Frequently Asked Questions

Bed bugs are small, oval insects that harbour in dark spaces close to their food source to feed at night. They range in size from 1/4″ to 3/8″ long and are mahogany or red-brown in color.

Bed bugs have been making resurgence in recent years due to the banning of DDT pesticides, an increase in international travel, immigration from the developing world, and a developing resistance to pesticides as bed bugs evolve.

The household pests commonly reside in the seams of mattresses, in the edges of carpeting, in the bed frame behind baseboards, window and door casings, picture frames, loosened wallpaper, and other cracks and crevices. They can enter a structure by latching to clothing and bedding, and by hiding in luggage. In some instances, they can travel via birds or bats.

Although no known cases of the transmission of infectious disease have been reported, bed bugs are known to carry at least 28 different human pathogens. Bed bugs may be able to transmit Hepatitis B, as the virus has been found in bed bug droppings. Bacterial infections may also occur if a bed bug bite creates an open sore.

Long considered eradicated in most metropolitan areas, bed bugs are making a comeback. They are being found in cities across the country, everywhere from homeless shelters to five-star hotels. Contrary to popular belief, the presence of bed bugs does not indicate a lack of cleanliness.

In the past, insecticides such as DDT helped to keep the bed bug population at bay with residues that continued working after the product was sprayed. Now, with the increase in use of bait traps instead of broad spectrum sprays, specific pests such as ants and cockroaches are being targeted, and bed bugs are no longer being eliminated. Bed bugs have also developed resistance to many of the pesticides, particularly pyrethroids.

In addition, people now travel more than ever before, particularly to and from destinations where bed bugs have remained prevalent. Places that see a great deal of turnover such as hotels and motels give bed bugs the opportunity to continue their travel to new locations as hitchhikers on luggage or clothing.

Places that see a great deal of turnover such as hotels and motels give bed bugs the opportunity to continue their travel to new locations as hitchhikers on luggage or clothing.

Bed bugs have an oval body and a short, broad head. The body as a whole is broad and flat. Unfed adults are around 1/4 inch (6 mm) long, brown and wingless. After feeding, they swell slightly in size and darken to a blood-red color. The nymphs are shaped like the adults, but are yellow-white in color. Bed bugs are wingless and cannot fly or jump, but are able to enter into extremely small locations in the home because of their flattened bodies. Bed bugs can live for several weeks to several months without feeding, depending on the temperature.

Bed bugs can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days; older bed bugs can go without feeding longer than younger ones. Adult bed bugs have been known to survive for as long as 550 days (over a year and a half!) without feeding. Bed bugs prefer to feed on human blood, but will also bite mammals and birds. Bed bugs typically bite at night, but if hungry enough have been known to bite during daylight. After feeding, bed bugs turn dark red and become bloated.

Itchy welts on skin, blood spots on sheets and/or black or brown spots on mattresses, bed frames or walls often indicate that there is a bed bug infestation.

Individual responses to bed bug bites will vary. Bed bugs are attracted to humans’ high body temperature and carbon dioxide production. When bed bugs bite people, they inject their saliva into the biting area, causing the skin to become irritated and inflamed. The skin lesion from bed bug bites may go unnoticed, or be mistaken for flea or mosquito bites or other skin conditions. Four types of skin rashes have been described in the literature:

• The most common rash is made up of localized red and itchy flat lesions.
• Small raised red swelling lesions are also common.
• In rare cases, people may develop large raised, often itchy, red welts.
• People with high sensitivity to bed bug saliva develop a lump filled with blood or fluid.

Bed bug bites most commonly occur on exposed areas of the body, including face, neck, hands, arms, lower legs or all over the body. Bed bugs bite by piercing the skin with an elongated beak through which they draw blood. Feeding takes from three to ten minutes although the person rarely knows they are being bitten. Both male and female bed bugs bite.

Bed bugs have been known to cause significant psychological distress, disruption of sleep, nervousness and agitation. Hepatitis B Virus has been detected in bed bugs and excrement up to 60 days after feeding on an infectious meal. It is not known whether the viral persistence is capable of infection.

