A bed bug infestation is never just the bugs you can see. It is usually made up of eggs, nymphs and adults all at once. A bed bug hatches from an egg and passes through five nymph stages before it becomes an adult, and each nymph needs a blood meal before it can moult to the next stage. That means nymphs and adults both bite, while the eggs sit out of sight until they hatch. That hidden generation is what makes bed bugs so hard to shift.
Why bed bugs are so difficult to clear
When you set out to get rid of a bed bug infestation, two problems trip up most homeowners:
- Bed bugs are excellent at hiding.
- Bed bugs have grown resistant to many of the chemicals sold in shops.
Put those two together and an infestation can turn into a genuine nightmare. It is a tough job even for pest controllers, particularly any who are not properly experienced with bed bugs.
Where traps and chemicals fall short
Some companies place traps around a property hoping to catch the lot. Traps will kill plenty of bed bugs, but they never get them all, and they do nothing about the eggs. A few weeks later those eggs hatch and you are back to square one with biting adults.
Others rely on chemicals. Some of these work, but bed bugs have often adapted to them and simply survive. Chemicals are also hard to get into every part of a home, so bugs hold out in cluttered corners and rooms that see little use, then slowly spread back through the house.
How heat treatment works
Heat treatment is one of the most effective ways to treat bed bugs in a home, but it depends on good preparation so the heat can move through the property freely. Both temperature and time matter. Bed bugs and their eggs die when they are held at a high enough temperature for long enough: the US Environmental Protection Agency gives a guide of about 49 degrees Celsius held for around 90 minutes to kill eggs. A heat treatment raises the temperature of the rooms and the places bed bugs hide, such as furniture, skirting boards and cracks, and keeps it there for long enough for the heat to reach them. Results depend on the property, the preparation and how widespread the infestation is, so no treatment can promise to clear every bed bug automatically.
If you would like to book a heat treatment, call our team and we will talk you through exactly how to prepare so that the heat can reach the places bed bugs and their eggs are hiding. We are open every day except Christmas Day, from early until late.