Thursday, March 18, 2021

What Scent Keep Bed Bugs Away?

Essential OilsAs bed bug cases continue to increase throughout the United States, Portland residents are gearing up to take on the challenge. There is no doubt, bed bugs are a diligent insect species. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to a blood meal. The best way and only to not become a bed bug victim is through deterrence. One bed bug deterrent that is gaining the attention of late is the essential oil. While not all essential oils have shown to be an effective bed bug deterrent, tea tree, lavender, and peppermint are very promising.

More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of essential oils as a bed bug deterrent. One specific study showed essential oils – paraffin and silicone oils – may have some impact on bed bugs. The study, conducted by researchers at the Department of Entomology, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, showed paraffin and silicone essential oils could be effective “green” insecticides.

What many people may not be aware of is the bed bug nymph generates a pheromone that deters the adult male from entering their space.

Essential oils are utilized to treat various health conditions, flavor food, and create a calming environment. We recommend conducting your own essential oil studies. And, do not forget to share your findings with friends, family, and other acquaintances.


https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/what-scent-keep-bed-bugs-away/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-scent-keep-bed-bugs-away

Top Places Bed Bugs Hide

Bedbugs are unique pests that can create numerous problems for homeowners. They bite, and they will ruin the value of your home. Since they rarely grow over a quarter of an inch, they can hide anywhere. If they bite you, you’ll likely develop red welts. To find out more about the bedbugs in your home, you need to know where they’re hiding. Where can bedbugs hide in your home? You’ll find out below.

Where Bedbugs Hide In Your Home

Your Bed

First and foremost, you’ll have to check out your bed. Bedbugs prefer staying close to their favorite food source. As a result, they’re going to live in your bed so they can reach you quickly. When you go to sleep at night, your body will release heat and CO2, and that will attract the bedbugs. If you’re checking your home for bedbugs, you need to carefully check your mattress and box springs.

Bed Frames 

Once you’ve finished checking the mattress and box springs, check the rest of the bed. A bed frame is a great place for bedbugs to hide because it is reasonably close to you. Furthermore, bedbugs are brown, so they’ll blend in well with many bed frames. Grab a flashlight and check your bed frame for bedbugs.

Sheets & Pillowcases

When possible, bedbugs will hide in your pillowcases, bed sheets, and comforters. Bedbugs can hide in these things because they’re warm and close to the bug’s food source. You need to check your sheets carefully. Check every crack and crevices to see if bedbugs are hiding in your sheets.

Carpets.

Once you’ve finished with your bed, you need to turn your attention to your floor. There is a good chance that you have carpets or rugs. Well, carpets and rugs are great places for bedbugs to hide. Bedbugs are small enough to climb deep between the carpet’s fibers. Once they’ve done that, they can remain undetected for weeks or even months.

Furniture

Bedbugs can also hide in the furniture placed in your home. They prefer upholstered furniture because it gives them plenty of safe hiding places. They can climb onto your couch before hiding in the couch’s cushions and pillows. Furthermore, some bedbugs will climb underneath the furniture. They’ll stay hidden at the bottom of the furniture because you likely don’t check there often. Although these are common bedbug hiding places, they’re not the only hiding places. Below, you’ll learn more about some of the odd places for bedbugs to hide.

Odd Bedbug Hiding Places

You’d likely check the aforementioned spots without reading this article. However, you may not check the following spots.

Your Luggage

After you’ve returned from a lengthy trip, you’ll throw your luggage to the ground without thinking about it. If you stayed at a motel, it could be a bad idea. You might’ve stayed in a bedbug-infested motel and bedbugs might’ve taken shelter in your luggage. You need to check your luggage after returning home. Make sure that it is free of bedbugs. Otherwise, they’ll leave the luggage and move elsewhere.

Decorations On Your Walls

You also need to look at the decorations on your walls because bedbugs could be hiding behind them. If you have paintings hanging on your walls, the frames could be an excellent hiding spot for the bugs. Pull the paintings from the walls and see if they’re clear of bedbugs.

Books

If you have books around your bed, you may find bedbugs hiding in those books. Just remember that the book needs to have a gap between the spine and binding to be a suitable hiding place for bedbugs. Bugs are small enough to slip through this hole.

