Despite bed bugs living among humans for eons, there was a point in time when these blood-sucking bugs were so rare in the United States that some Americans didn’t even know they existed. If you were one of these people, you may have once believed they were simply a fictional, nursery rhyme creature.

But, due to a combination of factors including increased travel, regulations on powerful pesticides, and genetic resistance, bed bugs have come back with a vengeance.

In Southern California especially, they’re proving to be very real by causing quite the panic-ridden ordeal.

A Bed-Bug-Free America

Bed bug problems go as far back as 3,500 years ago when humans were living in caves. For the U.S., bed bugs sailed on the same ship that brought the first colonists. From the time the Mayflower hit land to the late 1930s, they were a staple in American life. Infestations were common, and the pesky bugs appeared impossible to wipe out.

It wasn’t until 1939, when the Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller created the pesticide DDT, that weary homeowners were finally able to fight back.

For decades, Americans sprayed DDT all over their homes and hotels, effectively keeping their space bed bug-free. Since insects had never experienced a synthetic poison before, both bed bugs and many other pests were vulnerable.

But, in the 1970s, the U.S. ultimately banned DDT, as it was proven to be highly toxic to humans and other wildlife, too.

How Bed Bugs Made a Comeback

After 60 years of near eradication in the U.S., bed bugs bounced back. Many insects have the keen ability to adapt to their environment, and in the early 2000s, pockets of pesticide-resistant bed bugs popped up throughout the world.

Three ways bed bugs have become resistant to pesticides like DDT include:

• They developed a genetic mutation that allowed them to close their ion channels, which DDT worked to open and harm their nervous systems.
• They acquired enzymes that help them break down the toxicity of pesticides quicker, making them less effective.
• They have started to grow thicker exoskeletons, which make it tougher for pesticides to penetrate.

Hasty Hitchhikers

Bed bugs’ resistance to pesticides has allowed them to come back in large numbers, but how exactly did these durable bugs make it all over the world? Well, they’re remarkably good hitchhikers.

They’re attracted to body heat, pheromones, and carbon dioxide, and they’re known to catch a ride on traveling tourists and their luggage while staying in a hotel. Pair this with the continued increase in air travel – domestically and internationally – that helps bed bugs spread, and it’s no wonder these bugs have been able to come back so rapidly.

Because our Southern California home is a hotspot for vacationers, we typically have bigger bed bug issues, too. Tourists from across the world are constantly arriving in airports and bringing bed bugs in. Infestations in San Diego, Palm Springs, and Orange County have proven our region is no exception. With long commutes and a constantly mobile population, bed bugs have effectively gotten everywhere.

Identifying Bed Bugs

You may not realize you have unwanted houseguests until you wake up with mysterious bites and rashes, or – if you’re allergic – you may not even notice an infestation until it gets bad. People’s inability to identify bed bugs is another factor that has led to their resurgence in the U.S.

By nature, bed bugs are cryptic insects, hiding in cracks and crevices during the day, only coming out under the cover of darkness. To help you spot them, look for reddish-brown colored insects with flat, oval-shaped bodies.

Common Hiding Spots

Infesting places from five-star hotels to halfway houses, bed bugs don’t discriminate – they’ll reside anywhere there’s a host.

They’re named after their preference for the sanctuary of your bedroom, but other hotspots include sofas and any place you spend an extended amount of time not moving very much.

Since bed bugs are typically nocturnal, they despise being out in the open or a lot of sunlight, so they hide in openings in furniture, floors, and walls during the day or whenever you’re not home.

For bedrooms, you may think mattresses alone are bed bug hubs. But, as a soft surface without many crevices to take shelter in, the bug prefers to hide in the box spring, headboard, and nightstand before flocking to the host at night. Don’t be fooled by believing any crack is too small, either. A hatchling is the mere size of the head of a nail.

Preventing Bed Bugs

For frequent travelers, a quick bed bug check should be the first thing you do upon arriving at a hotel. Before bringing your luggage through the door, take a flashlight and perform a precursory inspection of the mattress, box spring, and headboard. This is one of the best ways to ensure you don’t take any hitchhikers back to your home and set up a whole new infestation.

