Bed bugs can take weeks to completely disappear, and the pest controller is likely to undergo several treatments before they are completely eliminated, Soto says. Just when you think you've annihilated them, you can see them again. You may need to try a few different treatment methods to control the infestation. And if they still don't disappear, you'll want to call a professional exterminator.
This probably isn't the news you wanted to hear, but unfortunately, the fact is, you just can't afford to wait for the bed bugs to go away. Not only will the infestation fail to disappear on its own, but it will spread and intensify with each passing day. Studies show that bed bugs can live for up to a year without feeding, and even longer, given certain environmental circumstances. Since female bed bugs can lay two to five eggs a day, an ignored or mismanaged infestation can quickly turn into an excruciating and costly situation.
Thoroughly vacuuming can eliminate some of the bed bugs. Carefully vacuum carpets, floors, upholstered furniture, bed frames, under beds, around bed legs and all crevices and crevices around the room. Change the bag after each use so that bed bugs can't escape. Place the used bag in a well-sealed plastic bag and in an outside trash can.
At that time, a female bed bug could have laid several hundred eggs. Therefore, while they eventually die on their own, the population will increase exponentially over that time. An entire infestation would not be extinguished without intervention. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eliminate and, unfortunately, are on the rise.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to alleviate a bed bug infestation, but unless you bring back harsh insecticides such as DDT, there are no absolute guarantees of a complete elimination of bed bugs. Most people don't wake up when bed bugs are in the act of feeding, and each person responds differently to a bite. Bed bugs are tough, small, flat, lentil-sized insects that are adept at squeezing in tiny spaces. The best possible way to get rid of bed bugs in a home is to clean or treat every possible bed bug hiding place.
Scientists have documented that adult bed bugs can live up to 550 days, but usually about a year without eating, and nymphs can last for months. As bed bugs grow in numbers, they continue to spread from their original hiding places, increasing the number of places that need to be treated, further complicating the treatment process. A cluttered home provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes it more difficult to locate and treat them. Here are some tips on how to check if your bed bugs are gone and the warning signs to watch for if they return.
You can manually inspect the same areas every day, or some customers find it useful to place an adhesive sticky trap around the legs of the bed to pick up bedbugs that are moving. Bed bugs are most commonly found in and around the bed, but can be located anywhere that has human contact for extended periods of time. The longer you wait to contact a certified and licensed pest control professional, the more bed bugs you will have.
