There are numerous pests that could infest a place. But none is as annoying and as widespread as bed bugs today. They are now in almost every state, causing people problems from money matters to mental health.
Of all the possible victims of those nocturnal small beasts though, the ones at the highest risk are the landlords and tenants. However, in Arizona, between those two, the odds are a bit more in favor with the former than the latter.
That’s because in case of a bed bug infestation in an apartment unit, the tenant couldn’t move out easily if he or she wants to. Say, if you’re one of those tenants, the state law requires you to report the problem to the landlord within seven days. Moreover, you need to prove that it wasn’t your fault the critters are present. Else, you won’t get your rent payments and security deposit back.
If you choose to stay, the law requires you to give the management the chance to solve the issue. You would have to submit to a strict process that the pest-control contractor requires.
Read more about Bed Bugs Trouble Arizona Landlords and Tenants
“Bedbugs can infest clothes, linens, toys and furniture. Their bites can cause painful rashes, swelling and itching. When Arizona apartment dwellers find themselves living through an infestation, they can discover they are at the mercy of their landlords.
The pests are a problem at apartments and hotels across the country. Complaints about bedbugs in the Valley litter the Maricopa County Environmental Services website and consumer-protection sites established to warn people about infestations. Tenants often are dismayed to discover that Arizona law holds them responsible to prove the problem isn’t their fault.”
Read more about Bed Bugs in Arizona Plague Tenants More Than Landlords at: azcentral.com
Bed bugs don’t discriminate. They don’t infest based on social or economic status. They don’t even care much about the cleanliness of the place, although clutter gives them more place to hide. And because of that, every place is actually vulnerable to their presence.
But as said, those small, brownish and flat pests are more common in apartments than anywhere else. The reason is basically the arrangement of the units.
Because houses are next to and on top of each other, bed bugs, being fast-paced, could easily transfer from unit to unit. They could crawl their way in from the room infested to another via wall cracks, sockets and ventilation.
The fact that they are fast-paced and are quick to multiply makes matter worse. In just days after their introduction to the building, they could already double their number and spread much wider.
For that reason, if you are an apartment resident, you must always take extra steps to ensure that those vampire-like insects will not take over your place. As they say, prevention is better than cure so you must always take preventive measures to block those pests.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs?
The following are some of the steps you could take to prevent their entry to your place.
- Avoid secondhand items. They could be from somewhere with bed bugs.
- Avoid going to places with bed bug history. As you might already know, those pesky creatures could be anywhere. They would hide and wait to feed on blood in any place where there are people that they could bite. And no matter how short or long is the time you would spend in those places, those bugs could hitchhike on your things and clothing fast.
- Travel bed-bug-free. There are sub-steps under this one. But generally, to avoid those pests during your trip, stay in a hotel with no bed bug record. And before you settle to your room, check it first and all the furniture inside it. Back home, wash and dry clothes from the trip in a very high temperature to kill bed bugs in case they hid in your luggage. Those non-washable items, you could treat with a bed bug spray and leave to dry under the sun.
These three steps could surely decrease your chance of being infested. But bed bugs are notorious for being sneaky. Besides being very good at hitchhiking, they are also very good at hiding.
With their size, they could hide even in the smallest cracks. And though without coming out and feeding for months, they could survive. So, even if you don’t see any of them, they could still be present just waiting for their chance to give you a bite.
Given that, you must always be on the look out for bed bug signs. They could aid you detect the bed bug presence early. And with that early detection, you could avoid the worse of their infestation.
Signs That You Got Bed Bugs
Particularly, here are the bed bug tell-tale signs that you must be alert of:
- Bed Bug Bites. These are the ultimate signs that you have bed bugs at home. But that’s only if you correctly identified the bed bug bites. Several insects leave the same red, plump and itchy marks in lines of twos and threes. So, if you are not sure if the bite marks you got are that of bed bugs or not, it’s best that you consult a medical professional.
- Bed Bug Stains. Bed bugs could leave you two types of stains. The first one is the blood stain. This stain you will likely see in bed sheets as they occur when those blood-feeding pests are crushed or stepped on.
The other kind of stain refers to their feces. Actually, those fecal specks are the undigested blood that they’ve consumed. The pests excrete them near or exactly in their hiding spots.
- Bed Bug Shells. These are exoskeletons of the pests that they shed as they go through their six different life stages. Like their feces, these are seen in near their hideout.
- Bed Bug Smell. Musty-sweet – that’s the smell of a bed bug infestation, it was said. Use it as your “go” signal to look for more signs of bed bug presence.
As soon as you detect the pests, thanks to the help of those bed bug symptoms, you must eliminate the critters fast. Remember, they are quick to multiply. Their single female could lay 3-4 eggs a day so you must not waste time.
Steps to Eliminate Bed Bugs
Right after you’ve confirmed the presence of bed bugs:
- Prepare the Area for Treatment. Remove clutter and cover cracks and crevices.
- Get Your Bed Bug Spray Ready. There are many bed bug solutions out there for sale but only few actually work and fewer are truly safe. You have to choose the one that is both effective and safe so you don’t risk your family’s health while getting rid of the pests.
And Bed Bug Bully is exactly that – effective and safe. Initially made for just a number of pest-control companies, hotels and hospitals, it is now available to the public.
It is made out of organic ingredients and so, it is safe. In fact, EPA already classified it as pesticide execpt under FIFRA 25(b).
- Apply the Solution Spot On. With the product and the area to treat ready, it’s now time to apply the solution directly to the infestation. Make sure that you spray it directly to the pests.
- Re-inspect and Re-exterminate. Bed bugs could be hiding in more than just one area. Hence, you must re-inspect and re-exterminate until you’ve covered all their possible hiding spots.
Do You Want to Try Bed Bug Bully Yourself?
