Category Archives: Bed Bugs New York

Bed bugs are parasitic insects of the cimicid family that feed exclusively on blood. Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, is the best known as it prefers to feed on human blood. Other Cimex species specialize in other animals, e.g., bat bugs, such as Cimex pipistrelli (Europe), Cimex pilosellus (western US), and Cimex adjunctus (entire eastern US).[2]

The name bed bug derives from the preferred habitat of Cimex lectularius: warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. Bed bugs are mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed.[3][4][5]

A number of adverse health effects may result from bed bug bites, including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms.[6] Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors. Certain signs and symptoms suggest the presence of bed bugs; finding the adult insects confirms the diagnosis.

Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years.[7] At a point in the early 1940s, they were mostly eradicated in the developed world, but have increased in prevalence since 1995, likely due to pesticide resistance, governmental bans on effective pesticides, and international travel.[8][9] Because infestation of human habitats has begun to increase, bed bug bites and related conditions have been on the rise as well.[7][10]

Diagnosis of an infestation involves both finding bed bugs and the occurrence of compatible symptoms.[6] Treatment involves the elimination of the insect (including its eggs) and taking measures to treat symptoms until they resolve.[6]

Bed bug bites or cimicosis may lead to a range of skin manifestations from no visible effects to prominent blisters.[11] Effects include skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms.[6]

Although bed bugs can be infected with at least 28 human pathogens, no studies have found that the insects are capable of transmitting any of these to humans.[10] They have been found with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)[12] and with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), but the significance of this is still unknown.[13]

Investigations into potential transmission of HIV, MRSA, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis E have not shown that bed bugs can spread these diseases. However, arboviruses may be transmissible.[14]

Adult bed bugs are light brown to reddish-brown, flattened, oval-shaped, and have no hind wings. The front wings are vestigial and reduced to pad-like structures. Bed bugs have segmented abdomens with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. Adults grow to 45mm (0.160.20in) long and 1.53mm (0.0590.118in) wide.

Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color, and become browner as they moult and reach maturity. A bed bug nymph of any age that has just consumed a blood meal has a bright red, translucent abdomen, fading to brown over the next several hours, and to opaque black within two days as the insect digests its meal. Bed bugs may be mistaken for other insects, such as booklice, small cockroaches, or carpet beetles; however, when warm and active, their movements are more ant-like and, like most other true bugs, they emit a characteristic disagreeable odor when crushed.

Bed bugs use pheromones and kairomones to communicate regarding nesting locations, feeding, and reproduction.

The lifespan of bed bugs varies by species and is also dependent on feeding.

Bed bugs can survive a wide range of temperatures and atmospheric compositions.[15] Below 16.1C (61.0F), adults enter semihibernation and can survive longer; they can survive for at least five days at 10C (14F), but die after 15 minutes of exposure to 32C (26F).[16] Common commercial and residential freezers reach temperatures low enough to kill most life stages of bed bug, with 95% mortality after 3 days at 12C (10F).[17] They show high desiccation tolerance, surviving low humidity and a 3540C range even with loss of one-third of body weight; earlier life stages are more susceptible to drying out than later ones.[18]

The thermal death point for C. lectularius is 45C (113F); all stages of life are killed by 7 minutes of exposure to 46C (115F).[16] Bed bugs apparently cannot survive high concentrations of carbon dioxide for very long; exposure to nearly pure nitrogen atmospheres, however, appears to have relatively little effect even after 72 hours.[19]

Bed bugs are obligatory hematophagous (bloodsucking) insects. Most species feed on humans only when other prey are unavailable.[20][21][22] They obtain all the additional moisture they need from water vapor in the surrounding air.[23] Bed bugs are attracted to their hosts primarily by carbon dioxide, secondarily by warmth, and also by certain chemicals.[24][25][26] Bedbugs prefer exposed skin, preferably the face, neck, and arms of a sleeping person.

Bedbugs have mouth parts that saw through the skin, and inject saliva with anticoagulants and painkillers. Sensitivity of humans varies from extreme allergic reaction to no reaction at all (about 20%). The bite usually produces a swelling with no red spot, but when many bugs feed on a small area, reddish spots may appear after the swelling subsides.[16]

Although under certain cool conditions adult bed bugs can live for over a year without feeding,[27] under typically warm conditions they try to feed at five- to ten-day intervals, and adults can survive for about five months without food.[28] Younger instars cannot survive nearly as long, though even the vulnerable newly hatched first instars can survive for weeks without taking a blood meal.

