Of all the unwelcome guests in your home, none are more vexing and stubborn than bed bugs. Not only do they ruin your tranquility of mind, but also pose a threat to your health if eliminated in time. Once you have bed bugs in Montreal, Axon Extermination delivers professional bed bug elimination services designed to restore comfort to your residence. Through experience in using integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, we ensure that the treatments we carry out are safe and long-term, eliminating the issue without doing harm to your surroundings.

What is a Bed Bug?

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are blood-feeding insects that are tiny, consume blood and live on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including human beings. They like to remain where human beings sleep or recline, i.e., beds, sofas, and upholstered chairs. They are nearly apple seed size (up to 10mm) but large enough for the homeowner. Bed bugs are reddish-brown or mahogany and only visible to the naked eye. They are difficult to notice because they are small and nocturnal and remain undiscovered for weeks, feeding on human blood. Although they do not carry any diseases, they cause allergic reactions, hurt, and secondary dermatitis infections. Their ability to conceal themselves even in small crevices and cracks, for example, mattress seams, cracks in furniture, and even in wallpaper cracks, makes it hard to get rid of them without a professional. You are certain to have bed bugs in your home if you observe small scratch bites, or even bloodstains on bed and pillow sheets.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

The female bed bug will deposit 1 to 5 eggs per day that could result in a very quick infestation. The female will produce a total of 540 eggs over her lifetime. The eggs are tiny, white, and will incubate in 6 to 17 days. When they emerge from eggs, the nymphs are fed at once, and they molt five times to become adults. This will take around 21 days based on environmental factors like temperature and food supply.

Longevity and Survival

Bed bugs are highly robust insects. They can starve for an extremely long time—nearly a year or longer in cold temperatures. Bed bugs’ longevity makes them extremely difficult to eliminate since they can be hidden for months and triggered when and if food (human blood) becomes available. The adult survives for a couple of months, and they remain hidden in dark inaccessible places during the day and come out at night to feed.

Bed Bug Bites and Symptoms

One of the most frequent signs of a bed bug infestation is noticing bites on your own body. They may not become apparent immediately, though. About 3 to 14 days pass before the bite marks appear. When they do appear, bed bug bites usually appear in the form of red, frustrating welts. There are some people who have more violent responses, of course, and these can range anywhere from hives to more complex allergic reactions.   Bed bug bites are more likely to appear on exposed parts of the body like the arms, legs, neck, and face and generally are a cluster or row. The itching is generally intense, and scratching them can lead to secondary infection. Bed bugs are not disease vectors, but their bites are highly irritating and must be attended to immediately when any signs of infestation are noticed.

Why Bed Bugs are So Hard to Find

One of the primary reasons infestations are so difficult to eradicate is that bed bugs are very good at hiding. They like to live in cracks and crevices that are difficult to locate, including mattress seams, behind baseboards, behind electrical outlet plates, in wall or furniture cracks, and even inside light fixtures or frames. Due to this, it’s typically difficult to locate them during routine inspections. Further, bed bugs are nocturnal and they feed only at night. They will typically hide during the day, which is a drawback when attempting to find them. Included with the drawback is that bed bug bites do not always show up on close examination and, in most cases, look like mosquito bites or bites from other insects. What this really means is that homeowners will not realize that they have an issue until the infestation is established.

Bed Bug Prevention Tips

Prevention of bed bugs is simply a matter of being observant and being proactive. There is no way of completely eliminating the risk, but there are some things that you can do which will make an infestation less likely.

1. Regular Inspections: Check your home regularly, especially where bed bugs tend to congregate. Watch your bed, furniture, curtains, and other upholstered furniture closely. Check for evidence of bed bugs, eggs, shed skins, or blood spots.

2. Guard Your Bedding: Encase your box springs and mattresses in protective bed bug-proof covers. These covers form a barrier, keeping bed bugs from nesting within your bed. Make sure to use high-quality, long-lasting covers that are designed for bed bug prevention.

3. Be Careful When Traveling: Bed bugs are infamous hitchhikers. When traveling, examine hotel rooms carefully before unpacking. Check the bed, around furniture, and in corners for evidence of bed bugs. Place luggage up off the floor and away from beds, and check your items before bringing them home.

4. Seal Cracks and Crevices: One of the greatest ways to prevent bed bugs from infesting your home is to caulk cracks and crevices in your walls, floor, and furniture. This will reduce the number of areas where bed bugs need to hide and cannot gain access to your house.

5. Act Quickly: If you see evidence of a bed bug infestation, don’t delay. The earlier you detect the problem, the easier it is to eliminate. Call Axon Extermination as soon as you see any indication of a problem, and we’ll have you on your way to eradication before they become a sneaky infestation.

Why Choose Axon Extermination for Bed Bug Elimination

We offer full-service professional bed bug elimination. We use an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy whereby we utilize more than one mechanism of control, including chemical treatment, heat treatment, and mechanical control. By using this integrated system, we guarantee total removal of bed bugs of all life stages, i.e., eggs and adults. Our professionals have the expertise to detect bed bugs early and eliminate them quickly and efficiently. You might have a minor infestation or an infestation, our professional pest control team will develop a treatment plan that suits you best. Not only do we get rid of bed bugs, but also prevent re-infestation, so that you can rest comfortably in your own bed. If you have bed bugs in Montreal, don’t let it get out of hand. Call Axon Extermination, your trusted bed bug exterminator in Montreal. Our specialists are ready to offer you fast, effective, and reliable pest control solutions. We’re here to provide you with peace of mind and to make your home bed bug free. Let the bed bugs never make themselves at home. Contact Axon Extermination today for guidance and let us send the unwanted bugs away for good.