Necessary measures to prevent bed bugs, what to do

As a rule, only those people who have already encountered this problem at least once think about preventing the appearance of bedbugs in an apartment. Ordering professional treatment from a certified sanitary service helps quickly get rid of parasites, but does not eliminate the need for preventive measures. Prevention against bedbugs is relevant in the following cases:

• You recently killed bedbugs in your home.
• You know that your neighbors have bedbugs.
• Your work involves books, antiques, the furniture industry, second-hand items, or antisocial places with poor sanitation.
• Do you have a pet.
• You recently traveled somewhere in a reserved seat or compartment carriage.
• You often use public transport with soft seats - taxis, buses, trolleybuses, etc.
• You recently spent the night in a hotel, holiday home, sanatorium, or sent your children to summer camp.
• You purchased furniture or textiles second-hand, items at a second-hand store or on online platforms for private advertisements.

All this can provoke the appearance of bedbugs.
These insects first make themselves known within about a week after they enter the house. Before the first bites appear, the parasites are looking for a suitable place to feed. Most often these are beds and sofas in the bedroom. Bedbugs are nocturnal, and it is much safer to bite a sleeping person than a waking person, so sleeping places are an almost ideal place for bedbugs to live and feed. A thorough inspection of pest habitats is the best prevention against bedbugs in an apartment. First of all, check:

• Seams of mattresses.
• Mattress covers.
• Bed sheets.
• Pillows.
• Duvet covers from the inside.
• The joints of the sofa cushions, the side of the bed facing the floor.
• The back side of the headboard or backrest.
• Bedside tables and things in them.
• Book spines in the bedroom.
• The reverse side of baguette frames and photo frames.
• Stuffed Toys.

Biological and epidemiological features of bedbugs

There are three types of house bugs known to the world, of which only one is common in Russia - Cimex lectularius L. or bed bug .

The bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) is a house parasite and belongs to the blood-sucking wingless insects. Insects live indoors in colonies and lie in wait for their prey mainly at night.

Each female can reproduce daily, laying 1 - 12 eggs, the total contribution to procreation over her entire life is from 250 to 500 eggs. With the help of a special secretion from the glands, the insect attaches the eggs to a solid base (furniture, wall, baseboard, etc.), the secretion has a persistent unpleasant odor. Adults and their larvae feed exclusively on blood, mainly human; insects can also attack other warm-blooded animals (rats, pigeons, cats, dogs). In suburban areas and rural areas, insects can live in poultry houses, pens for domestic animals, and then from there move into human habitation. It is to transform into an adult that the larva must receive a full portion of blood, after which it molts and becomes a nymph. After going through several molts, lasting about 1 month (if the environmental conditions are comfortable), the individual will be ready for reproduction.

Each female lays up to 12 eggs daily

The average lifespan of a bedbug is one to one and a half years. Finding itself in uncomfortable conditions (for example, low room temperature, absence of people and animals), the bug can starve for the same year and a half, and then resume its development cycle when conditions become favorable. Drying out during hunger, the bug becomes like a thin translucent leaf. Under good circumstances, bedbugs need to feed every 24 to 48 hours.

Biological and epidemiological features of bedbugs

During the day, insects hide in secluded dark places (in elements of upholstered furniture, under baseboards, behind paintings and wall hangings), and at night they come out and attack sleeping people. Insects are afraid of artificial light. In exceptional cases, a hungry bug can attack during the day. To bite, parasites choose open areas of the body - neck, arms, head, legs. It is impossible to feel a bug bite, thanks to the anesthetic substance; usually the insect bites several times before it finds a place convenient for blood-sucking. The feeling of a prick, a burning sensation appears much later, allergic reactions can develop at the site of the bite, the strength with which they manifest themselves depends on the individual characteristics of the body of the bitten person. Although bedbugs do not have sanitary and epidemiological significance as carriers of infections, the causative agents of tularemia and Q fever can be stored in the salivary glands of insects for a long time, and insects are also involved in the transmission of hepatitis B.