At the 57th annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America in 2009, newer generations of pesticide-resistant bed bugs in Virginia were reported to survive only two months without feeding.[29]

DNA from human blood meals can be recovered from bed bugs for up to 90 days, which mean they can be used for forensic purposes in identifying on whom the bed bugs have fed.[30][31]

A bed bug pierces the skin of its host with a stylet fascicle, rostrum, or "beak". The rostrum is composed of the maxillae and mandibles, which have been modified into elongated shapes from a basic, ancestral style. The right and left maxillary stylets are connected at their midline and a section at the centerline forms a large food canal and a smaller salivary canal. The entire maxillary and mandibular bundle penetrates the skin.[5]

The tips of the right and left maxillary stylets are not the same; the right is hook-like and curved, and the left is straight. The right and left mandibular stylets extend along the outer sides of their respective maxillary stylets and do not reach anywhere near the tip of the fused maxillary stylets. The stylets are retained in a groove in the labium, and during feeding, they are freed from the groove as the jointed labium is bent or folded out of the way; its tip never enters the wound.[5]

The mandibular stylet tips have small teeth, and through alternately moving these stylets back and forth, the insect cuts a path through tissue for the maxillary bundle to reach an appropriately sized blood vessel. Pressure from the blood vessel itself fills the insect with blood in three to five minutes. The bug then withdraws the stylet bundle from the feeding position and retracts it back into the labial groove, folds the entire unit back under the head, and returns to its hiding place.[5] It takes between five and ten minutes for a bed bug to become completely engorged with blood.[32] In all, the insect may spend less than 20 minutes in physical contact with its host, and does not try to feed again until it has either completed a moult or, if an adult, has thoroughly digested the meal.

All bed bugs mate by traumatic insemination.[4][33] Female bed bugs possess a reproductive tract that functions during oviposition, but the male does not use this tract for sperm insemination.[4] Instead, the male pierces the female's abdomen with his hypodermic penis and ejaculates into the body cavity. In all bed bug species except Primicimex cavernis, sperm are injected into the mesospermalege,[4] a component of the spermalege,[4] a secondary genital structure that reduces the wounding and immunological costs of traumatic insemination.[34][35][36] Injected sperm travel via the haemolymph (blood) to sperm storage structures called seminal conceptacles, with fertilisation eventually taking place at the ovaries.[35]

Male bed bugs sometimes attempt to mate with other males and pierce their abdomens.[37] This behaviour occurs because sexual attraction in bed bugs is based primarily on size, and males mount any freshly fed partner regardless of sex.[38] The "bed bug alarm pheromone" consists of (E)-2-octenal and (E)-2-hexenal. It is released when a bed bug is disturbed, as during an attack by a predator. A 2009 study demonstrated the alarm pheromone is also released by male bed bugs to repel other males that attempt to mate with them.[36][39]

Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus mate with each other given the opportunity, but the eggs then produced are usually sterile. In a 1988 study, one of 479 eggs was fertile and resulted in a hybrid, Cimex hemipterus lectularius.[40][41]

Cimex lectularius males have environmental microbes on their genitals. These microbes damage sperm cells, leaving them unable to fertilize female gametes. Due to these dangerous microbes, males have evolved antimicrobial ejaculate substances that prevent sperm damage. When the microbes contact sperm or the male genitals, the bed bug releases antimicrobial substances. Many species of these microbes live in the bodies of females after mating. The microbes can cause infections in the females. It has been suggested that females receive benefit from the ejaculate. Though the benefit is not direct, females are able to produce more eggs than optimum increasing the amount of the females' genes in the gene pool.[42]

In organisms, sexual selection extends past differential reproduction to affect sperm composition, sperm competition, and ejaculate size. Males of C. lectularius allocate 12% of their sperm and 19% of their seminal fluid per mating. Due to these findings, Reinhard et. al proposed that multiple mating is limited by seminal fluid and not sperm. After measuring ejaculate volume, mating rate and estimating sperm density, Reinhardt et al. showed that mating could be limited by seminal fluid. Despite these advances, the cost difference between ejaculate-dose dependence and mating frequency dependence have not been explored.[43]

Males fertilize females only by traumatic insemination into the structure called the ectospermalege (the organ of Berlese, however the organ of Ribaga, as it was first named, was first designated as an organ of stridulation. These two names are not descriptive, so other terminologies are used). On fertilization, the female's ovaries finish developing, which suggests that sperm plays a role other than fertilizing the egg. Fertilization also allows for egg production through the corpus allatum. Sperm remains viable in a female's spermathecae (a better term is conceptacle), a sperm-carrying sack, for a long period of time as long as body temperature is optimum. The female lays fertilized eggs until she depletes the sperm found in her conceptacle. After the depletion of sperm, she lays a few sterile eggs. The number of eggs a C. lectularius female produces does not depend on the sperm she harbors, but on the female's nutritional level.[44]

In C. lectularius, males sometimes mount other males because male sexual interest is directed at any recently fed individual regardless of their sex, but unfed females may also be mounted. Traumatic insemination is the only way for copulation to occur in bed bugs. Females have evolved the spermalege to protect themselves from wounding and infection. Because males lack this organ, traumatic insemination could leave them badly injured. For this reason, males have evolved alarm pheromones to signal their sex to other males. If a male C. lectularius mounts another male, the mounted male releases the pheromone signal and the male on top stops before insemination.

