How to get rid of Bed Bugs?

[Nautilus]

Bed bugs we had in the office after some bangla workers came shifting office equipment one weekend. The female colleagues had a bad time the next few days and one even reported infestation at home the following week. So the next time office equipment/cabinets had to be shifted, we wrapped up our office chairs with cling wrap. Bed bugs are serious trouble.

We suspected we had ours after some Banglas came to my house during a minor Reno.

[Count-Bracula]

Yup. The usual suspect.

[Celicar]

Sounds like buy car also need to be careful as someone may bring the bugs there. Ferry people also. Oh no....

[Evillusion]

Came out on ST before......even 5 star hotel stays are not safe from bedbug infestation. Be warned!

[Nautilus]

 

Sounds like buy car also need to be careful as someone may bring the bugs there. Ferry people also. Oh no.... [/quote

 

I did ask the bed bug guys about bed bugs in cars too and he told me not to worry as they have not come across any examples of it yet.

[Solar]

I suppose we should not trust the beds sold with anti whatever bug treatments as marketing gimmicks?

[Ftco]

My house was found with bed bugs about 2-3 months ago. It was a nightmare. Engaged a pest controller, who came four times (each two to three weeks apart) to fumigate the entire house. Total cost more than $600. Washed in hot water all bed linen, and threw away my king size bed/mattress, and several other furniture just to be as thorough. They hid in bed frames, corners, cracks, parquet flooring gaps. Those bed bugs spray (about $20 a bottle from Fairprice) aren't entirely convincing to me once infested, after trying several bottles.

 

Till now, I am not 100% sure if I have rid all of them (haven't found any in the past 1.5 months). As now my bedroom is almost void of any furniture, I am going to have the parquet, sand down, gaps filled and revarnish before I buy a new bed. This episode cost me several thousands, including fumigation and new furniture, not to mention the inconvenience, and leave needed.

 

When traveling, be careful that you don't migrate any bed bugs home. Best to bring along a bottle of anti bed bugs spray and use it around your bed and luggage. Last year, I had the displeasure of having to ask a 4 star well known hotel in Melaka to replace my rollaway bed at 1am because I suspect the one I slept one has them as my legs were itching all over!

Edited May 10, 2015 by Ftco

[Achee]

I had my bad experience with bed bugs about a year ago. Nothing seemed to be capable of eliminating them as lots of money were spent on bed bugs spray, steaming equipment etc. but they could survive well.

 

Last resort was to dispose of the mattress and buy a new one. It is advisable to inform the mattress company to adopt proper procedures in its disposal so that the bed bugs do not migrate to your neighbours' house.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Achee

[Shibadog]

two interesting articles here. Click the links if u wanna see pics of the bugs

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/education-25947072

 

The ability of bed bugs to return so quickly after human attempts to get rid of them has been explained by University of Sheffield researchers.

Genetic analysis has shown that a single pregnant bed bug that escapes detection can be responsible for an entire infestation, rapidly producing generations of offspring.

It could create a colony of thousands of bed bugs, feeding on a single human.

The study was based on London, which has seen a resurgence in bed bugs.

A DNA study showed that colonies of bed bugs in a house or hotel could all come from a common ancestor or a handful of female bed bugs.

The rapid expansion in numbers could take place over a matter of weeks - at which point there is usually human intervention to destroy the bugs.

Itch to travel

Bed bugs, which live on human blood, cannot fly and depend on their human carriers for travelling any distance.

There has been a rise in bed bug numbers and researchers wanted to know how they could suddenly appear in such large numbers after apparently being removed.

Researchers say bed bugs' ability to generate a new colony from such small numbers might be a "clue to their recent success".

 

If a single pregnant bed bug manages to hide away, getting into a traveller's luggage for example, it is enough to begin a new infestation.

Adult bed bugs can grow to about 5mm in length.

Prof Roger Butlin said bed bugs had almost disappeared from London by the middle of the 20th Century, but their numbers had risen since the 1980s.

Among the theories about the increase has been that they have followed transport routes and international travellers.

They are also believed to have grown more resistant to chemicals used to get rid of them.

"The number of bed bugs in cities has risen dramatically, but there's no solid information why that is," said Prof Butlin, from Sheffield University's department of animal and plant sciences.

He added bed bugs could survive without feeding for a month, waiting for a human to arrive.

A property could have tens of thousands of bugs, he said, all trying to live on the human residents.

"If you just miss one, they can grow very quickly," he added.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2780236/Tourists-blamed-bed-bug-infestations-double-six-years-London-South-East-worst-hit.html

 

Tourists are blamed after bed bug infestations double in six years with London and South East worst hit

• Experts say Brits travelling to Asia and South America bring back the bugs
• Also claim foreign visitors are to blame as hotels become bed bug hotspots
• Problem now so bad that Rentokil launches new ‘Bed Bug Monitor’ initiative
• Uses food-based lure to attract the pests and a sticky pad to trap them
• Bed bugs lay 200 to 500 eggs over a two-month period and survive on blood

Bed bug outbreaks have soared over the past six years, with overseas travellers blamed for the increase in infestations.