Desks And Nightstands

If you have a desk or nightstand next to your bed, it could be a hiding place for bedbugs. They’ll be able to hide in the small holes in the stand. Also, they’ll be able to hide in the drawers, under the doors, and in the screw holes.

Electronic Devices

Finally, you’ll find that bedbugs can hide in electronics. If you have a television or computer near your bed, these bugs will find a way to sneak inside of them. These devices tend to have small vent holes and bedbugs can use those to climb inside of the electronic. It helps that electronics are warm when they’re turned on. As a result, electronics will make a great hiding place for bedbugs. You should avoid hiding stuff under your bed. If you do, the bedbugs will climb inside of the boxes under your bed and stay there. If you’re going to store boxes under your bed, you need to make sure that the boxes are airtight and secure. If you’re worried about having bedbugs, contact us so we can inspect your home. We’ll discover the problem and take care of it quicker than our competitors.

https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/top-places-bed-bugs-hide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-places-bed-bugs-hide

Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling

Are you worried that your next trip will lead to a bedbug infestation? Unfortunately, it could. You must take steps to prevent this from happening. To avoid potential problems, you should remember the SLEEP acronym. By following this advice, you can travel while maintaining your peace of mind. Below, you’ll learn more about the SLEEP acronym so you can keep yourself safe while traveling.

S – Survey

When you arrive at your motel room, you need to check it thoroughly. The first step of the process is to survey the room. Survey the room and check it carefully. Make sure it doesn’t have bedbugs. If the room has bedbugs, speak to someone with the motel. Moving to a new room might help, but remember that bedbugs can travel from one room to another. As a result, you may need to switch motels. If you stay in the room with bedbugs, those bugs will climb into your luggage and go home with you.

L – Lift & Look

Next, you need to go one step further and begin looking at common bedbug hiding spots. Doing so will help you determine whether the room has bedbugs. For instance, you should lift the mattress and check under it. Look at the small cracks and crevices because bedbugs often hide in those spots. You’ll also need to check the baseboards, bed frame, and behind your pictures. Do you see any bugs that resemble bedbugs? If so, switch rooms or motels.

E – Elevate

You cannot be careless when putting your luggage down. If you place it in the wrong spot, there is a greater chance that bedbugs are going to climb inside. Avoid such problems by elevating your luggage and other items off of the ground before checking under these items to make sure the room is free of bedbugs. Next, remove the luggage rack and place it away from the wall so the bedbugs will have a harder time climbing up the wall and entering your luggage.

E – Examine

When it is time to leave, check your luggage and make sure it is clean. If bedbugs have climbed inside, they’ll travel home with you. Once you get home, unpack your belongings in an outside room such as your utility room or garage.

P – Place

Finally, you’ll want to take one extra step to ensure that you don’t bring bedbugs into your home. You should throw your items in the laundry and turn the appliance on the highest temperature setting. Let the items stay in the dryer for 15 minutes. Once you’ve done this, the bedbugs will succumb and die due to the hot temperatures. Eliminating bedbugs is a complicated task so you likely won’t be able to do it on your own. You can purchase DIY chemicals, but they could be unsafe and there is no guarantee that they’ll be effective. As a result, it is best to hire a professional exterminator in Portland. Be cautious and check your motel room travel when traveling abroad.

https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/tips-to-avoid-bed-bugs-while-traveling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-to-avoid-bed-bugs-while-traveling

I Found A Few Bed Bugs – Does That Mean I’m Dealing With An Infestation?

Seeing one or two bedbugs in your home should be very concerning. Even if you believe it is a minor problem, you have to be worried about it. The issue is that bedbugs rarely travel alone and female bedbugs can reproduce rapidly. As a result, it only takes a small infestation to quickly transform into a major problem. Should you call an exterminator after finding one or two bedbugs in your home? Even if you’ve only found one, two, or three bedbugs, calling a professional exterminator is recommended. A trustworthy pest control firm will be able to inspect your home and detect the bedbug infestation sooner. Once they’ve done that, they’ll be able to eliminate the bugs before they can reproduce and create a bigger problem. To minimize your costs, you should obtain quotes from several companies and pick the best company for your situation.

