Sunday, August 13, 2006

Bed Bug Detection Tip

I just got a really good tip on what to do if you think you have an infestation in your home, but aren't sure if the perpetrators are bed bugs because you haven't actually seen them.

Set glue traps on the floor, the really sticky kind used for rats. Make sure you place them in a part of the floor where you won't be likely to step in it, like under your bed or under furniture. By morning you should have some insect trapped on it. If you can't identify the trapped bug from the many, many, MANY photos of bed bugs floating around the Web, or if you want a second opinion from a professional, stuff the insect(s) along with the trap (don't try to touch the trap) into a large Ziploc bag and call 311 to find a Department of Health laboratory who can analyze the specimen and confirm whether the insect is a bed bug or not. I understand this is a free service, I'm not completely sure of that.

Good luck!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am going to try this as I have not seen any bugs. I moved into an apartment building in October 2005 when I started to get bit a lot. I thought it was odd as it was cold. Then all the buzz about bedbugs started and I put two and two together. I threw away my mattress and my boxspring and moved elsewhere in December. I started getting bit AGAIN last month. But not the months inbetween. So odd. I have an exterminators come and inspect my house and I have no yet seen one dead or alive. I get bit 3-4 times a night. I really dont think they are mosquitos because I do not get bit awake. I sleep on a couch and I took it apart and looked in all the seams and didn't find any. None under the couch either. I bought some do-it-yourself chemicals and laid those down two nights ago. Hopefully I can kill them. I got some containers to put my clothes in after I wash them. Sigh. I just feel like Im never going to be free of them. I cant wear skirts and my feet look like I have STDs or something. Its so embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

hi Bugged Out,

Thanks for your forum. I was wondering if you would be able to ask people to send in photos of what they recognize as nymph bites and actual nymphs - life-size to the naked eye.

I've gotten sprayed twice and am anxious to know whether the small bumps Í'm getting lately are the object of my paranoia or if they are really nymph bites.

I have seen magnified versions of nymphs and eggs but I would like to be able to recognize what they would look like to the naked eye.

Any commiseration or advice would be helpful from the bed bug community as I am driving myself crazy trying to figure out whether the small particles I pick off of my skin, bed sheets and clothing could be nymphs or eggs. Maybe we can identify the common elements from our stories and feedback together.

Thank you!

Anxious in Toronto

Anonymous said...

hi,

I've seen little bugs jumping around the wooden sills of my bathroom and bedroom windows. THey bite! How do I know if they're baby bedbugs or just soem other type of bug?

They have what look like two antenna arching out of the top of their body. They jump when I try to crush them and they easily disintegrate when I do crush them with my finger.

I saw them crawling around outside on top of the container where we keep our shoes too but thought they were just baby sow / pill bugs because alot of them too inside the basement.

And..I thought bedbugs don't survive outside.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you have fleas, anonymous. Bed bugs don't jump.

Bugged Out said...

The last anon poster is right. I've never seen a bed bug jump. It sounds like fleas.

Anonymous said...

I've read a few websites that say that they can jump. Whatever the insect was - it jumped and it bit me.

Good news is I haven't seen any for a long time in the windows.

http://manhattan.about.com/od/citylife1/a/bedbugsbites.htm


How Bedbugs Spread
Bedbugs often spread by hitching rides on people's clothing. They jump from host to host when people brush up against each other in crowds (yet another reason to keep your distance on the subway).

Anonymous said...

HEY! i live in london where we are also having a lot of bedbug problems! I got infested in my home from having my exwife stay overnight. what did i ever see in her? also i have read today about a NY lawer who stayed in the best hotel here and now he wants to sue for millions because he got the hangers-on and so did his wife. so at least the bugs are not discriminating like some people around. they will suck on blacks, jews, catholics and even muslims and they dont care about suicide bombers or nothin. Maann!! We are in BIG Trouble.. All I can think of to defeat them is to take so much drugs like spliff coke and vodka that once they suck your blood they strangle themselves like that michael hutchins guy in australia or maybe drown in a swimming pool. or go on Oprah.

Anonymous said...

HUH. I am from Taiwan and work in a restaurant.You westerners should think yourselves lucky. I get bitten twice as much as you do. It seems that after you've had a chinese meal you get hungry again about an hour later. And they don't even leave a tip. HUH!

shredder said...

This is such a great tips for me. I'm having problem on how to detect bed bugs at my place. Great thing to read about you article. It helps a lot. No more bed bugs bites this time!

Bed Bug Bites said...

If you ever would choose to stay 100% assured that you simply don’t have any bedbugs on your house possibly the most beneficial choice will be to contact any nearby bug elimination service.

Bed Bug Bites said...

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Greenie said...

We often tell people who aren't sure if they're dealing with bed bugs to use double-sided tape, but the glue traps seem like a much more sophisticated idea. Our Pest Control Bellevue technicians are always looking for good ideas.