Unfortunately, the population of bed bugs appears to be on the rise and the NYC region has been badly hit by these unwanted pests. Many people have had an infestation or know someone who has—25% of people fall into this category, according to the National Pest Management Association. What is the cause of this bed bug problem, and how can you ensure these pests don’t invade your home? Learn how to avoid the increasing reappearance of bed bugs from a NYC bed bug exterminator.
History of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs were a big problem during World War I, and continued to be a problem in the U.S. until strong (and harmful to human) pesticides virtually eliminated them. They began creeping back into Americans’ lives in the latter half of the 20th century after certain bed bug treatments were banned.
Adding to the increase is global travel. Today, a traveler can get almost anywhere in the world in 24 hours. This means that more people than ever are traveling to far-reaching destinations and returning home with bugs they can barely see.
Couple these factors with the fact that bed bugs, like any living thing, have developed a resistance to some of the chemicals used to treat the problem and you have an ever-increasing population.
Related: Bed Bug Control: 4 Facts You Didn’t Know About Bed Bugs
Facts about Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are excellent travelers, as they can hitchhike on luggage, backpacks, purses, and shoes. They can live in the fabric of public transit methods such as buses, taxis, trains with fabric seats, and Uber rides. They can also inhabit second-hand furniture and reconditioned mattresses. Hotels can harbor bed bugs in furniture and mattresses, too.
Many people are unaware of bed bug habits, such as their propensity to bite people in their sleep, typically on the arms and shoulders. The bites are painless and tiny, and sometimes confused for a poison ivy rash or flea bites.
How to Avoid Bed Bugs After Travel
Since travel is such a necessity in today’s lifestyle, how can you avoid bringing bed bugs into your home?
First, before carrying luggage and other trip items into the house, unpack in the garage or kitchen and vacuum out the luggage. Always inspect your suitcases, backpacks, shoes, and any other items for signs of the pest. And wash all clothes in warm/hot water and tumble in a dryer.
What to Do If You Return with Bed Bugs
Remember that having bed bugs has nothing at all to do with lack of cleanliness! They can invade any home at any time. The best course of action is to call in a bed bug expert.
A bed bug exterminator has methods to rid your home of bed bugs once and for all. And you certainly want that problem taken care of as soon as possible. Reputable exterminators arrive in an unmarked vehicle to keep this problem private as they bring the most effective detection method there is today: highly trained bed bug detection dogs. With over 800 hours of training, these dogs and their handlers can detect bed bugs in minutes.
Once the bugs have been located, the exterminator will bring in a green treatment called Cryonite freezing kills bed bugs instantly. It is not poisonous and leaves no residue, so you can rest easy that those bed bugs have been eliminated.