Why One Or Two Bedbugs Matter

Many Portland residents mistakenly believe that one or two bedbugs won’t be a big issue, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It doesn’t take a lot for a bedbug problem to transform into a full-blown infestation. It is pertinent to be cautious when dealing with bedbugs because they hide exceptionally well. If you find one or two bedbugs in your home, there are likely twenty, fifty, or hundreds of other bedbugs hiding nearby. Furthermore, you need to understand the repercussions of letting a female bedbug stay in your home. If you ignore her, she will be able to produce and lay as many as 500 bedbug eggs during her life. Even if you’ve only found two or three bedbugs in your home, act swiftly and decisively. It could be a bigger problem so you can’t ignore the issue. Remember that bedbugs can reach 7mm but most are smaller. Females have round bellies while males have pointed abdomens.

The Difficulty Of Identifying Bedbugs

You likely won’t be able to spot this problem until it is too late. During the early days, a bedbug infestation will be difficult to spot. These bugs are thin and reddish-brown so they can hide easily. They’ll be able to hide in your mattress, bed frame, and carpet. They don’t fly so you won’t be able to swat them out of the air. Another issue is that bedbugs know how to stay hidden. When it is daylight, they’re not going to leave. They’ll wait until you go to sleep before they come out and feed on your blood. If you work at night and sleep during the day, the bedbugs will adapt to your schedule. Finally, you may not realize that you’ve been bitten. Most bites do not cause any marks.

How To Know It Is A Bedbug

Before you can do anything, you need to know that you’re dealing with a bedbug infestation. You need to know what bedbugs look like so you can spot them quickly. Again, most bedbugs never grow up to 10mm, so they’re difficult to spot. Also, they’re oval, reddish-brown, and have six legs. You may not be able to see them, but they have antennas. If it isn’t a bedbug, it could be a flea, cockroach nymph, or carpet beetle.

What To Look For When Identifying A Bedbug Infestation

Are you trying to confirm a bedbug infestation in your apartment? Look for the following things.
  • Blood – First and foremost, you need to check for bloodstains. When bedbugs are crushed, the blood they’ve consumed will stain the mattress.
  • Almost Translucent Skins – Bedbugs will leave exoskeletons. They’re skins that are as close to being translucent as possible. Other than that, they look just like bedbugs.
  • Eggs – You also need to look for egg casings and eggs. If bedbugs have bred in your home, you’ll find eggs and casings in your mattress and on your floor.
  • Black Feces – Bedbugs feed and use the bathroom everywhere. You may find their fecal matter in your home. Many say that bedbug fecal matter looks like small ink spots.
  • Welts – Some bedbug bites do not cause any issues, but others do. If you have an allergic reaction, the bedbug bite may lead to a red welt on your arm, back, or neck.
  • A Musty Odor – Finally, you should be able to smell the bedbugs in your home. They will create a sweet, musty odor in your home.

Inspecting Your Home For Bedbugs

Ultimately, you’ll need to search your home carefully for bedbugs. Get started by moving your bed away from the nearby walls. Bedbugs prefer living as close to their victims as possible, so you’ll need to check the mattress, bed frame, and box springs. You can also search the bed sheets, pillowcases, and blankets. When searching these objects, check small cracks and gaps. Bedbugs are small and thin enough to fit in these small crevices. Remove all of the sheets from your bed so you can check the mattress. Check all folds because bedbugs might be hiding there. Don’t forget to flip your mattress because bedbugs might be hiding underneath. Check your carpets, rugs, clothing, wall decorations, and electrical outlets. Bedbugs could be anywhere, so search your home carefully. Don’t forget to check for eggs, casings, and exoskeletons too.

When To Hire A Professional Exterminator

Once you’ve identified a bedbug infestation in your home, fixing the issue cannot wait. Don’t fix the problem promptly, and it will only worsen. The bedbugs in your home will breed and reproduce, so their population will increase rapidly. Once their infestation has expanded, getting rid of them will be harder and costlier. You need to contact a professional exterminator soon to stop this problem from spiraling out of control. A qualified pest control expert will conduct a thorough examination of your home before developing a plan to rectify the problem. Remember to obtain multiple quotes from several companies so you can get your money’s worth. Don’t pick the cheapest company to save money though. Consider their history and check customer reviews so you can get the best service.

Commonly Asked Questions

Could It Be Only One Bedbug?

