Bed Bugs

I feel so bad I don’t know how or where they came from, could you explain how they might have got inside my house?

The most common entry is by those who have been traveling in their clothes or luggage. You may also get them by bringing infected second hand furniture into your house.

They are an international pest and the even the best hotels have them. Some people have been known to bring them home from public places such as picture cinemas.

How long will the treatment take to be effective?

The spray will be effective immediately. However the spray will not kill the eggs. Some eggs may hatch over the next three weeks and the residual effect of the spray will kill them before they become adults.

We always recommend a follow up treatment and inspection after 21 days to ensure that the procedure is fully effective.

What do I do about suits and items which are not suitable for hot washing?

Dry cleaning will kill the adults, the nymphs and the eggs with a 100% success rate.

What do the bites look like?

Often they are small and red and in rows. Many people develop an itchy red welt or localized swelling, which sometimes appears a day or so after the bite. With itching and scratching they can become infected. Often they will bite one person more than another sharing the same bed.

When can I sleep in the room after treatment?

There is no reason why you can not sleep in the room several hours after treatment, but most people prefer to allow one day before spending all night in the room.

I used an insecticide bomb, was that the right thing to do?

The dangers in using an insecticide repellent are twofold. Firstly the active ingredient of such products has been shown to be only partially effective in killing bed bugs and secondly it has a high probability of causing the bugs to move into other rooms thus spreading the infestation.

What will vacuuming the room do?

Vacuuming the room is an excellent way of reducing the number of both adults and eggs in the room. It should only be done with a bag vacuum cleaner (which should be disposed of after use) and should always be done in conjunction with a non-repellent chemical treatment.

I read that freezing bed bugs will kill them. Is that true?

Yes, it has been shown that freezing bed bugs contained in clothing for 2 hours will give a 100% kill rate.

How long do the bed bug eggs take to hatch?

Bed bugs may take up to 21 days to hatch in the cooler months.

Is it true that bed bugs are increasing in number?

Yes, the overall incidence of bed bugs worldwide is increasing. In the US the incidence of bed bugs has increased by 500% in hotels since 1999 and the number in Australia is on the rise also.

Do you use a special chemical when treating bed bugs?

The chemical we use is Ficam which contains the active ingredient Bendiocarb. We use it as it is a non-repellant; which means the bed bugs do not know they are crawling on the poison until it is too late. The danger of using a repellent chemical which you can buy from the supermarket is that you may make the problem worse by causing the bed bugs to move to another room thus spreading the infestation.

Can bed bugs attack my dog or cat?

The bed bug primarily attacks humans but can feed on any warm blooded animal such as birds, mice, and pets.