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Bed bug bites: When bedbugs bite, you often see clusters of bites. Each cluster usually contains 3 to 5 bites that appear in a zigzag pattern. How do you know if you have bed bugs?

To find out if you have bed bugs, you need to look for two things:

Bites on your body: If you have bed bugs, youre likely to have bites. Bed bug bites usually cause itchy welts. These welts usually appear in a zigzag pattern as show in the photo above.

Youll seldom see bed bugs, so many people mistakenly believe that mosquitos, fleas, or spiders bit them. Sometimes people mistakebed bug bites for a common skin condition such as an itchy rash, hives, or chickenpox.

To make sure you have bed bugs, youll need to look for signs of bed bugs.

Although bed bugs dont usually require serious medical attention, they can cause a great deal of anxiety and restless nights. To help find bed bugs before they find you (and your belongings), dermatologists recommend looking for the following signs near places where you sleep.

Signs of bed bugs: This step is important. If you have abed bug infestation, you need to find out so that you can get rid of the bed bugs. Getting rid of the bed bugs is the only way to stop the bites.

If you have a large number of bed bugs, you may see the bugs. Most people, however, only see signs of bed bugs. To look for signs of bed bugs, check the places that people sleep for the following:

If you do get bed bugs and have many bites or a bite that looks infected, see a board-certified dermatologist. A dermatologist can treat an infection and help relieve the itch.

If you see bed bugs, they will likely scurry toward the closest hiding place. Any dark place such as inside a mattress or even a picture frame makes a good hiding place.

As you watch bed bugs move, it can look like they are flying or jumping because they can crawl quickly. Bed bugs cannot fly or jump; they can only crawl.

If you find signs of bed bugs, call a pest-control company or your property manager. You should not use bug spray or a fogger. These products have little effect on bed bugs.

You should see a dermatologist for treatment if you have:

Your dermatologist may prescribe the following to treatbed bug bites:

Allergic reaction: Some people may require an injection of an antihistamine, corticosteroid, or epinephrine (adrenaline) for a severe allergic reaction.

Infection: An infection may require an antibiotic. If the infection is mild, your dermatologist may recommend an antiseptic medication that you can buy without a prescription. Your dermatologist will tell you which one to use. Your dermatologist also may recommend an antiseptic to prevent a skin infection.

Itch: A prescription antihistamine pill or liquid can help. You also can apply a corticosteroid to the bites. Your dermatologist will tell you which is best for you.

If you do not have any signs of an infection or a serious reaction, you can often treat the bites at home.

To treatbed bug bites:

Bed bugbites usually heal and go away within a week or two.

ReferencesLeverkus M et al. Bullous Allergic Hypersensitivity to Bed bug Bites Mediated by IgE against Salivary Nitrophorin. J of Invest Dermatol. 2006;126:2364-2366.

Liebold K et al. Disseminated bullous eruption with systemic reaction caused by Cimex lectularius. J Euro Acad of Dermat and Vener. 2003;17:461-463.

Steen CJ, Carbonaro PA, Schwartz RA. Arthropods in dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2004; 50:819-42.

Excerpt from:
Bed bugs | American Academy of Dermatology

Bed bugs also known as Cimex Lectulariusare parasites that feed on human blood. For a person suffering from a bed bug infestation, the question foremost on mind must be how to get rid of bed bugs naturally? Often, people dealing with bed bugs wonder if there are any natural predators or enemies of bed bugs that can help them on their quest to eliminate these parasites safely and effectively. Let us find out what are the natural methods of eliminating bed bugs.

Many organisms feed on bed bugs. Such organisms are called natural enemies of bed bugs. Bed bugs have many natural predators like pharaoh ants, American cockroaches and cone nosed insects. Certain spiders also kill bed bugs. Cockroaches are wonderful natural predators of bed bugs as they eat bed bugs and can eliminate infestations before they escalate. However, biological control of bed bugs through natural predators will not help you since you will then need to eliminate the predators later. Secondly, bed bugs are great at hiding and they usually seek areas near the hosts sleeping places such as cracks and crevices near the beds to hide. You certainly do not want to bring in roaches in these areas.

Several insects kill bed bugs and following are the most common ones:

The main species of spiders that eat bed bugs are:

Several species of lizards are known to eat bed bugs. However, if you are thinking of using this natural method for eradicating bugs, you could not be more wrong! Lizards need specific environmental conditions like heat, light and humidity which may be difficult to maintain. This is an impractical method of bed bug elimination.

Ladybugs are often used in gardens to control populations of tiny insects and ants that feed on plants. However, it is not known whether ladybugs indeed kill bed bugs. Additionally, it wont be a practical solution in the bed rooms.

A female bed bug lays up to 3 eggs a day or 500 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch within 3-10 days and the nymphs are about 1.5mm long. These take up to 7 days to molt and transform to the next stage of the life cycle. In this period, the nymphs need a lot of blood meal. A fully grown adult bed bug is about 5.5mm long and it too needs several blood meals to reproduce and lay eggs. Bed bugs die when exposed to 120 F for a minute or 113 F for 30 minutes. An alarming fact is that they can survive for up to 5 days in the freezer.

Until recently, it was believed that bed bugs did not spread diseases. However, researchers in Vancouver recently found out that bed bugs do carry methicillin-resistant and vancomycin-resistant organisms which can cause bacterial diseases in humans. So-when it comes to bed bugs, it is very important to clean, vacuum and remain vigilant at all times and prevent things from getting out of control.

It is heartening to know that a great deal of research is being carried out to determine natural elimination techniques for bed bugs. According to a study carried out by entomologists in the University of Pennsylvania, Beauveria bassiana- natural fungus that causes disease in bed bugs can be used for natural control of these parasites. The results of the study are encouraging. The team also believes that such natural methods are easy to replicate in a lab and soon people can use them as pesticides. Basically- the researchers used an air spray and exposed 10 bed bugs with the fungal spores (sprayed on cotton bed sheets). All bed bugs exposed to the fungi were infected and died within days. The infected bugs also carried the bio-pesticide back to their hiding places and infected the unexposed or healthy bugs. You can read the entire report here.

Bed bugs are cryptic creatures and people suffering from an infestation would want them out of their house as soon as possible. The natural methods of eliminating bed bugs could include bringing in the natural enemies of bed bugs but this may not be a practical solution. We hope science and technology can soon find a permanent, easy and safe alternative to eliminate and prevent bed bugs once and for all.

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What Are The Natural Predators of Bed Bugs?

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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Why Bed Bugs Are A Big Problem in Toronto - The ...