It might be one bedbug, but the possibility of it being one is low. In all likelihood, you have a bigger infestation and you just don’t know it yet.

What Should I Do After Finding A Bedbug In My Portland Home?

Don’t hesitate to call an exterminator because a professional will help you tackle the problem quickly. They’ll help you assemble a plan that can fix the problem safely and efficiently.

How Many Bedbugs Does It Take To Create An Infestation?

You may believe that it requires 100, 500, or 1,000 bedbugs to create an infestation, but this isn’t the case. There is no universal number. Once bedbugs enter your home, it’ll be impossible to know how many you have. As a result, an infestation is when the bedbugs have created problems.

https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/i-found-a-few-bed-bugs-does-that-mean-im-dealing-with-an-infestation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-found-a-few-bed-bugs-does-that-mean-im-dealing-with-an-infestation

What Scent Keep Bed Bugs Away?

Essential OilsAs bed bug cases continue to increase throughout the United States, Portland residents are gearing up to take on the challenge. There is no doubt, bed bugs are a diligent insect species. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to a blood meal. The best way and only to not become a bed bug victim is through deterrence. One bed bug deterrent that is gaining the attention of late is the essential oil. While not all essential oils have shown to be an effective bed bug deterrent, tea tree, lavender, and peppermint are very promising.

More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of essential oils as a bed bug deterrent. One specific study showed essential oils – paraffin and silicone oils – may have some impact on bed bugs. The study, conducted by researchers at the Department of Entomology, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, showed paraffin and silicone essential oils could be effective “green” insecticides.

What many people may not be aware of is the bed bug nymph generates a pheromone that deters the adult male from entering their space.

Essential oils are utilized to treat various health conditions, flavor food, and create a calming environment. We recommend conducting your own essential oil studies. And, do not forget to share your findings with friends, family, and other acquaintances.



from A1 Bed Bug Exterminator Portland https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/what-scent-keep-bed-bugs-away/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-scent-keep-bed-bugs-away
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Top Places Bed Bugs Hide

Bedbugs are unique pests that can create numerous problems for homeowners. They bite, and they will ruin the value of your home. Since they rarely grow over a quarter of an inch, they can hide anywhere. If they bite you, you’ll likely develop red welts. To find out more about the bedbugs in your home, you need to know where they’re hiding. Where can bedbugs hide in your home? You’ll find out below.

Where Bedbugs Hide In Your Home

Your Bed

First and foremost, you’ll have to check out your bed. Bedbugs prefer staying close to their favorite food source. As a result, they’re going to live in your bed so they can reach you quickly. When you go to sleep at night, your body will release heat and CO2, and that will attract the bedbugs. If you’re checking your home for bedbugs, you need to carefully check your mattress and box springs.

Bed Frames 

Once you’ve finished checking the mattress and box springs, check the rest of the bed. A bed frame is a great place for bedbugs to hide because it is reasonably close to you. Furthermore, bedbugs are brown, so they’ll blend in well with many bed frames. Grab a flashlight and check your bed frame for bedbugs.

Sheets & Pillowcases

When possible, bedbugs will hide in your pillowcases, bed sheets, and comforters. Bedbugs can hide in these things because they’re warm and close to the bug’s food source. You need to check your sheets carefully. Check every crack and crevices to see if bedbugs are hiding in your sheets.

Carpets.

Once you’ve finished with your bed, you need to turn your attention to your floor. There is a good chance that you have carpets or rugs. Well, carpets and rugs are great places for bedbugs to hide. Bedbugs are small enough to climb deep between the carpet’s fibers. Once they’ve done that, they can remain undetected for weeks or even months.

Furniture

Bedbugs can also hide in the furniture placed in your home. They prefer upholstered furniture because it gives them plenty of safe hiding places. They can climb onto your couch before hiding in the couch’s cushions and pillows. Furthermore, some bedbugs will climb underneath the furniture. They’ll stay hidden at the bottom of the furniture because you likely don’t check there often. Although these are common bedbug hiding places, they’re not the only hiding places. Below, you’ll learn more about some of the odd places for bedbugs to hide.

Odd Bedbug Hiding Places

You’d likely check the aforementioned spots without reading this article. However, you may not check the following spots.