Busting myths: that bedbugs are not afraid

Insect control at home will not be effective if the following rules are violated:

• at night the light is constantly on or turns on frequently, as a result, bedbugs will stop reacting to it as a source of danger and will attack at any time of the day;
• chlorine-containing products are not suitable for killing parasites of this type;
• strong odors repel insects, but this is only a temporary measure: if the parasites experience hunger for a long time, they will be able to overcome the inconvenience and continue to attack people.

Spread of bedbugs

High fertility and endurance contribute to the rapid spread of bedbugs. Bedbugs can also enter human territory through new or used furniture. Insects are most often found in residential buildings (hotels, dormitories, residential buildings, medical and children's institutions). Books, cabinet and upholstered furniture, wooden window sills are places that bedbugs primarily choose to live.

The most common way for parasites to spread is through the transfer of things, furniture, items of clothing; sometimes you can pick up an insect in transport. In rare cases, bedbugs can travel from house to house on their own, using ventilation shafts, electrical outlets, and, in the warm season, the outer walls of houses to move. Birds living in the attic can be a breeding ground for bedbugs. It is noted that in recent years, cases of bedbugs associated with the purchase of furniture, paintings, and wall clocks have become more frequent.

How to prevent insect infestations

It is impossible to completely protect living space from parasitic invasions, but regular prevention will reduce the risk of such attacks. Since bedbugs often crawl from neighbors, basic measures are aimed at creating protective barriers.

Recommended actions:

• seal gaps in pipe risers;
• fine mesh grilles are installed on ventilation shafts;
• regularly carry out prevention of potentially dangerous places of penetration of bloodsuckers, using insecticidal dusts and crayons;
• if possible, renovate living quarters;
• seal existing gaps between walls and baseboards with liquid silicone.

Parquet is ideal for infesting bed bugs, as it has many gaps and microcracks, so wash it with insecticidal preparations dissolved in water.

After moving to secondary housing, it is recommended to make major repairs. Be sure to re-floor the flooring and replace the sockets. Suitable for sealing rosette openings: alabaster, glass wool or non-flammable polyurethane foam.

They carefully inspect balconies and loggias, as parasites can hide there. Often, bedbugs remain outside from their previous owners: they migrate outside during the warm season, and hibernate in the winter. With the first warmth of spring they come to life and, sensing “new blood,” return to their original location.

Other countermeasures

It is not advisable to store used items and unnecessary things in the apartment - unnecessary things are regularly thrown away: books, furniture, electrical appliances, household appliances. When purchasing furniture and used items, they are checked for the presence of parasitic infestations.

In order not to take even one parasite with you on a trip, be careful. Here are some tips:

• Stay in reliable hotels where sanitary standards are maintained.
• Before going to bed in a new place, carefully inspect the bed for the presence of parasitic accumulations under the mattress and on internal structures.
• Luggage is stored in a closet on the top shelves, where it is more difficult for bloodsuckers to reach.
• Bags and suitcases are locked so that no one can get inside and go to a new place of residence. A 100% guarantee that personal belongings will be infested with bedbugs is to leave an open bag or suitcase under the bed.

After long vacations and business trips, items are sent for washing immediately upon arrival, followed by ironing. Luggage bags and suitcases are sprayed with aerosol-type insecticides and placed on the balcony for quarantine.

Preventive actions

Since bedbugs are blood-sucking insects, the sanitary condition of the premises does not play a big role in their spread. However, it has been repeatedly noted that crowded living conditions, when the population density in an apartment is very high, are most optimal for arthropods of this species. Communal apartments, change houses, dormitories, nursing homes are premises characterized by poor sanitary and technical conditions, where bedbugs are most often found.

For preventive purposes, it is recommended that if you move to a new territory (change of apartment, rental housing, etc.), it is mandatory to treat it with insecticides against bedbugs.

We recommend treating new housing with insecticides against bedbugs

Imported new or old furniture and household items also need to be carefully inspected and treated for parasites. Utilities or construction organizations are required to maintain premises in proper sanitary and technical condition so as not to create conditions that are comfortable for bedbugs. Repairs, whitewashing, and eliminating cracks in floors and walls are important components of bedbug prevention.

