April 20th-26th is Bed Bug Awareness Week! Yay! Woo-Hoo!! While there probably won't be many fire works or community events during Bed Bug Awareness Week, it is an important subject. This awareness week is the result of a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to help raise public awareness about bed bugs. This week is meant to urge people to learn about them, their habits and bed bug treatments.
In the last few years reported bed bug exposure has increased by over 70%. They have been reported all throughout the United States with no one region being any more or less than the others. Bed bugs aren't picky about what type of building they are in either. They have been reported in all types of residences, clothing stores and even movie theatres. Yes, even the five star resorts have had some reported bed bug incidents.
Bed bugs can be found in more than just beds. They like any soft or dark area. They have been found in such places as:
- chair and sofa cushions
- in laundry containers (empty and full)
- in cracks and crevices in walls and trim
- behind picture frames and electrical outlet covers
- in dresser and bureau drawers
- in luggage
- in rugs
- in beds!!!
And many other places! This makes fighting a bed bug infestation hard. They can go for long periods of time without eating and are very hardy. These bugs are able to survive in a wide range of temperatures. Their presence has no reflection on the cleanliness or sanitation of where they are found. Even though their favorite meal is human blood, they aren’t particularly dangerous to humans. Their bites can leave a red, itchy welt.
With all this information about bed bugs being in so many places and so hard to get rid of you must be asking yourself how do I prevent bed bugs in Worcester, Massachusetts? Preventing bed bugs in your home can be as easy as following a few simple steps. When traveling you can:
- Ask before placing your reservation, about the type of bed bug prevention plan they have in place.
- Go to the website, http://www.bedbugregistry.com/, to see if there has been any reported incidence of bed bugs at this place or in the area.
- Pack your clothes in sealed plastic bags.
- Use hard sided luggage to prevent unwanted entry of bed bugs while traveling.
- Upon entrance into your place of stay, place luggage on the counter in the bathroom. This is the least likely area for them to be.
- Inspect the room, including all furniture, for any signs of bed bugs, such as: fecal marks on linens, bed bug skins, sticky bed bug eggs, or live bed bugs.
- Do not leave your clothes and luggage laying around in the room on the furniture, floor or bed during your stay, keeping it sealed in plastic as much as possible
- When you get home, unpack your luggage OUTSIDE of your home and inspect everything for bed bugs.
- Laundry all possible items as soon as possible.
- Keep a watchful eye for a while to make sure there are no signs that you brought home an unwanted souvenir!
In Framingham and Worcester Mass many homeowners know how to get rid of bed bugs. With just one call to the professionals at Big Blue Bug they know that all their concerns about bed bugs will be taken care of in a prompt, friendly and professional manner. Being aware of bed bugs is your job, prevention and elimination is the job of the professionals at Big Blue Bug. For Worcester pest control you can count on give us a call today!