Helpful bits about bed bugs

Bed bugs have invaded many homes over the past couple of years 
and still continue to be a nuisance.

Bed bugs are unique in that they feed off of human and animal blood and produce bites that tend to be itchy, but they don’t transmit infectious diseases.  They feed about every 5 to 10 days but can live up to a year without feeding.

These insects don’t have wings and fly, but they are considered hitchhikers and catch a ride on luggage, backpacks, and second hand furniture that you may bring into your home.  It only takes one bed bug to cause infestation and these buggers are not easy to get rid of.

Bed bugs come in all sizes, the adults are reddish-brown and are approximately ¼ to 3/8 inches long with flat, oval-shaped body. Young bed bugs called nymphs are light brown and are smaller in size and the eggs are whitish color and are pear shaped.  Bed bugs have a variety of hiding places such as seams of mattresses, seams on couches and chairs, the inside and underside of bureau drawers, folds of curtains, seams of wallpaper, in between walls, bed frames and places around the bed.

How do you know if you have bed bugs?

Signs of bed bug infestation may be;

• Smears of a brownish-reddish color on the mattresses, pillowcases or bedsheets.
• You may smell a musty odor.
• Small itchy bumps may be present on the skin.

How to get rid of bed bugs?

• Identify the source.
• Begin with vacuuming your home. Discard vacuum bag after every use if you can.
• Discard the mattress or clean and cover the existing mattress in a zipper cover.
• Seal all cracks, crevices and entry points in the wall with a silicone based sealant.
• Contact a licensed pest control company. Refrain from using an insect killer for it may only spread infestation.
• Launder clothes and put them in a tightly closed bag or bin to prevent re-infestation.

Who is responsible for getting rid of the bedbugs?

According the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code 105 CMR 410.550 the landlord or property manager is required by law “to maintain the dwelling they own without insect infestation.”

• If you are renting a single family home and you have maintained the upkeep of the home, the owner is not responsible for getting rid of the bedbugs.

 If you are a tenant contact your landlord so they can hire a licensed pest exterminator so that the insect can be identified and to develop an extermination plan.