Eggs
The bed bug eggs are white and about 1 mm long, and almost impossible to see on most surfaces. The female bed bug lays about 200 eggs in her lifetime, at a rate of about 3 or 4 per day. The eggs have a sticky coating and are deposited in cracks and crevices, behind woodwork and similar hidden locations. Clusters of 10-50 bed bug eggs can be found in cracks and crevices. Bed bug eggs hatch in 6 to 17 days.

Nymphs
A newly hatched bed bug nymph will feed as soon as food is available. A bed bug goes through five molts before it reaches full maturity. Each molt takes place after a blood feed.

Adults
Adults usually live for around 10 months, but can live for a year or more. In a home, where the environment is conducive to their reproduction (their ideal breeding temperature is between 21° to 28°C), bed bugs can breed year round.

Bed bugs have a unique form of mating called “traumatic insemination”. The male penetrates the female’s abdomen with his external genitalia, inseminating into her body cavity. This sexual activity produces a wound in the female and probably endangers her longevity and productivity.

While bed bugs are not known transmit any pathogens or diseases, their bites usually result in swollen red, itchy welts. Though bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, bed bugs can severely reduce quality of life by causing discomfort, sleeplessness, anxiety, and embarrassment. Many people are not aware that they have been bitten, but some people may be more sensitive to the bite and may have a localized reaction. As a bed bug is biting, it injects anesthetic saliva to numb the pain. It also contains anti-coagulant to keep the blood of its meal host flowing.

People can be allergic to bed bug bites, which can cause swelling, itchy welts and in some cases infections. These infections can be serious, especially if they are from a resistant form of bacterial pathogen such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Small reddish or brownish spots on one’s linens are often the first sign of an infestation. These spots are the bed bug’s droppings. Bed Bugs often hide in mattresses but they can also survive in furniture, behind wall coverings and pictures/paintings. They will crawl and nest inside tiny crevices anywhere indoors, as long as there is a source of food (blood). Another sign is swelling where a bed bug has bitten.

Bed bugs are moved into and around a dwelling through infested furniture and bedding. They can also enter a home or hotel by being carried in on clothing or luggage. Bed bugs are often carried into a home on objects such as furniture and clothing. Bed bugs can also travel from apartment to apartment along pipes, electrical wiring and other openings. When bed bug infestations are small, the bed bugs tend to reside near the bed.

As infestations grow larger, they tend to move beyond beds into other locations such as sofas and upholstered chairs. Bed bug females may lay their eggs away from a heavy infestation to provide greater chance for survival. If the infestation is heavy, a sweet smell may be noticed in the room.

If you think you have a bed bug problem, check for live bed bugs or shells in the following areas:

• Seams, creases, tufts and folds of mattresses and box springs
• Cracks in the bed frame and head board
• Under chairs, couches, beds, dust covers
• Between the cushions of couches and chairs
• Under area rugs and the edges of carpets
• Between the folds of curtains
• In drawers
• Behind baseboards, and around window and door casings
• Behind electrical plates and under loose wallpaper, paintings and posters
• In cracks in plaster
• In telephones, radios, and clocks

The best way to treat bed bugs is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which combines a variety of techniques and products that pose the least risk to human health and the environment.

The best method of treating bed bugs is a steam treatment, because heat can kill all stages of the bed bug, ranging from eggs to adult bed bugs. Steam treatments are able to reach inaccessible areas that chemicals or other pesticides can’t. Using steam is also the safest method to control a bed bug infestation.

Other elements of a successful IPM program in addition to steam treatments are:

• Use a nozzle attachment on the vacuum to capture the bed bugs and their eggs.
• Vacuum all crevices on your mattress, bed frame, baseboards and any objects close to the bed. It is essential to vacuum daily and empty the vacuum immediately. Wash all your linens in the hottest water possible and place them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes. Consider covering your pillows and mattress with a plastic cover.
• Remove all unnecessary clutter.
• Seal cracks and crevices between baseboards, on wood bed frames, floors and walls with caulking. Repair or remove peeling wallpaper, tighten loose light switch covers, and seal any openings where pipes, wires or other utilities come into your home (pay special attention to walls that are shared between apartments).
• There may be some bed bugs that successfully evade the lethal temperatures, that may migrate to untreated areas, or that are brought in after treatment. In this instance, contact Terminix Canada to discuss residual treatments such as diatomaceous earth or other treatments that can safely used.

