Crime Scene Cleaners
You might be surprised to learn that Crime Scene Cleaners is an excellent choice when looking for Seattle bed bug exterminators. If you want the people who will eliminate bed bugs, why not call the professional cleaners that handle the worst - crime scene cleanups?
We do both residential and commercial properties in Seattle, WA. After all, we're the ones who handle the toughest jobs out there, and we're certified to handle biohazards! So who better than us, to handle your bed bug infestation?
Bed Bug Life Stages
Adult bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius, are about the size of an apple seed, and there are 5 stages of their life cycle. Bed bug eggs are about 1 mm in size, compared to just 2 grains of salt! The eggs are a milky white in color, and the female typically lays one a day (but can lay up to five), about 200-250 in her lifetime. The average bed bug lifespan is 4-6 months.
The bed bug hatches within 2 weeks, becoming a 'nymph' and requiring a blood meal immediately to molt, mature, and survive. Each stage lasts about a week, about 5 weeks total to maturity. They require a blood meal before each molt and the subsequent stage is completed. Once fully mature, bed bugs have the ability to mate.
Bed Bug Reproduction
People often believe that bed bugs reproduce like rabbits, and that's why you have a bed bug infestation so quickly. It is actually more of a credit to their ability to go undetected for long periods of time, staying hidden from humans. Until they're hungry, that is - they cannot survive without a human host, though they can live 20-400 days without food.
They reproduce with a process called traumatic insemination. The male actually stabs the female forcefully through the hard casing of her body in the abdomen. This leaves an open wound in which he inserts his semen, which finds its way to her ovaries eventually. However, her wound is susceptible to infection and disease and sometimes causes death.
Bed Bug Infestations
The problem is, if you find one live bed bug, you can count on finding more bed bugs hidden, and very possibly have a bed bug infestation. Bed bug bites, often left in groups of three, are a sign of bed bug infestations, and you should seek help from professional bed bug exterminators like Crime Scene Cleaners.
A small bed bug problem can turn into multiple bed bug problems in no time, so if you suspect you have a bed bug issue, it's important to start implementing a bed bug treatment right away. Although it's technically possible to have only one, the chances are high you'll find bed bugs elsewhere.
Where To Detect Bed Bugs
Bed bug activity is greatest at night, and since they hide generally within 8 feet of their host, they sense the carbon dioxide you breathe out when you sleep - which is the how and why. Even knowing this, it is still difficult to detect them because their body can flatten and hide in the tiniest cracks and seams.
Of course, the ideal spot for them to find hiding places is in your bed. Bedsheets and other bedding, bed frames, box springs, and mattresses are also places they like to hide. A mattress encasement will help keep them off the mattress.
Other places they often hide are behind pictures, electrical outlets, and cracks.
Pest Control In Seattle
Pest control companies that offer bed bug services or bed bug treatments generally use one of three main types. There is still a pest control company or two that offer chemical spray treatments, but it takes several visits before there won't be any remaining bed bugs. On the bright side, other insects and pesky bugs you may have will be eliminated!
Another fairly effective way to get rid of bed bugs is by fumigation. This is because fumigating gets into all the nooks and crannies where they hide. With spray, it typically needs to make direct contact in order to kill bed bugs. Bed bug treatments are a dime a dozen, but bed bug extermination is difficult.
Heat Treatments
The most effective way to get rid of bed bugs is the heat treatment method. A bed bug exterminator offering heat treatment is expensive but worth it. With heat treatments, you don't have to discard any of your belongings. You don't have to expose anyone, including pets and children, to potentially harmful pesticides used by most Seattle bed bug services by pest control companies.
Seattle bed bug treatments using heat typically use industrial size heaters to heat the home or business up to at least 122° F overnight, and the family stays elsewhere for the night. In the morning they do a check to make sure no bed bugs remain and remove their equipment. It's that easy, and there is usually a guarantee on their work.
In Addition...
Carpet beetles are a look-alike for bed bugs, and there are others. Bed bugs don't fly, for one thing. Insect bites in groups and/or a musty odor are two signs of bed bugs, however. If you have a bed bug infestation in your home or business, you need professional bed bug extermination. There is no DIY method that will eradicate these hardy pests completely.
At Crime Scene Cleaners, we have lots of experience with getting rid of bed bugs and any other nasty surprises. When you want bed bug exterminators who do a great job and guarantee customer satisfaction, contact us, the real professionals at Crime Scene Cleaners. For any type of professional cleaning job you may have, we have the expertise you need.