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How to spot and deal with bed bugs in your space

Environmental Ecosystem Solutions Inc. (E²) offers total pest control services
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For most people, the days of picking up hitchhikers they see on the side of the road are over. Nobody wants to take that kind of risk anymore. However, those same people may be unwittingly picking up a worse kind of hitchhiker, one that can very quickly move in and infest your home.

They’re called Bed Bugs.  

“You don’t have to have a dirty home to get bed bugs,” said Rhonda Lalonde, a pest specialist with Environmental Ecosystem Solutions Inc E² “You can get them sitting in your lawyer’s office. They’re hitchhikers, the nastiest kind of hitchhikers you don’t want to pick up. Even the cleanest homes can wind up with bed bugs.” 

According to Lalonde, bed bugs are a four-season threat that could wind up in your home from any number of sources. Like mosquitos, bed bugs like to feed on blood and usually live close to where people sleep, rest, or sit for long periods, making the elderly even more susceptible. They tend to be nocturnal, hiding during the day and emerging at night. Identifying that you have a bed bug infestation is as simple as looking for the signs.  

“Your first sign would be itching, and then visual signs you notice on your body would be bites,” she said. “These are typically found on your head, neck, and shoulder area. If you see one, you probably have more.” 

To look for bed bugs where you sleep, Lalonde says to start at the head of the bed, checking all the corners and then working your way down through the seams. While seeing black dots could be an indicator of feces and that bed bugs were once present, it doesn’t mean they’re still there. However, it’s best to be proactive and begin treatment, which is where E² comes in.  

“The great thing about our treatment is that we heat treat for bed bugs and can use chemicals as an alternative resource,” said Lalonde. “Heat treatments are a safe, 100% more effective bed bug treatment that kills all stages of the pest not just the adults and juveniles.” 

The heat treatment is a one-time 24-hour event that allows E² to kill all bed bugs living in the area, including ones living in furniture, baseboards, wallpaper, electrical outlets, and bedding.  

“We can heat up to 1,000 square feet at a time depending on the electrical system,” said Lalonde. “We get the room up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a 24-hour set. A sustained temperature of 118 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 minutes will also kill the eggs. Chemical treatments alone will not.” 

Lalonde said that the heat treatment coupled with a residual chemical treatment for preventative maintenance is the most effective combination for eliminating bed bug infestations. That’s the best solution for complete peace of mind given the potential impact on mental health that comes from dealing with beg bugs in the home.  

If you think you may need E² services, Lalonde says the process is simple. 

“We would initially come do a visual assessment. At that time, we would look at the best option for treatment, whether that means full heat treatment or chemical treatments. With the heat treatment we must make sure the electrical system is compatible for our heaters. If we wind up with just the chemical treatment option, that usually means three treatments or more over a two-to-three-week timespan.”  

E2 also offers do it yourself bed bug kits for the travelling homeowners, which can be purchased. 

With summer approaching, E² offers a variety of other pest control services including mosquito treatments for your yard, beautiful planter pots for mosquito control and a curated line of mosquito deterrent candles called Buzz Kill. Learn more about all your pest control options by connecting with E2 online.