Category Archives: Bed Bugs Illinois

The bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has been a parasite of humans throughout written history. Its adaptation to humans is so complete that its bite is not noticed until well after the bug leaves its victim, if it is noticed at all. Attracted by the warmth of our bodies and the carbon dioxide we exhale, bed bugs emerge usually at night from hiding places, seeking human blood. While pathogens have been found in bed bugs, the bed bug apparently does not transmit diseases to humans.

Prior to the widespread use of synthetic insecticides, this small, brown blood-sucking bug was perhaps the most unwanted pest in America. The insidious bed bug was loathed even more than the cockroach. Although the bugs impact was greatly reduced by insecticides during the 1940s and 1950s, it remained an occasional invader of homes, hotels and shelters. Pest management professionals now agree that bed bugs have become the most difficult pest to control.

Bed bugs (Cimex spp.) feed on the blood of animals including people and pets. Some species, known as bat bugs, feed on bats, and others on birds such as chickens, pigeons, swallows and swifts. All will wander in search of a new host if their primary host leaves or abandons its roost or nest. In structures, bat bugs typically appear in and around attics and chimneys. Though they will bite humans, they do not survive without their preferred hosts.

Bed bugs can survive more than a year without feeding, but most adults and nymphs probably do not live more than six months without a meal. This ability lets them wait for transient hosts that periodically inhabit camp cabins, apartments and temporary housing. It also helps them survive transportation. Today, bed bugs hitchhike more easily than ever, via public transportation and luggage, and in secondhand furniture, mattresses, bedding and clothing. In multi-unit buildings, bed bug infestations that are not adequately attended to often spread between units with or without human help, making eradication much more difficult and costly.

Most people have never seen a bed bug. Adults are wingless, about one-fourth of an inch long, and flat to fit in cracks and crevices where they hide by day. Females typically lay three to five adhesive eggs per day in crevices and depressions. Eggs and newly hatched nymphs are somewhat translucent and only about one-sixteenth of an inch long. After feeding, nymphs become bright red.

At night, bed bugs seek warm hosts, leaving their hiding places in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, nightstands, curtains, couches and wall voids, baseboards, carpet edges, door and window frames, picture frames, smoke detectors, electrical switches and outlets, peeling paint and wallpaper.

BED BUG BITES

The bed bug painlessly bites its victim, injects saliva to ensure blood flow, and ingests the hosts blood through needle-like mouthparts. During the three to five minutes it takes to complete feeding, the bug elongates and becomes more reddish. It then retreats to its hiding place to digest the meal, and will return to feed in three to 10 days.

Reactions to bed bug bites vary among individuals. Many persons show no signs of bites. Others dont realize theyve been bitten until redness and swelling appear around the bite, sometimes with intense itching. Some exhibit inflamed swollen spots that may occur in linear series or have a rash-like appearance. Such bite marks, when they appear, may not show for several days after the person is bitten.

SIGNS OF BED BUGS

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Bed Bugs Prevention and Control - Illinois Department of ...

States top doc encourages education and prevention steps to combat bed bugs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Bed bugs are on the rise in Illinois after a dramatic decline in the 1940s and 1950s. A couple reasons for the return are more world-wide travel and todays insecticides, although safer for people, are less effective in killing these bugs. Bed bugs are small, flat insects, usually reddish-brown and up to -inch long. Bed bugs do not fly or hop, but can move quickly across floors and walls. Bed bugs most commonly enter hotels or residences by hitch-hiking on a suitcase or backpack, used furniture or other objects moved from one building to another. Bed bugs can survive several months without feeding.

At night, bed bugs leave their hiding places in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, nightstands, curtains, couches, and wall voids, and behind baseboards, door and window frames, and carpet edges to feed. The bugs feed on the blood of animals, including people and pets. The bugs beak-like mouth painlessly pierces its victim, injects saliva and sucks up the hosts blood, in about three to five minutes.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is seeing an increase in the number of calls from the public and from local health departments about bed bug infestations, said Dr. Damon T. Arnold, state public health director. To help reduce this problem, I encourage everyone to learn the signs of bed bug infestations, how the bugs spread, what you can do to prevent getting them and what to do if you find bed bugs.

Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, their bites can cause an intense itch and scratching could produce secondary infections. Bed bugs may be brought into well-maintained hotels and clean homes because all they need to survive is a place to hide and a host to supply their only food blood. New infestations may go undetected when only a few bed bugs are present, allowing the infestation to grow and spread.

Signs of infestation:

How bed bugs are spread:

To prevent getting bed bug:

If there is a bed bug infestation:

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Bed Bugs Are Making a Comeback in Illinois

Bed pests have actually now triggered great issue in todays world. Both pest control operators and homeowners are trying to find pointers on bed vermins. There are a number of industries that share the same issue consisting of hospitality, housing, wellness services, and pest control. Although, these markets are alleviated that bed pests do not appear to transfer any conditions. Tips on bed bugs are always welcomed.

The first idea on bed vermins would have the ability to identify them. A grownup bed pest is about 5 mm in size. They have a chestnut brown color which may change a little when they feed. Bed bugs are flat and become plump after a meal. A female can lay up to 350 eggs in her life time. A small invasion can become thousands within a year.

The next pointer on bed insects is where you can see them. Bed vermins spend many of their life hidden in harborages. Bed vermins can be found around bed mattress seams, cracks in bed frames, behind headboards, in furniture, behind pictures, behind base trim, curtains, and wall voids. Vary rarely will bed bugs be found on somebody or on their garments.

Next tip is do not bring in an utilized couch or a mattress which can easily be infested with out you knowing it. If you truly have to bring pre-owned furniture into your residence, examine every fracture and crevices for bed pests. Bed vermins can be delivered in a mattress without having apparent indicators.

The last tip on bed insects would be if you find them call for help. Do not attempt to get rid of bed pests on your own. They can be extremely tricky to get them eliminated. If you want to take them on on your own then you will wish to study up exactly what requires to be done and materials to utilize.

As you can see, these ideas on bed bugs may save you from an extremely expensive problem. If you take some preventative measures can get rid of a big headache later down the roadway.

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Can You See Bed Bugs in Champaign IL

As another cool Fall hits Illinois, the state has more to contend with than just icy temperatures. One of the United States biggest public health problems is beginning to spread to the highly developed state bed bugs. The small bugs have caused major problems in cities such as New York and San Francisco, and they have the potential to become a major nuisance in Illinois, Chicago in particular.

Bed bugs were almost completely eliminated from the states houses in the 1940s and 1950s, as the usage of preventative chemicals increased and the construction of high-density housing took off. In recent years, however, theyve reappeared due to the weaker chemicals allowed to pest controllers, and a distinct lack of public awareness. Chicago is one of several cities playing part in the boom.

The biggest bed bug centers are, as to be expected, New York City and Philadelphia. As part of the nations highly urbanized Eastern Seaboard, the cities attract a great deal of travelers and temporary residents. But unlike New York or Philadelphia, Illinois and its major population centers, despite being a major tourism destination, arent exactly close to other populous urban areas.

Nevertheless, the bugs are making a comeback in the state. An article from the Illinois Department of Public Health has highlighted the problem, offering advice to residents that spot the bugs and are facing a major infestation. Its an unusual occurrence, given that other states have typically acted on the issue after the bugs became a major feature in local media programming and newspapers.

For residents, the proactive release is very much a good thing. While Illinois is facing a major bed bug problem, its still years behind centers such as New York City and San Francisco when it comes to their prevalence. The bugs are notoriously difficult to remove, making the early release and any attention building efforts a positive investment. If the state can act quickly, the bugs may not win.

This guide aims to educate readers as to the extent of Illinois bed bug problems, the options which residents can employ to remove the bugs, and major outbreaks in commercial buildings. While bed bugs arent as much of an issue in Illinois as they are in other states, their presence is certainly one that could lead to major economic, social, and public health problems. How are bed bugs spreading through Illinois? Illinois is not a major stopover point for road travelers, although the states network does allow for fairly rapid cross-country travel. Most experts have pointed towards Chicagos status as a traveler-friendly city as a potential cause for the bugs, along with the extreme density often seen in suburbs within the inner city. Public transportation remains a possible location for the bugs to spread.

