be aware of the signs of bed bug activity.

Continue reading here:
Learn More About Bed Bugs In Honolulu, Oahu, And All Hawaii