Females are capable of producing alarm pheromones to avoid multiple mating, but they generally do not do so. Two reasons are proposed as to why females do not release alarm pheromones to protect themselves. First, alarm pheromone production is costly. Due to egg production, females may refrain from spending additional energy on alarm pheromones. The second proposed reason is that releasing the alarm pheromone reduces the benefits associated with multiple mating.[45] Benefits of multiple mating include material benefits, better quality nourishment or more nourishment, genetic benefits including increased fitness of offspring, and finally, the cost of resistance may be higher than the benefit of consentwhich appears the case in C. lectularius.[46]

Bed bugs have five immature nymph life stages and a final sexually mature adult stage.[47] They shed their skins through ecdysis at each stage, discarding their outer exoskeleton, which is somewhat clear, empty exoskeletons of the bugs themselves. Bed bugs must molt six times before becoming fertile adults, and must consume at least one blood meal to complete each moult.[48]

Each of the immature stages lasts about a week, depending on temperature and the availability of food, and the complete lifecycle can be completed in as little as two months (rather long compared to other ectoparasites). Fertilized females with enough food lay three to four eggs each day continually until the end of their lifespans (about nine months under warm conditions), possibly generating as many as 500 eggs in this time.[48]Genetic analysis has shown that a single pregnant bed bug, possibly a single survivor of eradication, can be responsible for an entire infestation over a matter of weeks, rapidly producing generations of offspring.[49]

On the right is recently sloughed skin from its nymph stage

Blood-fed stage (note differences in color with respect to digestion of blood meal)

Sexual dimorphism occurs in C. lectularius, with the females larger in size than the males on average. The abdomens of the sexes differ in that the males appear to have "pointed" abdomens, which are actually their copulatory organs, while females have more rounded abdomens. Since males are attracted to large body size, any bed bug with a recent blood meal can be seen as a potential mate. However, males will mount unfed, flat females on occasion. The female is able to curl her abdomen forward and underneath toward the head to not mate. Males are generally unable to discriminate between the sexes until after mounting, but before inseminating.[50]

C. lectularius only feeds every five to seven days, which suggests that it does not spend the majority of its life searching for a host. When a bed bug is starved, it leaves its shelter and searches for a host. If it successfully feeds, it returns to its shelter. If it does not feed, it continues to search for a host. After searchingregardless of whether or not it has eatenthe bed bug returns to the shelter to aggregate before the photophase (period of light during a day-night cycle). Reis argues that two reasons explain why C. lectularius would return to its shelter and aggregate after feeding. One is to find a mate and the other is to find shelter to avoid getting smashed after eating.[51]

C. lectularius aggregates under all life stages and mating conditions. Bed bugs may choose to aggregate because of predation, resistance to desiccation, and more opportunities to find a mate. Airborne pheromones are responsible for aggregations. Another source of aggregation could be the recognition of other C. lectularius bugs through mechanoreceptors located on their antennae. Aggregations are formed and disbanded based on the associated cost and benefits. Females are more often found separate from the aggregation than males. Females are more likely to expand the population range and find new sites. Active female dispersal can account for treatment failures. Males, when found in areas with few females, abandon an aggregation to find a new mate. The males excrete an aggregation pheromone into the air that attracts virgin females and arrests other males.[52]

Bed bugs can exist singly, but tend to congregate once established. Though strictly parasitic, they spend only a tiny fraction of their lifecycles physically attached to hosts. Once a bed bug finishes feeding, it relocates to a place close to a known host, commonly in or near beds or couches in clusters of adults, juveniles, and eggswhich entomologists call harborage areas or simply harborages to which the insect returns after future feedings by following chemical trails. These places can vary greatly in format, including luggage, inside of vehicles, within furniture, amongst bedside cluttereven inside electrical sockets and nearby laptop computers. Bed bugs may also nest near animals that have nested within a dwelling, such as bats, birds,[53] or rodents. They are also capable of surviving on domestic cats and dogs, though humans are the preferred host of C. lectularius.[54]

Bed bugs can also be detected by their characteristic smell of rotting raspberries.[55]Bed bug detection dogs are trained to pinpoint infestations, with a possible accuracy rate between 11% and 83%.[56] Homemade and homeopathic detectors have been developed.[57][58]

Eradication of bed bugs frequently requires a combination of nonpesticide approaches and the occasional use of pesticides.[7][10]