While news outlets have claimed that the bugs can be found in low-end hotels, they remain just as likely to appear in luxurious resorts or high-end serviced apartments. Travel accommodation is one of several major breeding grounds for the bugs, with high turnover rates making it difficult for staff to detect and remove the pests. Overnight trains and buses are also major infestation sources.

In addition, a number of residents have reported home infestations after purchasing new clothing. Cases of retail infestations have appeared in New York City, and the presence of the pests in retail stores is a potential risk in Chicago. While no major commercial outbreaks have been reported, pest control experts have dealt with infestations in office buildings and major business centers this year.

Finally, the states biggest city Chicago is a major air travel hub. With OHare International Airport servicing hundreds of flights daily, the propensity for bed bugs to spread in hotels is an alarming thought for residents. Long-term tourism destinations are surprisingly not a significant breeding ground for the bugs, but Chicagos status as a frequent stopover spot puts it at risk.

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Bed Bugs Chicago - Bed Bug.org

The bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has been a parasite of humans throughout written history. Its adaptation to humans is so complete that its bite is not noticed until well after the bug leaves its victim, if it is noticed at all. Attracted by the warmth of our bodies and the carbon dioxide we exhale, bed bugs emerge usually at night from hiding places, seeking human blood. While pathogens have been found in bed bugs, the bed bug apparently does not transmit diseases to humans.

Prior to the widespread use of synthetic insecticides, this small, brown blood-sucking bug was perhaps the most unwanted pest in America. The insidious bed bug was loathed even more than the cockroach. Although the bugs impact was greatly reduced by insecticides during the 1940s and 1950s, it remained an occasional invader of homes, hotels and shelters. Pest management professionals now agree that bed bugs have become the most difficult pest to control.

Bed bugs (Cimex spp.) feed on the blood of animals including people and pets. Some species, known as bat bugs, feed on bats, and others on birds such as chickens, pigeons, swallows and swifts. All will wander in search of a new host if their primary host leaves or abandons its roost or nest. In structures, bat bugs typically appear in and around attics and chimneys. Though they will bite humans, they do not survive without their preferred hosts.

Bed bugs can survive more than a year without feeding, but most adults and nymphs probably do not live more than six months without a meal. This ability lets them wait for transient hosts that periodically inhabit camp cabins, apartments and temporary housing. It also helps them survive transportation. Today, bed bugs hitchhike more easily than ever, via public transportation and luggage, and in secondhand furniture, mattresses, bedding and clothing. In multi-unit buildings, bed bug infestations that are not adequately attended to often spread between units with or without human help, making eradication much more difficult and costly.

Most people have never seen a bed bug. Adults are wingless, about one-fourth of an inch long, and flat to fit in cracks and crevices where they hide by day. Females typically lay three to five adhesive eggs per day in crevices and depressions. Eggs and newly hatched nymphs are somewhat translucent and only about one-sixteenth of an inch long. After feeding, nymphs become bright red.

At night, bed bugs seek warm hosts, leaving their hiding places in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, nightstands, curtains, couches and wall voids, baseboards, carpet edges, door and window frames, picture frames, smoke detectors, electrical switches and outlets, peeling paint and wallpaper.

BED BUG BITES

The bed bug painlessly bites its victim, injects saliva to ensure blood flow, and ingests the hosts blood through needle-like mouthparts. During the three to five minutes it takes to complete feeding, the bug elongates and becomes more reddish. It then retreats to its hiding place to digest the meal, and will return to feed in three to 10 days.

Reactions to bed bug bites vary among individuals. Many persons show no signs of bites. Others dont realize theyve been bitten until redness and swelling appear around the bite, sometimes with intense itching. Some exhibit inflamed swollen spots that may occur in linear series or have a rash-like appearance. Such bite marks, when they appear, may not show for several days after the person is bitten.

SIGNS OF BED BUGS

Continued here:
Bed Bugs Prevention and Control - Illinois Department of Public Health