Hello : Hope your summer is going well and no damages were suffered as a result of the nasty dust cloud that enveloped our fine city. Heck of a way to make the national news but it was a nice break from other headlines we've recently garnered. My wife, Cindy, daughter, Lexi, and your truly flew to Chicago over the 4th to visit her family. We've done this for the past four years since Lexi was a baby so she'll know her relatives. Lexi is our only child and it ceases to amaze me how she grows, learns, and develops her own personality with the passage of time - just unbelievable. I know that might sound corny because it happens with all children, but... well, you know about little girls and dads. This month I want to talk about bed bugs and hope you find the information of value. If you remember my previous discussion on these nasty fellas please consider this a refresher course, and if not... read on and learn. Bed Bugs Are No Joking Matter: Recently there's been a resurgence of these miserable critters, particularly throughout parts of North America, Europe, and Australia. Their favorite dwelling place is in rooms where people sleep because they can easily hide in bed frames, mattress, box springs and furniture close to the bed, in cracks, crevices, walls, and floors. Sleep Tight... Most people have heard the cute phrase about sleeping tight and not letting the bed bugs bite, but don't know much about bed bugs. Believe me, there's nothing cute about their bite. Some characteristics of a bed bug are as follows: - Wingless
- Six legs
- Large antennae
- A Squat head
- Large mandibles - mouth-parts
- Able to survive without feeding for months at a time
- Cannot survive temperature extremes
 The most common bed bug feeds on blood from warm-blooded mammals and humans and is most active nocturnally when its host sleeps. Main targets are shoulders and arms but they're not too particular. Looks harmless enough..... but it survives by biting.
Bed Bug's Bite Is Non-toxic: As the bed bug bites it painlessly sips a few droplets of blood and injects a small amount of saliva into the host's skin. Bites are not known to transmit infectious agents, but can cause irritation, itching, and burning sensations, as well as lead to bed bug allergy. How To Identify A Bed Bug Bite: You'll see skin lesions that resemble those caused by other blood feeding insects such as mosquitoes. This makes identifying the offending insect solely from its bite difficult. The following are characteristic of a bed bug bite: - Large welts that reduce to a red mark then gradually fade away over a few days Itchiness
- Reddening of the skin
- Localized swelling
- Blisters around the bites
I recommend consulting a physician to eliminate other causes for the lesions and to offer treatment as needed. How Bed Bugs Travel: Bed bugs seek out places with high human occupancy rates, e.g., hotels, motels, and apartments. They hide in luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes, etc., and travel when these items are moved between locations. Bed bugs can easily survive for many months without feeding and may be present in places that appear clean to the naked eye. Infestation Signs: Bed bugs are likely suspects if residents complain of bites that occurred while sleeping. In such case bedrooms and other sleeping areas should be carefully examined for them and signs of their activity. Particular attention should be paid to the following areas where bed bugs and their eggs may likely be present: - Folds and creases in bed linens
- Seams and tufts of mattresses and box springs
- Inside of curtain pleats
- Under loose areas of wallpaper near the bed
- In corners of desks and dressers
- Within spaces of wicker furniture
- Behind cove molding
- In laundry or other items on the floor or around the room
Other telling signs include: - A sweet coriander-like odor - this is typically associated with heavily infested residences
- Small bloodstains on the bedding
- Rusty or dark colored spots of bug excrement on mattresses and bedding
Action: If you suspect bed bugs have invaded your residence it's important to have an accurate identification of the critter involved in order to implement an effective control strategy. Many control strategies fail because of an incorrect identification. If you are concerned let us make this critical identification on site and if necessary implement an effective control strategy. Be safe and stay hydrated in this weather. Your business is appreciated and will never be taken for granted. Sincerely, | 