Bringing second-hand furniture into your home is another thing you should be cautious about when it comes to preventing bed bugs. It’s common for people to purchase used furniture for an unbeatable deal or pick a piece up off the curb, only to realize later that it’s infested with bed bugs. So, the next time you’re tempted to give discarded furniture a new home, it may be wise to think twice about the price.

Turning to Treatment

One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to bed bugs is that it’s easier and cheaper to treat an infestation early. Simply throwing out the mattress isn’t a solution, as bed bugs can hide in a variety of cracks throughout your home. It’s best to call in the professionals as soon as you have a suspicion that these bothersome bugs are harboring in your home.

Fight Back Against Bed Bugs with Professional Help

Bed bugs are currently one of the greatest challenges facing the pest control industry. But at Lloyd Pest Control, we have the expert bed bug treatments you need to carefully and effectively banish existing bugs from your bedroom. While bed bugs can always come back due to their traveling nature, we approach them with a variety of treatments, including:

• Removing them with a vacuum-chambered device
• Sealing the mattress and box spring in a bug-proof encasement
• Administering a variety of pesticides to targeted areas
• Applying heat treatments when preferred

We also conduct follow-up treatments to ensure they are stopped at every life stage. By checking every possible hiding place, we want to ensure no bug gets left behind. If you need help combatting bed bugs in Southern California, contact Lloyd Pest Control for the most thorough solution.

The post The Frustrating Factors That Have Helped Bed Bugs Flourish first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

This Labor Day you might find yourself with your feet up and the television on, what you won’t find is pests around your home taking it easy. Pests can invade your home any time of the year, they don’t take days off. The good news is that you can help keep your home pest-free with checks of your home on your own days off. With only a little time required, you can do your part to make your home unwelcome to creepy-crawly visitors.

One way to keep California pests out of your home is to make sure you don’t foster areas they’re attracted to in your home. This coming Labor Day is the perfect opportunity to do a check around your home and to make sure you’re not already infested, and to make sure you aren’t inadvertently welcoming pests.

Ants are often found in kitchens or anywhere in your home they can get to food. Keep your food in sealed packaging as much as possible, put food away after each meal and clean up any spills right away. Ants follow a scented trail left behind by other ants, so if you find an ant trail, spraying it with any cleaner that contains ammonia will destroy the path.

Bed bugs can be a frightening prospect in your home. Washing linens regularly and keeping your home clean can help prevent an infestation. However, if you find or suspect bed bugs in your home, it’s important to seek professional help immediately.

Rodents make homes in your walls and come out to get food. Keeping food in sealed packaging that can’t be bitten into will help keep rodents from being attracted to your home. If you use snap traps, set the trap perpendicular to the wall with the bait against the baseboard.

Spiders can be valuable outdoors to keep pests out of gardens, but inside they can be a nuisance. Spiders are attracted to moisture. When you check around your home, make sure there aren’t any pools of water sitting around. There is more likely to be moisture on the shady side of your house, so check there for spider webs. Make sure you and your family know poisonous spiders in your area and can identify them to stay safe.

Termites are wood-eaters. Make sure there are no woodpiles against your home or foundation to attract them. Termites can be deterred by painted wood, so check the exterior of your home for any paint on wood siding, window sills or shutters that’s cracked or peeling.

While the idea of pests invading your home can be scary, taking the time to check your home is a good step in pest management. Checking common pest areas like the kitchen or in dark, damp corners can help you identify infestations if you have them. By taking simple steps to keep your home clean and uninviting can help keep new pests from coming in.

Of course, identifying an infestation is only the first step. If you find California pests in or around your home, contact a reputable pest control business to help you with pest management and elimination. California pest control professionals can make sure any pests in your home are taken care of quickly and effectively. Take time this Labor Day to check your home for any infestations. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your home’s potential for infestation, contact Lloyd Pest Control today.

The post Pests Don’t Celebrate Labor Day: Check Your Home first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

As much as these bed bugs love to travel, there are ways to keep them from climbing aboard.