Mechanical approaches, such as vacuuming up the insects and heat-treating or wrapping mattresses, are effective.[7][56] A combination of heat and drying treatments is most effective. An hour at a temperature of 45C (113F) or over, or two hours at less than 17C (1F) kills them;[56] a domestic clothes drier or steam kills bedbugs.[16] Another study found 100% mortality rates for bed bugs exposed to temperatures greater than 50C (122F) for more than 2 minutes.[59] Starving them is difficult as they can survive without eating for 100 to 300 days, depending on temperature.[56] For public health reasons, individuals are encouraged to call a professional pest control service to eradicate bed bugs in a home, rather than attempting to do it themselves, particularly if they live in a multifamily building.[60]

As of 2012[update], no truly effective pesticides were available.[56] Pesticides that have historically been found effective include pyrethroids, dichlorvos, and malathion.[10] Resistance to pesticides has increased significantly over time, and harm to health from their use is of concern.[7] The carbamate insecticide propoxur is highly toxic to bed bugs, but it has potential toxicity to children exposed to it, and the US Environmental Protection Agency has been reluctant to approve it for indoor use.[61]Boric acid, occasionally applied as a safe indoor insecticide, is not effective against bed bugs because they do not groom.[62][dubious discuss] The fungus Beauveria bassiana is being researched as of 2012[update] for its ability to control bed bugs.[63] As bed bugs continue to adapt pesticide resistance, researchers have examined on the insect's genome to see how the adaptations develop and to look for potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited in the growth and development phases.[64]

Natural enemies of bed bugs include the masked hunter insect (also known as "masked bed bug hunter"),[65]cockroaches,[66]ants, spiders (particularly Thanatus flavidus), mites, and centipedes (particularly the house centipede Scutigera coleoptrata). However, biological pest control is not considered practical for eliminating bed bugs from human dwellings.[16]

Bed bugs occur around the world.[67] Rates of infestations in developed countries, while decreasing from the 1930s to the 1980s, have increased dramatically since the 1980s.[7][10][67] Previously, they were common in the developing world, but rare in the developed world.[10] The increase in the developed world may have been caused by increased international travel, resistance to insecticides, and the use of new pest-control methods that do not affect bed bugs.[68][69]

The exact causes of this resurgence remain unclear; it is variously ascribed to greater foreign travel, increased immigration from the developing world to the developed world, more frequent exchange of second-hand furnishings among homes, a greater focus on control of other pests, resulting in neglect of bed bug countermeasures, and increasing resistance to pesticides.[10][68] Declines in household cockroach populations that have resulted from the use of insecticides effective against this major bed bug predator have aided the bed bugs' resurgence, as have bans on DDT and other potent pesticides.[70]

The fall in bed bug populations after the 1930s in the developed world is believed partly due to the use of DDT to kill cockroaches.[71] The invention of the vacuum cleaner and simplification of furniture design may have also played a role.[71] Others believe it might simply be the cyclical nature of the organism.[72]

The common bed bug (C. lectularius) is the species best adapted to human environments. It is found in temperate climates throughout the world. Other species include Cimex hemipterus, found in tropical regions, which also infests poultry and bats, and Leptocimex boueti, found in the tropics of West Africa and South America, which infests bats and humans. Cimex pilosellus and Cimex pipistrella primarily infest bats, while Haematosiphon inodora, a species of North America, primarily infests poultry.[73]

In November 2016, a media report noted that tropical bed bugs, Cimex hemipterus, which had been extirpated from the state during World War II, were discovered in Brevard County, Florida and are expected to spread in distribution within the United States.[74][75]

C. lectularius may have originated in the Middle East in caves inhabited by bats and humans.[21]

Bed bugs were mentioned in ancient Greece as early as 400 BC, and were later mentioned by Aristotle. Pliny's Natural History, first published circa AD 77 in Rome, claimed bed bugs had medicinal value in treating ailments such as snake bites and ear infections. (Belief in the medicinal use of bed bugs persisted until at least the 18th century, when Guettard recommended their use in the treatment of hysteria.[76])

Bed bugs were first mentioned in Germany in the 11th century, in France in the 13th century, and in England in 1583,[21] though they remained rare in England until 1670. Some in the 18th century believed bed bugs had been brought to London with supplies of wood to rebuild the city after the Great Fire of London (1666). Giovanni Antonio Scopoli noted their presence in Carniola (roughly equivalent to present-day Slovenia) in the 18th century.[77][78]

Traditional methods of repelling and/or killing bed bugs include the use of plants, fungi, and insects (or their extracts), such as black pepper;[79]black cohosh (Actaea racemosa); Pseudarthria hookeri; Laggera alata (Chinese yngmo co | );[16]Eucalyptus saligna oil;[80][81]henna (Lawsonia inermis or camphire);[82] "infused oil of Melolontha vulgaris" (presumably cockchafer); fly agaric (Amanita muscaria); Actaea spp. (e.g. black cohosh); tobacco; "heated oil of Terebinthina" (i.e. true turpentine); wild mint (Mentha arvensis); narrow-leaved pepperwort (Lepidium ruderale); Myrica spp. (e.g. bayberry); Robert geranium (Geranium robertianum); bugbane (Cimicifuga spp.); "herb and seeds of Cannabis"; "opulus" berries (possibly maple or European cranberrybush); masked hunter bugs (Reduvius personatus), "and many others".[83]