Your Luggage

After you’ve returned from a lengthy trip, you’ll throw your luggage to the ground without thinking about it. If you stayed at a motel, it could be a bad idea. You might’ve stayed in a bedbug-infested motel and bedbugs might’ve taken shelter in your luggage. You need to check your luggage after returning home. Make sure that it is free of bedbugs. Otherwise, they’ll leave the luggage and move elsewhere.

Decorations On Your Walls

You also need to look at the decorations on your walls because bedbugs could be hiding behind them. If you have paintings hanging on your walls, the frames could be an excellent hiding spot for the bugs. Pull the paintings from the walls and see if they’re clear of bedbugs.

Books

If you have books around your bed, you may find bedbugs hiding in those books. Just remember that the book needs to have a gap between the spine and binding to be a suitable hiding place for bedbugs. Bugs are small enough to slip through this hole.

Desks And Nightstands

If you have a desk or nightstand next to your bed, it could be a hiding place for bedbugs. They’ll be able to hide in the small holes in the stand. Also, they’ll be able to hide in the drawers, under the doors, and in the screw holes.

Electronic Devices

Finally, you’ll find that bedbugs can hide in electronics. If you have a television or computer near your bed, these bugs will find a way to sneak inside of them. These devices tend to have small vent holes and bedbugs can use those to climb inside of the electronic. It helps that electronics are warm when they’re turned on. As a result, electronics will make a great hiding place for bedbugs. You should avoid hiding stuff under your bed. If you do, the bedbugs will climb inside of the boxes under your bed and stay there. If you’re going to store boxes under your bed, you need to make sure that the boxes are airtight and secure. If you’re worried about having bedbugs, contact us so we can inspect your home. We’ll discover the problem and take care of it quicker than our competitors.


from A1 Bed Bug Exterminator Portland https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/top-places-bed-bugs-hide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-places-bed-bugs-hide
via IFTTT

Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling

Are you worried that your next trip will lead to a bedbug infestation? Unfortunately, it could. You must take steps to prevent this from happening. To avoid potential problems, you should remember the SLEEP acronym. By following this advice, you can travel while maintaining your peace of mind. Below, you’ll learn more about the SLEEP acronym so you can keep yourself safe while traveling.

S – Survey

When you arrive at your motel room, you need to check it thoroughly. The first step of the process is to survey the room. Survey the room and check it carefully. Make sure it doesn’t have bedbugs. If the room has bedbugs, speak to someone with the motel. Moving to a new room might help, but remember that bedbugs can travel from one room to another. As a result, you may need to switch motels. If you stay in the room with bedbugs, those bugs will climb into your luggage and go home with you.

L – Lift & Look

Next, you need to go one step further and begin looking at common bedbug hiding spots. Doing so will help you determine whether the room has bedbugs. For instance, you should lift the mattress and check under it. Look at the small cracks and crevices because bedbugs often hide in those spots. You’ll also need to check the baseboards, bed frame, and behind your pictures. Do you see any bugs that resemble bedbugs? If so, switch rooms or motels.

E – Elevate

You cannot be careless when putting your luggage down. If you place it in the wrong spot, there is a greater chance that bedbugs are going to climb inside. Avoid such problems by elevating your luggage and other items off of the ground before checking under these items to make sure the room is free of bedbugs. Next, remove the luggage rack and place it away from the wall so the bedbugs will have a harder time climbing up the wall and entering your luggage.

E – Examine

When it is time to leave, check your luggage and make sure it is clean. If bedbugs have climbed inside, they’ll travel home with you. Once you get home, unpack your belongings in an outside room such as your utility room or garage.

P – Place

Finally, you’ll want to take one extra step to ensure that you don’t bring bedbugs into your home. You should throw your items in the laundry and turn the appliance on the highest temperature setting. Let the items stay in the dryer for 15 minutes. Once you’ve done this, the bedbugs will succumb and die due to the hot temperatures. Eliminating bedbugs is a complicated task so you likely won’t be able to do it on your own. You can purchase DIY chemicals, but they could be unsafe and there is no guarantee that they’ll be effective. As a result, it is best to hire a professional exterminator in Portland. Be cautious and check your motel room travel when traveling abroad.


from A1 Bed Bug Exterminator Portland https://amazingpestguysofportland.com/tips-to-avoid-bed-bugs-while-traveling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-to-avoid-bed-bugs-while-traveling
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