Even the cleanest homes and hotels can have bed bugs.

Regular cleaning and upkeep, including vacuuming your mattress, can help prevent any infestations. Cleaning up clutter reduces the number of places bed bugs can reside, too.

Be careful when buying used furniture or clothes. Make sure to inspect the used item, and feel free to ask the retailer if the items were checked for bed bugs. Same idea when bringing home used furniture or clothes from the curb side: these items may be infested with bed bugs!

If you’re traveling, ensure you’re taking the following precautions:

• Inspect the room and furniture: inspect all cracks and crevices of the mattress and box spring, and look for blood spots or live insects. Request a different room if you find evidence of beg bugs.
• Protect your luggage: keep all belongings in your luggage and wrap your luggage in plastic to help prevent bed bugs from entering your luggage. Keep luggage on the shelf or away from the floor.
• Protect the bed: move the bed away from the wall, tuck in all bed sheets and keep blankets from touching the floor.
• Upon returning home: keep your luggage in an isolated area of your home, such as the garage. Inspect the luggage. Wash all your clothes in the hottest water possible and put them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes.

In order to prevent future problems, and manage any previous issues, pest control treatment should be applied in your home or office at regular intervals – no longer than twelve months.

Shorter periods in between treatments are recommended for properties located in certain environmental conditions, so be sure to contact Terminix Canada in order to get a specific answer for your location.

There are many do-it-yourself options for pest control in businesses and homes, but the complications that arise could prove to be too overwhelming.

A tremendous amount of knowledge, training, preparation goes into treating pest problems in a safe and effective manner. Hiring a true specialist guarantees you receive the correct course of treatment that doesn’t jeopardize the building, property, or its tenants.

Terminix Canada helps you identify the correct pest control solution, and choose the right course of precautionary action for future prevention. The materials employed are specific to the situation and environment, carried out in a safe way that produces long-lasting results.

Terminix Canada prioritizes quality control in our treatment services through gentle and environmentally safe products that cause no harm to humans.

Each of the materials applied have been approved to be used in public places, hospitals, and schools. If you are curious about what a specific product contains, please visit our downloads page, where we have prepared MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) of our products for you to examine.

Terminix Canada always tries to make the pest removal process as simplistic and straightforward as possible. Our Pest Library aids you in identifying what type of pest is infesting your home, office, or work, as well as offering approaches to help remove them, and prevent future outbreaks.

If you’ve tried researching the specific pest on our website already, and didn’t find what you’re looking for, please give us a call at 709-753-7378. Our knowledgeable staff can either identify it over the phone, or arrange a free inspection that will assess the damage and patterns of the pest, identify the source, and provide recommendation for treatment solutions.

If the sounds you are hearing are light scratches and scurrying, either in your ceilings or walls, then the pests in your home are very likely to be mice. There are several ways of treating your home for mice on your own, or you can contact Terminix Canada to quickly treat these rodents and any offspring.

Pest treatment and management truly goes beyond simple pesticide applications. In order to get to the root of the problem, it is essential that an entire, thorough inspection takes place in your facility. Experts should come in, assess damage and problematic areas, pointing out what should be sealed off, and what’s making your premises a hotspot for pests.

Pesticides are a reactive solution – chances are, once you’re seeing pests, the situation is already out of control. Terminix Canada provides proactive solutions, knowing that pesticides are only useful when targeting a specific breed of pest. The use of pesticides in the wrong situation can cause infestations to escalate.

Terminix Canada’s extremely educated staff, exterminators and technicians are versatile, and specialize in a broad range of pest solutions for insects, and even various wildlife and birds.

Terminix Canada prides itself in taking care of your needs and that extends further than merely removing pests from your home. Certain pests, like cockroaches, have the ability to trigger asthma and various health conditions due to the viruses they carry and transmit.

With Terminix Canada, your health always comes first. With that in mind, our pest solutions are focused on removing any threat to our clients, their families, and health.

Before and after treating your pest problem, Terminix Canada does a diligent and thorough inspection for evidence and warning signs of any lingering pests. We are precise in removing any allergens that pests or wildlife leave behind – from feathers to droppings, we’ll remove it all.