In the mid-19th century, smoke from peat fires was recommended as an indoor domestic fumigant against bed bugs.[84]

Dusts have been used to ward off insects from grain storage for centuries, including plant ash, lime, dolomite, certain types of soil, and diatomaceous earth or Kieselguhr.[85] Of these, diatomaceous earth in particular has seen a revival as a nontoxic (when in amorphous form) residual pesticide for bed bug abatement. While diatomaceous earth performed poorly, silica gel may be effective.[86][87]

Basket-work panels were put around beds and shaken out in the morning in the UK and in France in the 19th century. Scattering leaves of plants with microscopic hooked hairs around a bed at night, then sweeping them up in the morning and burning them, was a technique reportedly used in Southern Rhodesia and in the Balkans.[88]

Bean leaves have been used historically to trap bedbugs in houses in Eastern Europe. The trichomes on the bean leaves capture the insects by impaling the feet (tarsi) of the insects. The leaves are then destroyed.[89]

Prior to the mid-20th century, bed bugs were very common. According to a report by the UK Ministry of Health, in 1933, all the houses in many areas had some degree of bed bug infestation.[90] The increase in bed bug populations in the early 20th century has been attributed to the advent of electric heating, which allowed bed bugs to thrive year-round instead of only in warm weather.[91]

Bed bugs were a serious problem at US military bases during World War II.[92] Initially, the problem was solved by fumigation, using Zyklon Discoids that released hydrogen cyanide gas, a rather dangerous procedure.[92] Later, DDT was used to good effect as a safer alternative.[92]

The decline of bed bug populations in the 20th century is often credited to potent pesticides that had not previously been widely available.[93] Other contributing factors that are less frequently mentioned in news reports are increased public awareness and slum clearance programs that combined pesticide use with steam disinfection, relocation of slum dwellers to new housing, and in some cases also follow-up inspections for several months after relocated tenants moved into their new housing.[91]

Bed bug infestations resurged since the 1980s[49] for reasons that are not clear, but contributing factors may be complacency, increased resistance, bans on pesticides, and increased international travel.[93] The U.S. National Pest Management Association reported a 71% increase in bed bug calls between 2000 and 2005.[94] The number of reported incidents in New York City alone rose from 500 in 2004 to 10,000 in 2009.[95] In 2013, Chicago was listed as the number 1 city in the United States with the worst bed bug infestation.[96] As a result, the Chicago City Council passed a bed bug control ordinance to limit their spread. Additionally, bed bugs are reaching places in which they never established before, such as southern South America.[97][98]

One recent theory about bed bug reappearance in the US is that they never truly disappeared, but may have been forced to alternative hosts. Consistent with this is the finding that bed bug DNA shows no evidence of an evolutionary bottleneck. Furthermore, investigators have found high populations of bed bugs at poultry facilities in Arkansas. Poultry workers at these facilities may be spreading bed bugs, unknowingly carrying them to their places of residence and elsewhere after leaving work.[99][100]

"Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite", is a saying some people recite before they go to sleep.[101]

Bed bug secretions can inhibit the growth of some bacteria and fungi; antibacterial components from the bed bug could be used against human pathogens, and be a source of pharmacologically active molecules as a resource for the discovery of new drugs.[102]

The word bug and its earlier spelling bugge originally meant "bed bug". Many other creatures are now called "bugs", such as the "ladybug" ("ladybird" outside North America) and the "potato bug"; the word is used informally for any insect, or even microscopic germs or diseases caused by these germs, but the earliest recorded use of the actual word "bug" referred to a bed bug.[103]

The term "bed bug" may also be spelled "bedbug" or "bed-bug", though published sources consistently use the unhyphenated two-word name "bed bug".[104] The pests have been known by a variety of other informal names, including chilly billies, chinche bug, crimson rambler, heavy dragoon, mahogany flat, redcoat, and wall louse.[62]