5 ways to be sure your next vacation is bed-bug free

Travel with Zip Lock bags- When traveling, Zip Lock bags can be a lifesaver. Not only can they keep your clothing and items clean and organized, but also they will prevent bed bugs from crawling into your stuff and hitching a ride back to your home.

Use Hard Luggage- Hardcover luggage bags do not have zippers, cloths or seams that can deteriorate or break down causing entry points for bed bugs. If you don’t own hard luggage, use luggage with color and texture that will make it easy to spot bed bugs.

Inspect where you stay- Whether you’re staying for a single night or for multiple weeks, before you unpack your bags check the room for bed bugs. Your 15-minute inspection could prevent a costly infestation in your home later on. Inspect underneath bed sheets, in the mattress seams, headboard, sofa and anywhere that bed bugs might frequent.

Keep luggage away from the beds- Placing luggage close to the bed can allow easy access to your belongings if bed bugs are present. Keep your luggage away from beds, couches – and off the carpet.

Wash it all! – The most important factor in having a bed bug free trip is the washing of your clothes. It all starts with how you pack. Refrain from bringing clothing that can only be washed in cold water. Hot water and the heat from a clothes dryer works well to kill bed bugs that could be hiding in clothing. A greater measure one can take when trying to avoid bed bugs on vacation is to stop off at a Laundromat on your way back home to give all of your clothing a good wash. If a Laundromat is not available, put your clothing directly into your own washer and dryer as soon as you get home.

By following these few simple tips you can greatly reduce the chance of bed bugs returning to your home. Bed bug control is one of the most difficult challenges facing the pest control industry. Once bed bugs have settled in your home, they can be difficult to get rid of. For quick detection, thorough inspections and properly-timed treatments contact Lloyd Pest Control today.

The post Bed Bugs: The Wrong Kind of Vacation Souvenirs first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

A recent study conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky found that bed bug infestations are on the rise in many types of dwellings, including college settings. In fact, 54 percent of pest professionals surveyed had treated bed bug infestations in college dorms in 2011.

“Bed bugs are known for their uncanny hitchhiking abilities, so students returning to school should inspect their belongings and living area thoroughly before they unpack,” said J.R. Feagles, a customer care representative at Lloyd Pest Control. “If anything suspicious is found, we recommend immediately contacting a university facility manager.”

Experts at the NPMA offer these additional tips to help prevent bed bugs from becoming an unwanted college roommate:

1. Fully inspect your suitcases prior to re-packing for a return to school, especially if you have traveled during the summer. Be sure that any clothes that may have been previously packed in the suitcases have been washed and dried in hot temperatures.

2. Before putting your sheets on your dormitory bed, inspect the mattress seams, particularly at the corners, for telltale stains or spots. Thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking, including behind the headboard and in sofas/chairs.

3. If you are considering bringing “secondhand” furniture to campus, properly inspect it to insure that a pest problem, such as bed bugs, is not the reason for its “secondhand” status. If you see anything suspect, do not bring it to campus.

The post Prevent Bed Bugs from Going Back to School first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

A recent study conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky found that bed bug infestations are on the rise in many places. In fact, 80% of pest professionals surveyed had treated bed bug infestations in hotels/motels in 2011.

Bed bugs can be found in places that people typically frequent during vacations, such as hotels. Travelers can be more susceptible to encountering bed bugs and can unknowingly bring them home.

We recommend the following steps to stay bed bug-free on vacation:

1. Thoroughly inspect the entire hotel room before unpacking and settling in, including behind the headboard and around the bottom of other furniture.
2. Pull back the hotel bed sheets and inspect the mattress seams, particularly the corners, for telltale spots or stains.
3. If any bed bugs are spotted, notify management and change rooms immediately. Be sure your new room is not adjacent to the possibly infested room.
4. Use a large plastic trash bag or a protective cover to store your luggage during your hotel stay.
5. When you return home, inspect and vacuum your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the house. Consider using a garment hand steamer to steam your luggage, which will kill any bed bugs.
6. Wash all your clothes – even the items not worn – in hot water.

If you suspect a bed bug infestation in Southern California, contact Lloyd Pest Control to identify the species and recommend a course of treatment.

The post How to Avoid Bed Bugs while Traveling first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.