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Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a small, flat, reddish coloured insect of about 6mm length. During the day they hide, in crevices in furniture, bedframes, skirting boards etc, and at night they come out to feed. Unfortunately, they feed on human blood, and they will also attack pet animals.

The signs of Bed Bugs are bites on the body, (some people can get a severe allergic reaction), little black dots on wallpaper near the bed (bed bug excrement), and cast skins, which look like little empty Bed Bugs. The skins are cast because Bed Bugs outgrow their skin about 5 times before becoming adult, and with each moult the old skin is left behind

Bed Bugs used to be very common, and they are easily transferred from one house to another in furniture, bedding or luggage. They need a little warmth to breed, so they will not develop in very cold rooms or outhouses. However, they can live for up to a year without food, so even furniture that has been in a cold room for several months can come alive when the heating is turned up. Nowadays, they are much less common due to the use of modern insecticides. Bed bugs only come out to feed, and spend the rest of the time in hiding. Simply spraying around the bed with a can of whatever insecticide is in the house will not remove the infestation.

Are they really bed bugs ?

There are some similar insects which affect birds nests, and which sometimes enter houses. We will check and identify the insects, and advise you.

What we will do to get rid of them?

We will inspect the house to locate all the hiding places. The most likely rooms to be affected will be bedrooms, but other rooms may be affected, particularly if pets or children sleep in them. We will carry out the most suitable treatment, which will usually be to spray the walls, furniture and skirtings in affected rooms

What you can do to help us?

Do not vacuum floors or wash walls or skirtings for 2 weeks after we have sprayed - this will give the insecticide time to work.

After that?

Regular changing and washing of bed linen will help a little, although bed bugs hide in the frame of the bed and not in the sheets. Regular vacuum cleaning, particularly of the mattress, and along the edges of skirtings, door frames, and the sides and back of the bed will also help, but again will not eradicate the infestation Be wary of buying secondhand beds or mattresses.