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Bed bug - Wikipedia

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Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of some of the money saving methods that can be used when hiring a company to exterminate the bed bugs from your home or business. Start by Looking for Promotions Most businesses in the Big Apple will have some sort of advertisement posted somewhere. Check the internet first to see if there are any coupons or deals being offered by a given company. Usually, bed bug exterminator NYC prices are subject to the businesss ability to create and maintain a competitive market. Because of this, it may also be a good idea to check the listings in your local publications to see if any exterminators are running a valuable special. Ask about Freebies There is nothing wrong with checking to see what products and/or services can be had for free. Sometimes companies will offer promotions that are not listed on their website or in any local press source. A closed mouth does not ever get fed; and you will miss out on a lot of great stuff if you never ask. 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Finding an economically priced bedbug exterminator in the big city often requires some savvy shopping. However, unless you fully understand what is behind a New York bedbug exterminator cost you will likely never find one that suits your needs. There are several factors that go into the price of your services through any given business. For those who are looking for cost-efficient and reputable bedbug exterminators, considering a few things about the cost is the best way to find the perfect service. Estimates and Project Prep Indeed, you may be lucky enough to be able to find a company that offers free estimates, but the preparation for the extermination may end with you incurring some kind of fee. Professionals have to come to your home or business and get everything ready for the extermination something that cannot always be done by a homeowner. This phase of treatment may require the use of covers, detectors, and chemicals as well as the movement of furniture and other objects. Each of these things costs money to the company, which in turn costs money to you. Use of the Latest Technology The average New York bed bug exterminator cost typically includes the use of state-of-the-art tools and technology. You will likely want to go on and pay this extra fee, as it will be used towards ensuring that you get rid of your problem for good. In reality, you could pay less for extermination services initially only to be stuck paying for the services again in the future once you realize that there is still a problem. To avoid this, simply make sure that you are prepared to spend a little extra on a service that uses the best tools in the industry. Service Fees and Others Costs Once you have paid the overhead for the estimates, preparation, and use of the latest technology you will then have to pony up for the actual service fees. These prices typically vary quite a bit from business to business because, thankfully, New York bed bug exterminator costs are usually pretty competitive. Service fees will likely include cost of the actual time that is spent working by the professional as well as the price of operation for any special equipment that may be needed. At the end of the day, whatever you spend will be worth it to your bottom and your bottom line. The Pros and Cons of Using Dogs to Sniff Out Bed Bugs The word is out bed bugs can now be sniffed out and hunted down by specially trained dogs. Much like St. Bernards go hand-in-hand with avalanches, trained beagles are starting to be associated with the continual hunt for and extermination of those pesky bugs that hide in clothing, bags, and beds. Here well cover the positives and negatives of getting a dog to sniff through your house, apartment, or office, seeking out bed bugs. Youll want to keep these pros and cons in mind before letting a bed bug sniffing dog into your home or place of work. The Pros These dogs can be found in the most populated of cities. If youd like to locate a bed bug beagle NYC, youll have little-to-no trouble. Popular extermination companies cite the rate of success by these bug-hunting puppies at 98% accurate. This means that, a majority of the time, these dogs should be able to sniff out any hidden bugs within your carpets, clothing, walls, or elsewhere. Bed bug inspections can go much faster with the help of a bed bug sniffing dog. A dog handler can quickly bring in the pup, allow him or her to sniff the area quickly, and then pass on to the next part of your home. Human inspectors would need to take much longer in order to confirm of deny the existence of bed bugs. These friendly exterminators make the process of hunting for bed bugs far more welcoming. Who doesnt like a visit from a safe, well-trained, pettable pooch? This is obviously a better experience if you are a pet lover. The Cons You may have a hard time finding a bed bug sniffing dog in area besides cities. Rural parts of the nation might need to call in a specialist from the nearest large city if they would like to get a specially trained dog as part of the inspection. Bed bug hunting dogs have been under fire recently as experts question whether their sniffing skills truly work. There have been many times where dogs have pointed out the location of a bed bug nest, and exterminators have found nothing. If you dislike dogs or animals, it wont be the best experience to have one hunting through your home. You might want to specifically outline you would not like to have your local exterminators use a bed bug sniffing dog when inspecting your home or place of work for an infestation. Do Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs Actually Work? If youre looking for a bed bug sniffing dog NYC, you wont have to look far training bed bug detector dogs are a new craze among bed bug control companies. All across town and cities, especially New York City, youll find dogs seeking out these tiny pests but do these particular puppies really sniff out the buggy problem? How much of the time are they really able to locate bed bugs? The Principles Whether its a home, office building, or school, bed bug sniffing dogs are on the prowl. Bed bug detection companies are touting these dogs as 98% effective in bed bug hunting abilities. Just as a dog can be training to sniff out bombs, drugs, or nearly any other substance they can also be training to sniff out and locate bed bugs. This discovery has led to an increase in dog training schools offering specified schooling for qualified pooches. The Craze $11,000 thats how much youll pay if you want a bed bug sniffing dog of your own. Why so much? Because bed bug sniffing dogs are all the craze among extermination businesses, and customers as well. Not many