BED BUGS

Saudi Aramco
12th September 2012
Contractor Camp Programme
Bed Bugs

• Evidence dates back to caveman days

• Parasite of man
• Resurgence in first world countries
• No simple quick fix
• Integrate Pest Management – Best practice
Why the Sudden Resurgence in Bed
Bugs?
Likely due to a number of factors:
• Lack of public awareness

• International travel

• Bed bug resistance to insecticides

• Changes in pest management practices

Bed Bugs
A Health Issue?

• Bed bugs do feed off the blood of humans

• A bite tends to cause a mild reddish localized inflammation and
often disappears in 24 hours
• Secondary infections caused by scratching
• Allergic reactions (not very common)
• Psychological impacts can be severe
• They can spread quickly to entire building communities
A Health Issue
Bed Bugs Do Bite
Insect Identification

• Mahogany brown in colour before feeding

• Reddish brown in colour after feeding
• Eggs are pear-shaped and whitish in colour
• Excrement when sprayed with water will turn red
Evidence of Bedbugs

• Live or dead bedbugs (5-7 mms)

• Blood spotting, especially linen, mattress
seams, in clusters
• Creamy white eggs/nymphs (1mm) ;
crevices
• Sickly sweet almond/coriander smell
• Complaints/evidence of bites
Life Cycle

• Each female can produce about 200 eggs

• Eggs attach onto surfaces
• Eggs hatch within 10 days to 14 days
• Adult bed bugs can survive for more than a year
without feeding
• All stages (except for eggs) feed on blood of the host
BED BUGS

WHAT CAN
YOU DO?
Identify

• Report the problem immediately to supervisor

• Search likely favourite hiding spots:
 Mattresses/seams/buttons
 Box spring/bed frame/bead head
 Cracks/crevices on or near bed
 Bedroom baseboards
 Bedside cabinets
 Under loose wallpaper/behind pictures/mirrors
 In or near clutter
Prevention

• Wash all bedding in hot water and dry on the high

heat setting. (60’c +) ; hot iron
• Consider steam cleaning (residual)
• Vacuum with disposable dust bag
• Discard infested furniture/mattresses
• Encase mattresses polyester fabric/polythene
• Air mattresses to 45’C + weekly
• Daily cleaning/storage cabinets
• Check all rooms
 Take Action

If you find bed bugs:

• Immediately report
• Don’t try to do it yourself. Insect foggers will not get rid of
bed bugs.
• Contact reputable pest control company with bed bug
experience.
What NOT to do
• Do not try to treat bed bugs yourself, or spray
pesticides on vehicles, equipment or clothing
• Do not take clothing or equipment suspected of
having bed bugs into another building or vehicle
For More Information

• To learn more about bed bugs, and what you can do

to prevent, identify and treat them,
 www.bedbugsinfo.ca
 British Pest Control Association:
http://www.bpca.org.uk
 Chartered Institute Environmental Health
http://www.cieh.org