London and the South East have been the hardest hit, with pest controllers reporting a 108 per cent increase in call-outs.

Hotels and hostels are notorious hotspots and experts say Britons travelling to Asia and South America, as well as foreign visitors from those areas, have helped to spread the bugs.

 

Pest control company Rentokil says the rise could in part be blamed on the 2008 financial crisis, which left hotels with smaller budgets to tackle pests.

The problem has become so bad that Rentokil has launched a new service called ‘Bed Bug Monitor’ - an early detection programme for bed bug activity

 

The monitoring service uses a food-based lure which actively attracts bed bugs onto a sticky pad, providing an early warning of infestation.

The lures are placed discreetly around the bedroom, such as under the bed or in suitcase storage areas where the creatures may have hitched a ride in baggge.

The firm says the initiative will enable housekeeping staff to be the “first line of defence” in detecting an infestation.

 

Spokesman Colm More said: ‘Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not a sign of poor hygiene – unfortunately, they’re a pest that can be inadvertently introduced anywhere which has a regular turnover of people and luggage.

‘The answer to preventing widespread infestations is early detection and dealing with an outbreak as soon as possible.

‘Bed bugs can pose serious risks to an organisation’s reputation and profitability and the longer you leave it, the more expensive it becomes to bring under control and eradicate.’

Bed bugs can lay 200 to 500 eggs over a two-month period, and are often difficult to spot. After hatching they take six to eight weeks to mature. Although the bugs survive by feeding on blood, they can go for a year without it.

[Yslim79]

 

 

Most people are more concerned on rectification than preventive. But once we have more knowledge on these bugs, we'll appreciate the trouble and hygiene practices when traveling - both locally or overseas.

And yes, the increase in bed bugs infestation has more or less got to do with e influx of multi nations FT&W into the country.

[Nautilus]

My house was found with bed bugs about 2-3 months ago. It was a nightmare. Engaged a pest controller, who came four times (each two to three weeks apart) to fumigate the entire house. Total cost more than $600. Washed in hot water all bed linen, and threw away my king size bed/mattress, and several other furniture just to be as thorough. They hid in bed frames, corners, cracks, parquet flooring gaps. Those bed bugs spray (about $20 a bottle from Fairprice) aren't entirely convincing to me once infested, after trying several bottles.

 

Till now, I am not 100% sure if I have rid all of them (haven't found any in the past 1.5 months). As now my bedroom is almost void of any furniture, I am going to have the parquet, sand down, gaps filled and revarnish before I buy a new bed. This episode cost me several thousands, including fumigation and new furniture, not to mention the inconvenience, and leave needed.

 

When traveling, be careful that you don't migrate any bed bugs home. Best to bring along a bottle of anti bed bugs spray and use it around your bed and luggage. Last year, I had the displeasure of having to ask a 4 star well known hotel in Melaka to replace my rollaway bed at 1am because I suspect the one I slept one has them as my legs were itching all over!

 

Care to share what spray you use? I travel pretty often as well and would like to know what spray so should buy to prevent carrying them home.

[Ftco]

Care to share what spray you use? I travel pretty often as well and would like to know what spray so should buy to prevent carrying them home.

 

I used this. JT Eaton. Cost close to $20 from Fairprice Extra. There are some other brands but haven't tried them.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Ftco

[Nautilus]

 

I used this. JT Eaton. Cost close to $20 from Fairprice Extra. There are some other brands but haven't tried them.

Thanks bro. I'll look out for this.

[Pinobii]

 

I used this. JT Eaton. Cost close to $20 from Fairprice Extra. There are some other brands but haven't tried them.

Thanks for sharing! Have a nice evening!

[Blueblueman]

What are the symptoms of bed bugs?

[TanSoonHuat]

I got into the same situation few years back.I change my mattress and bed frame and thought everything should be fine, but to my horror those bugs had already infested the other furniture in the bedroom, so in the end change all furniture in the bedroom as well as the bed frame n mattress twice.

[Lala81]

I used to think that bedbug infestations were not common and only present in people who pick up discarded furniture or suay enough to stay in a hotel which had it.

Looks like I'm wrong.

[Kangadrool]

you're an itchy man. Itch everywhere but once you wake up, you can't see anything. This is the power of bed bugs.

 

What are the symptoms of bed bugs?

 

it's a new paradigm - globalisation.

 

I used to think that bedbug infestations were not common and only present in people who pick up discarded furniture or suay enough to stay in a hotel which had it.

Looks like I'm wrong.

 

Furniture easier to deal with.

 

Had this problem many years back. Yes, bedding must be discarded, but furniture can salvage. Buy Ridsect spray and spray into every crevice and holes. Continue to do it every now and then to make sure it's completely exterminated.

 

I got into the same situation few years back.I change my mattress and bed frame and thought everything should be fine, but to my horror those bugs had already infested the other furniture in the bedroom, so in the end change all furniture in the bedroom as well as the bed frame n mattress twice.