dog-training schools have adopted bed bug hunting programs, so specially trained dogs can be a challenge to find. The Argument There are specialists who are calling bed bug sniffing dogs into question. Even bed bug detecting companies have noticed that, increasingly, there have been many dogs that indicated a bed bug infestation but no one was able to locate any bed bugs. The real question is this are the dogs the ones to blame, or are their human counterparts simply unable to locate said bugs? Another issue is dogs sniffing for bed bugs and confirming their existence when bed bugs arent the problem, but another bug is. Several parties have had no bed bug problems despite a dog acknowledging them but they did end up having mites, fleas, or other bugs. The Conclusion Its impossible to truly say whether or not bed bug sniffing dogs are overall an accurate form of bug-hunting. Its possibly that the training tactics have no yet been perfected, or its possible that the dogs are confusing one type of bug with another. Time will tell if these bug-hunting pups can hone their skills and become a true force for bed bugs to reckon with. Finding an Effective Bedbug Exterminator in New York The realization that you have bedbugs can be quite a disturbing one; and as a result, you may find yourself feeling panicked to do something about it. Locating and hiring the most effective bed bug exterminator in New York may seem like a daunting task, but in reality it is not that difficult, especially if you know how to shop around. The big city has a lot to offer; and as with anything, there are some things that are good and some that are bad. Before you hire anyone to help you out, take the time to consider a few things first. The Power of Word-of-Mouth Perhaps the best part about the residents of New York is that they love to talk about the goods and services they discover. On the same token, that also means that they are not shy about discussing the trials and tribulations they encounter with certain merchants. Talking to your friends and neighbors about a bedbug exterminator may seem like a pretty embarrassing conversation, but you should be able to gather some pretty useful information by doing so. Remember, word-of-mouth is worth more than you think. Talk may be cheap but its easy to come by. Read Customer Reviews There are numerous free websites available to the consumer which offer comprehensive, independent reviews on products, services, and organizations all over the city. Start your search by choosing between four or five of the best bed bug exterminators in New York, and then go through the list, skimming some of the reviews that the company has received throughout their years of operation. It is here that you can easily discover what other folks are saying; and you can also get a good idea as to whether the company is working to make improvements or not. Call for an Estimate Some bed bug exterminators in New York offer a conveniently free or low-cost estimate to potential customers. If this benefit is not offered to you, all you have to do is simply talk to one of the companys professionals to see about the details of the project. Be sure to inquire about pricing and service details at this time so that you dont run into any unpleasant or costly surprises later. In essence, being prepared before you opt for services is the best way to protect yourself, your budget, and your home. Hire the Best Bed Bug Exterminator in NYC If youve ever had the unfortunate luck of dealing with bed bugs, you know just how difficult it can be to get rid of them once and for all. It seems like from the moment you discover them, youre fighting a battle for weeks or even months and its tiring. And even worse, bed bugs arent just a nuisance theyre also a health hazard. Finding yourself in this situation is, needless to say, something you dont ever want to deal with. However, it can happen to anyone at any time and when that happens, you need to be able to quickly get a hold of a bed bug exterminator in NYC. Why You Should Choose the Best Lets say youve just discovered that you have bed bugs. Now youre probably wondering how to deal with the problem in an affordable way. You call around, looking for the cheapest deal possible. And when the exterminators finally show up and take care of the bed bugs, you realize that they didnt take care of everything. Now you have to pay for it all over again. We understand the need for affordable services but we also take our job seriously as the best bed bug exterminators. Thats why we strive to provide the highest-quality services at fair prices. When you choose us to take care of your bed bugs, you have our guarantee that the job will be done right the first time, saving you time and money in the long run. And our friendly technicians would be happy to answer any questions you might have before we do any work. Its simple you place your trust in us, and we make sure that you get your moneys worth. Professionals You Can Count On With years of experience in the extermination business, were confident that we can provide the services youre looking for and do an outstanding job. We have thousands of satisfied customers to back up our claims of expert services. Furthermore, were dedicated to providing superior customer service for every one of our clients. Have a special request? Just ask. Need some quotes before we begin work? No problem. You can count on us to be there on time every time, and well be happy to take care of any extermination services you require. Theres a reason were considered the top source for a bed bug extermination and its because were 100% dedicated to our clients. Why You Should Choose Professionals Oftentimes, we have clients who ask us if they can tackle the extermination process on their own. Its a valid question you can buy products in stores that are supposed to help you get rid of bed bugs without shelling out the cash for a professionals services. But lets think about this for a moment. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. And how many times have you treated your home for bed bugs in the past? Maybe youve done it once or twice. Needless to say, your knowledge and skills are far from a professionals. All of this is a recipe for failure. Youll end up spending more money than you need to and waste time trying to rid your home of bed bugs while theyre still reproducing. Professionals, on the other hand, do this every day. As a reliable bed bugs extermination specialists, we do it for a living and we know all the ins and outs of dealing with these awful pests. If we run into any trouble, we have the equipment necessary to deal with it. And we can take care of it faster than the average citizen who needs careful direction. Professionals, while their services seem to cost more, end up being priceless in this matter. Choosing the Right Company for Your Needs