In order to prevent the “infestation” of bedbugs, be careful and attentive to the room in which you live. Change bedding regularly, wash it immediately after removing it, and do not store it in linen drawers for a long time. Vacuum all surfaces thoroughly. Pay attention to any traces of the presence of insects (dark spots on surfaces, pieces of chitinous cover, etc.).

Products for protection against bedbugs

Here, perhaps, it makes sense to once again emphasize the following important idea: before using any preventive measures against bedbugs, it is necessary to concentrate specifically on blocking the paths of possible penetration of parasites into the room. A simple example: if only one individual parasite enters an apartment every month, there is every chance of preventing the apartment from turning into a bedbug infestation. And it’s a completely different matter when 5-10 individuals enter the apartment every day - in this case, very soon you will have no time for prevention, but will need a total disinfestation of the entire room.

It is also useful to read: We destroy bedbugs with our own hands

And one more thing: Since bedbugs drink blood, can they transmit AIDS or hepatitis from one person to another? Let's find out...

So, to effectively prevent the penetration of bedbugs into a room, in most cases the same means are used that are used to kill parasites. Everything is simple here - if you locally treat the paths of possible penetration of parasites into the apartment, then individual individuals will be successfully exposed to the insecticide “on the outskirts”. It is only important to use a long-acting product.

In general, means of preventing bedbugs can be divided into three types:

• folk remedies for repelling bedbugs;
• modern insecticidal agents for killing bedbugs;
• as well as bedbug traps (including those made independently).

Let's take a closer look at these preventative measures...

Destruction of bedbugs in apartments by specialists of the Moscow Disinfection Center

The specialists of our organization know everything about bedbugs and how to get rid of them. Since this problem is very common in Moscow, especially in apartment buildings, our employees studied it thoroughly. Having carried out thousands of disinsections against bedbugs, they have gained such experience and skills that there are no insoluble problems left for them.

They use in their work drugs that have proven their effectiveness through many treatments. Generators for fumigation are used only powerful and modern ones, no outdated models. Profile knowledge, extensive experience, developed skills, first-class equipment and insecticides. They will allow our organization to solve any problem effectively, efficiently and in a short time. We will get rid of bedbugs in 1 day and will not give them a single opportunity to return to you.

How we are working

• You leave your request through the form on the website, by email or by phone.
• Our specialist will coordinate with you a convenient time for the disinfector to arrive.
• A specialist comes to your site, inspects it, determines the degree of infestation, selects treatment methods and determines the cost of the work.
• We conclude an official contract with you, which outlines the terms, cost and your guarantees.
• The specialist processes the object and gives recommendations to prevent the occurrence of a similar problem in the future.
• You accept the job and pay for our services.

Our advantages

• We use foreign drugs that are completely safe for animals and people.
• The processing is carried out by specialists with over 7 years of experience.
• We give a 100% guarantee for results.
• We use the most modern professional equipment.
• The quality of our services is confirmed by reviews and letters of gratitude.
• We maintain complete confidentiality.
• We are ready to go to your site urgently.
• We provide additional discounts for pensioners.
• We conclude an official contract with each client.

Prevention of bites

Prevention of insect bites

If there are bedbugs in your apartment, but you are still deciding on the choice of an effective drug, you can protect yourself using folk remedies.

• Domestic bugs find victims by the smell of carbon dioxide, which is released when exhaling, and blood. Captures the faintest aromas. They clog the receptors with more pungent odors.
• You can protect yourself from bedbug bites with essential oils of lavender, citrus, chamomile, mint, and lemon balm. They have a beneficial effect on a person’s well-being, calm the nervous system, and normalize sleep. May be used in the bedroom. Bedbugs are afraid of these scents. Apply directly to the body or to a night light bulb. When heated, the aroma fills the room.
• It is easy to protect yourself while sleeping with perfume, eau de toilette, cologne, and shower gel. Any contrasting smell is unpleasant for parasites; they will not risk biting. But it is recommended to change the protection every day, since bed bugs quickly get used to the aroma and stop noticing it.
• You can protect yourself from bedbugs with chamomile, a bunch of fresh mint, and lemon balm. Lay out under the mattress, on the frame, under the bed. Wormwood and tansy are used, but in minimal quantities. Because a highly concentrated aroma has an adverse effect on humans. Causes nausea, weakness, headache, dizziness, insomnia. These same products prevent parasites from appearing in the apartment.

