Pests are often described as insects or animals that adversely impact human activities. They can be a mere nuisance, disease vectors, or both. Since they do not do anything good for us - and actually harm us and our properties - getting rid of them is of utmost importance.
Nobody loves pests. They bite, they destroy, they transmit diseases that are deadly, and make our lives miserable in general. Thankfully, there are several ways to fight them and beat them.
It is what we call pest control.
Pest control is the act of regulating or managing insects or animals that can be defined as pests. When attacked by pests, homeowners react in various ways. Some use commercially available pesticides, some make their own homemade pesticides, while some do nothing if the damage is minimal.
We do not recommend the last one though.
Here in Wilmington, one of the most terrible insects to attack homes is the bed bug. Wilmington is a North Carolinian city with a population of around 120,000, and all could fall, victims, if residents do not act fast.
A Brief History Of Pest Control
Pest control measures most probably began to take place as soon as humans walked the surface of the earth. Right from the very beginning, some of the insects and animals were already bothering our early ancestors, but there are no records of whether diseases were already transmitted by that time, or whether deaths due to these pests occurred.
Early humans were hunters and gatherers, so the pests at that time were fleas, mosquitoes, and rats. When humans started to learn how to develop lands for their food, that was when pests started to cause economic damage. Pests like locusts, beetles, grasshoppers, and bugs started to eat crops. Humans then had to develop control tactics versus these pests. Indeed, pest control strategies were essential to human survival all throughout history.
Different methods of pest control were adopted.
The Chinese used mercury and arsenic to ward off lice. Egyptians used mosquito nets as protection from mosquitoes. The 20th century saw more complex pesticides using chemicals to kill pests. his would both prove to be a boon and bane later on, as these chemical pesticides were able to kill pests, but also become harmful to other beneficial insects as well. Nowadays, more and more people are pushing for more natural methods.
How to Start the Pest Control Process
Here at Go-Forth Home Services, we understand that there are many people out there who are uncertain as to how to go through the motions of pest control.
To make it more effective, the experienced pest control company suggested some things that should be remembered.
- Pest control is something you can either do by yourself or with the help of a professional. The first thing to do is identify which of these two courses of action you would take.
- Identify the pests you have there. As the great ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu said, know your enemy. Know what they look like, their behaviors and habits, their feeding ways, and the time of day they usually come out.
- Decide whether you can tolerate the presence of these pests, or if you need to take action. If these pests are disease vectors or destroy property, then it is important for you to make a move.
- Pest bugs may return later on. It is still best that after you have gotten rid of them, you should still be vigilant.
Can Pest Control Stop Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs infestation is truly a worrying problem among American households today. Bed bugs bite and suck the blood out of their hosts. Their bites are very itchy and leave unsightly marks on the skin.
Not only that, but they are also declared as “high-risk pests” by at least three government agencies, namely the United States Department of Agriculture, the Center for Disease Control, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Though bed bugs do not transmit diseases, they can cause insomnia, stress, anxiety, social isolation, and even depression. You would not see any of these cases being reported relating to any other pests.
Bed bugs, if not checked, can spread rather quickly. Female adult bed bugs can produce hundreds of eggs in their lifetime. The more they get, the harder they become to control. The good news is, yes, they can still be controlled. The earlier they are detected, the easier it would be.
History of Bed Bugs in America
Bed first came to the United States during the 19th century via trader ships traveling from all over the world. These insects grew in numbers in the early 20th century.
However, advances made in pest control technology helped in exterminating bed bugs totally; by the 1950s, they were completely gone. That is, until the mid-’90s.
Bed bugs made a huge comeback in the 1990s, and they are stronger than ever. The pesticides that worked so well before are suddenly not as potent against the bed bugs anymore. It is noted by experts that bed bugs have developed some sort of resistance to some of the pesticides, and they are now stronger than ever.
The return of bed bugs in the United States and their spread is primarily the result of travel. Advances in technology have enabled travel to be much faster and safer, thus making it enticing to millions of Americans. Because of this, they unknowingly fall victim to these parasites. Bed bugs can be found in places where travelers stay, be it in 5-star hotels or in cheaper motels. Americans get to pick these bed bugs from wherever they have stayed, and then bring them back home. The results, need we say more, are catastrophic.
Other ways of getting bed bugs include bringing home old clothes or furniture that were bought from garage sales or thrift shops.
Identifying Bed Bugs
As we said earlier, to beat your enemy, you should know them. Bed bugs may be small insects, but they are not invisible to the naked eye. They are the same size as an apple seed. Their bodies are brownish in color and are flat, but after sucking blood for their meal, they turn red and bloat. They feed at night because they are nocturnal insects.
Bed bugs have piercing mouth parts that suck blood called a proboscis. This is what they use to pierce the skin of their human hosts. Bed bugs inject some sort of anesthesia when they bite, making it painless for the host. The effect of the bites would not show up until after 7 to 14 days. Their bites are very itchy and unsightly, appearing in a pattern of straight lines. Many people get embarrassed about having them.
Bed bugs develop into adults much faster when the temperatures are between 70 F to 80 F. This allows them to produce up to three generations a year. The body of a bed bug has three segments: the head, thorax, and abdomen. Bed bugs have a pair of eyes, six legs, and a couple of antennae attached to the head. Male bed bugs have scent glands, testis, and intestines. Female bed bugs have scent glands, intestines, mycetomes, ovaries, ovarioles, and genital chambers.
Bed bugs are not confined to the beds in the house, though that is where they start because they like to be near where they can feed. To feed means to be close to a human host while they are sleeping.
Eventually, they would scatter around the house. They would be in mattresses, in headboards, and bed frames. If unchecked, they would soon be on the cracks and crevices of walls and floors, in drawers, electrical receptacles, couches, and other furniture. They do not build nests.
Pest Control Methods for Bed Bugs
If you think you can handle these bed bugs yourself, here are a few tips:
- Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum mattresses, carpets, couches, sofas, cracks and crevices on floors and walls, and other furniture where the bed bugs might be hiding.
- Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth around areas where there are bed bugs. You may purchase this item from a local gardening store near you. Diatomaceous earth is made of fossilized remains of diatoms and appears as tiny shards of broken glass. Once the bed bugs crawl on it, it would inflict tiny cuts on their bodies and kill them.
- If your furniture is infested by bed bugs, try to salvage it first using diatomaceous earth and a vacuum cleaner. If, after your best efforts you cannot eliminate them, then throw it outside and make arrangements with your garbage collector to pick it up. Place a sign that says “Bed Bugs” so that no one else would use it.
- If you live in an apartment unit, inform the landlord. They would be the ones to call the pest control professionals.
For spray services near me for bugs in Wilmington, call Go-Forth Home Services.
Call them now for more information, or to request a free estimate. Our friendly operators are standing by.