With the holidays upon us, many will have friends and family visiting. Sometimes unwanted guests come along too, and we're not referring to Aunt Beatrice and her annual gift of an ugly sweater. Bed bugs have been making a resurgence throughout the world, including the United States. Through human travel more and more bed bugs are showing up in the Western states and now in the Greater Seattle area, and it is not uncommon for us to now get a spike of calls about bed bugs during and after the holidays.
A recent Washington Post article (http://wapo.st/1fdZkOr) suggests that "do-it-yourself" (also known as DIY) remedies can work, but some don't work at all. Our opinion is that you should always consult a professional, licensed pest control company if you think you have bed bugs, as they are very secretive by nature, hiding in small cracks and crevices. We do agree with a point made early in the article: watchful eyes and mindful habits are the best ways of preventing infestations or stopping them early.
Here's what to watch for when guests are in town:
- Any visitors scratching, or showing red bites on exposed skin
- Small blood smears on bedding
- Any visible bugs crawling on bedding
Whether you choose to try to take them on yourself, or call a professional pest control company, the key is to act quickly. With bed bugs, the longer an infestation goes undetected or untreated, the larger the population gets, and so too does the cost of remediation.
Have more questions or think you have bed bugs? Call us for a no-obligation phone consultation at 425-641-6264, visit www.cascadepest.com, or click here Don Leland to go to my Google+ page for more contact information.