A solution of vinegar and ammonia is also used. Wipe the floor every evening. You can protect furniture from bedbugs with the same product by spraying it from a spray bottle on the back side.

Rules for dealing with bedbugs emerging from a neighbor’s apartment

Bedbugs can endlessly travel between living spaces if proper treatment with pesticides is not carried out. To achieve the greatest effect, you must follow the following rules:

Don't put off solving the problem

At the first signs of the appearance of bedbugs from neighboring apartments, it is necessary to decide how the parasites will be destroyed: independently or with the help of SES specialists. You should not delay baiting, because bedbugs, with their incredible ability to reproduce quickly, can lay so many eggs in a few days that it will be very difficult to hatch them.

Act together

First of all, you should talk to the owners of the infected apartment. If they do not deny the problem and are ready to deal with parasites, baiting should be carried out at the same time. Ideally, treatment should concern all apartments in a high-rise building, at least those in which insects are observed. If you act alone, even the most effective insecticides will not be able to help.

On a note! If the owners of the source apartment do not make contact and refuse to process it, you must contact the local sanitary and epidemiological department. This structure, despite the constant workload, is obliged to respond to the call, find out whether the indicated apartment is really a source of the spread of bedbugs, and hold the owners accountable, ordering them to carry out baiting.

Block bedbugs from entering your home

After baiting, you should protect yourself from the reappearance of bedbugs by eliminating any openings between apartments. If there are cracks in the joints of the wall and floor, holes behind baseboards or wallpaper, holes in places where heating pipes are installed, then all such “weak” places must be covered with mortar. Some residents rush to make repairs after being persecuted by parasites. High-quality finishing of walls, floors and ceilings can really protect against the penetration of bedbugs.

Advice! If no repairs are planned, and the gaps in the floors and walls are not too large, it will be enough to seal them with sealant.

Vents are also often used by bedbugs to migrate between apartments, so you should place bedbug repellents in them. Typically, sharp-smelling chemical liquids such as turpentine, kerosene or acetone are used for these purposes, as well as vinegar or ammonia, branches of tansy, calamus or wormwood. If the treatment was carried out by specialists, then for preventive protection you should also contact them. Many services today separately offer a barrier protection service using long-acting microencapsulated insecticides. In the warm season, an open balcony door can become a source of entry for bedbugs, so the balcony must be thoroughly treated.

Insecticides used for prevention purposes

In order to take correct preventive measures against blood-sucking insects, modern insecticides are used. It is very important that they have a long period of decomposition in air. In order to provide long-term protection against bedbugs in an apartment or house, you can turn to powdered preparations.

You should know that they are applied only to horizontal surfaces (unlike crayons and pencils). The modern insecticidal industry offers its consumers the following drugs:

• A clean house from crawling parasites in the form of dust;
• Peritrum (powder);
• Phenaxin, etc.

If a bug tries to get to a person in order to start feeding on his blood, he will inevitably become dirty with powder or dust. As a rule, pests die in a fairly short period of time. The use of such a non-standard method of prevention will help to significantly minimize the number of bedbug colonies in rooms. You should know that if the case is very advanced and the apartment is too infested with bedbugs, such a measure will be ineffective.

A good option might be to use products with microencapsulated action. Such insecticides do not have an unpleasant pungent odor and quickly destroy parasites. Similar drugs include Lambda Zone, Get, Micro Xulate, and Delta Zone. After treatment with drugs, their active substances remain on the surface for a long time. When a pest touches the powder, the microencapsulated components adhere to the chitin shell of the bugs. After this, the parasite dies in a very short time. In addition, he infects his relatives, which leads to their inevitable death.

This is interesting

Pencils or crayons with insecticidal components can serve as a good preventive measure against the appearance of bedbugs indoors. The most common remedy of this type is Mashenka. This type of chalk has been known since Soviet times. These preparations are odorless and are applied to both vertical and horizontal surfaces (this is how they differ from powders). Of course, many people use such a pencil only in the fight against cockroaches, forgetting that it helps against all crawling insects, including bedbugs.