Why Bed Bugs Are A Big Problem in Toronto – The …

To say that there is a serious bedbug problem in Toronto is hardly an understatement. Toronto was actually ranked the city with the highest bed bug infestation in 2017. The Toronto Bed Bug Registry would certainly agree with this claim citing 2,270 reported cases of bed bugs in Toronto. Other cities that come close include Vancouver, Winnipeg and Ottawa.

Bed bugs used to be heard of almost exclusively underdeveloped countries but now are fairly common in North America and Europe. These pests dont just occupy filthy residences and buildings as cases of bed bug infestations in 5-star resorts and luxury hotels are a dime a dozen.

Even Montreals crown jewel as far as libraries go, the Grande Bibliotheque has been invaded by the bed bug menace prompting officials to close off some sections of the building and switch upholstered chairs for plastic seating. Considering that almost 7000 people visit the library every day, it is anyones guess how much and just how far the problem will spread.

In recent years, bed bugs have become a massive issue throughout all of Toronto. The problem is so out of hand that the bugs continue to plague homes and businesses despite multiple efforts to control them. Some bed bug extermination companies have urged home and business owners to throw away furniture and start fresh if possible to put an end to the problem. The question is, why are bed bugs so bad throughout Toronto?

Once again Toronto has been named as the number one place in Canada for bed bug infestation. There are early reports of bed bugs sighting on the subway. So, the battle with notorious pest continue.

Bed bugs can easily hitch a ride on their host. As a result, they can travel from location and location and infest new areas. Just like every year, 2018 has been a year with many bed bug sightings in public spaces.

This was the case with Ryerson university students earlier this year.

The fact that there are several large universities in the city does not help. Bed bugs can migrate from an infested dorm room to a university lecture hall or library and from there they can, in turn, find another host.

It is unclear what the exact cause of the sensational problem is, but one Toronto police station reported beg bugs brought in by a prisoner. The building quickly became infested and has since been an ongoing issue. Unfortunately, the outbreak is not affecting just one police station. Several other businesses have also filed complaints.

Hotels and office buildings are common bed bug breeding grounds for bed bugs throughout Toronto. They are often brought in by other people who carry bed bugs with them. For instance, visitors to a hotel may bring them in. If a firefighter enters a home with bed bugs, they may bring them into the fire station. An office worker with a bed bug problem can carry the bugs into the office space, and so the problem continues to grow.

For many individuals, their lives are now similar to a nightmare. Bed bugs have taken over homes and apartments throughout all of Toronto. These nasty little bugs live within your mattresses, pillows, and bedding. Simply washing your pillows, pillowcases, sheets, and other bedding is not enough. Even on the hottest setting, a run through the washing machine and dryer is not enough to kill these problematic insects.

It does not take much for a small infestation to explode into a massive bed bug population. Unfortunately, as the population continues to grow, the likelihood of the bugs spreading to new locations increases. In normal situations, you should vacuum, keep your bedding clean or replace it, and baseboards cleaned thoroughly. Also, in normal situations, an exterminator can handle the situation rather quickly and easily.

Unfortunately, the bed bug issue in Toronto is beyond normal capacity. They are so out of hand that normal methods of control and elimination are not working. Therefore, it is recommended that you rid your home of furnishings infested with bed bugs. Look into replacing your furniture if you can. If you find that your infestation issue is not a large one, you might be able to salvage your belongings without throwing them away.

Bedbugs are not known for spreading diseases but bites can be very painful and itchy especially for allergic people. These bites do occasionally cause skin infections.

A recent study by BMJ Open reveals that these pests can actually cause psychological issues for residents of infested homes. The study compared two groups of tenants; one group had been exposed to bed bugs at home while the other had not. Some of the consequences reported for the bed bug group include;

These anxiety symptoms are more pronounced in people with bug phobia or have a more than usual aversion to crawling insects. A bed bug problem isnt just itchy, painful and inconvenient. It could actually affect your overall quality of life and happiness.

The findings so far may sound alarmist but there is a lot you can do to protect yourself from bed bugs and from bringing them home with you.

You are most likely to contract bed bugs in hotels so keep your clothes in vacuumed-sealed bags as much as possible. At the very least, dont drop your dirty clothes on the hotel room floor but rather put them in your suitcase.

Inspect your furniture for bed bugs regularly especially if you know there is a bed bug problem within your building or neighbourhood. Antique, vintage and used furniture are most notorious for harbouring these pests. As much as possible do not bring in used furniture, books, appliances or other items into your home unless you are absolutely sure there arent any bed bugs in or on it.

Makes sure you know what bed bugs and bed bug bites look like so you can take action to arrest the problem before it becomes serious. Bed bugs are reddish-brown in colour, oval shaped and small with a flat back. You can expect bed bug bites on the neck, face, hands and arms. These bites manifest as small red welts or bumps in a line or zigzag pattern. The bites may be surrounded by hives or blisters.

Bed bugs are some of the most notorious pests to control even for seasoned professionals.

For one, only a handful of registered pesticides in Canada can be used by the general public due to the potent active ingredients. Add the fact that urban pests are increasingly resistant to pesticides means anything you buy over the counter to get rid of bed bugs is unlikely to work.

These inspects also multiple rapidly where one female can lay as many as 500 eggs in her lifetime. It also takes only a few months for the hatched bugs to reproduce. The females like to lay eggs in cervices, inside appliances and other hidden areas which is why bed bugs have a high rate of return even after professional extermination. The treatment most likely missed the eggs which hatch after a short time and you are back to the beginning.

Lastly, bed bugs are very resilient. Although nocturnal, they can switch their sleeping patterns if the host works night-shift for example. The nymphs can go months without feeding while the adult can stay up to a year without a blood meal. These pests seem to have a high survival instinct which makes them a nightmare to treat.

Hire an exterminator in Toronto to get rid of bed bugs permanently. Our technicians have decades of experiencein successfully treating bed bugs. We rely on multiple treatments, strategies and treatment methods to guarantee a successful outcome. We also seal the residence and apply other measures to keep the bugs out in the future. The treatment comes with a warranty so you dont have to spend any more than you should in the unlikely event that the pest return.

If the exterminator says that you have an out-of-control bed bug population, you may have to consider getting rid of at least some of your furniture. If you would like a professional exterminator to verify bed bug activity please call 647-496-2211. We also feature a variety of bed bug related products such as mattress covers and bed bug monitors.

Updated: March 7th, 2019

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