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Alpha Bed Bug Exterminator NYC | Destroy Bed Bugs Now ...

You can report bed bugs in:

If you report bed bugs in a residential building, hotel, or SRO, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will conduct an inspection. HPD may conduct inspections with a bed bug-sniffing dog. If bed bugs are found, the residential building owner may get a ticket. To report bed bugs in a private house or apartment, you must be a tenant in the building, and you must provide your contact information.

Under the NYC Bed Bug Disclosure Act, landlords must notify prospective tenants in writing about any bed bug infestations that have occurred in their building in the past year. If you want to make a complaint about a landlord who is not complying with this law, you should contact NYS Homes and Community Renewal at (718) 739-6400.

To report bed bugs in businesses, nonprofit organizations, or child care facilities, you should contact the manager or owner of the facility.

If you are a private homeowner, you should hire a pest control professional licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to evaluate the pest problem and to exterminate if necessary. Licensed exterminators should always provide proof of their license upon request.

You can get information about bed bugs, including:

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Bed Bugs | City of New York

NEW YORK, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bed bugs are back. Since 2000, bed bug infestations have risen 81 percent, according to The National Pest Management Association. This resurgence has consumers nationwide on high alert, seeking information on the pests and how they can protect themselves.

Gail Getty, a noted entomologist at the University of California Berkley, explains, "Bed bugs and their habits are actually very simple to understand. For the unassuming public, though, differentiating between fact and fiction is becoming ever so difficult with the amount of information available. Understanding the basics is the first line of defense a consumer has against the unwelcomed critters, which can take a toll both financially and emotionally on a victim."

Confirmed Facts

Myths Debunked

ABOUT ALLERGY LUXE BED BUG BARRIER BEDDING COLLECTION

The entomologist-tested AllergyLuxe Bed Bug Barrier line features reinforced seams and micro-zipper technology that guarantee the most secure encasement and protection from bed bug infestations. Additionally, the line features ARM & HAMMER odor neutralizing technology; an innovative antimicrobial shield which helps prevent mold, mildew and bacteria to effectively reduce odors. The line includes mattress protectors, pillow protectors, and box spring protectors. The AllergyLuxe Bed Bug Barrier line is available at Bed Bath and Beyond stores nationwide and at http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com

ABOUT LONDON LUXURY LLC

London Luxury LLC is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of innovative and premium textile products for the home. The company is based in New Rochelle, New York, with a showroom in New York City. For more information please visit http://www.londonlux.com.

ARM & HAMMER is a trademark of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and is used under license by London Luxury LLC.

Media Contacts: Emily Peck kwittken + company 646.747.7149 epeck@kwitco.com

SOURCE London Luxury LLC

RELATED LINKS http://www.londonlux.com

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The Real Truth About Bed Bugs -- NEW YORK, July 18, 2011 ...

Bed Bug Hotel and Apartment Reports. Click on the city below to find our latest bed bug reports in New York on hotels. To report a new bed bug incident, navigate to our city page below to see further details. If you would like to see the latest bed bug reports in Florida, scroll to the bottom of the page (under the city links).

I checked into the Comfort Inn CPW on 3/8/14. I felt unwell and lay down on the bed. I awoke a couple of hours later with a live bedbug in the bedding with me. I delivered the insect to the front desk...

has had history of bed bugs and I should have known not to stay there. Didn't feel clean and then I woke up with bites....

WOKE UP 12 am COVERED IN BITES AND HUGE BUGS CRAWLING IN THE BED CALLED THE DESK THEY SAID THEY DIDT HAVE BUGS AND HUNG UP ON ME STILL FIGHTING TO GET A REFUND AFTER I CHECKED OUT RIGHT AS SOON I FOUN...

Bed bugs found at this hotel. Woke up in the middle of the night and noticed bed bugs on the wall and on my pillow. After a more detailed search of comforters and sheets, there will a good amount of b...

My brother and his wife stayed overnight on 2/6/2014 to attend a funeral. On the morning of 2/7/2014 they found a bedbug on the bathroom floor. This was confirmed by a member of the hotel staff, Hotel...

Everything was fine until the lights went out...bedbug bites on both arms, legs...ended up sitting outside until morning. No sleep whatsoever....

I went to bed about 3 am. I woke at about 6:30am to a cockroach crawling across my arm. I was itching and scratching. My entire body was covered in bites and hives. I killed the roach and brought it t...

I moved in and the apartment across from me moved out, then I started getting bit severely. The super was extremely unhelpful and even antagonistic. When I called the landlord, she threatened to SUE...

As of May 2014, this building has a pervasive bed bug problem which has continued since at least 2008. The management does not care to deal with it. There are many rent-stabilized tenants who seem to ...

As of July 2013 there were bedbugs located in our apartment my brother an sister don't get affected by there bites and since I have sensitive skin it affected me majorly so I knew something was up I s...

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New York NY Bed Bug Hotel and Apartment Reports