Bed Bugs

Bed bugs have made a dramatic resurgence across the United States over the past two decades, affecting every type of dwelling from budget motels to luxury apartments. These small, flat, reddish-brown insects feed exclusively on blood — primarily human — and are most active between 2 AM and 5 AM while their hosts sleep.

Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed (4-5mm) and can be seen with the naked eye. They are expert hitchhikers, spreading through luggage, clothing, used furniture, and even office buildings. Bed bugs have nothing to do with cleanliness — they have been found in five-star hotels, hospitals, movie theaters, and public transit.

A single female bed bug can lay 200-500 eggs in her lifetime, and eggs hatch in 6-10 days. This means a small introduction can become a serious infestation within weeks. Bed bugs can survive up to a year without feeding, making them extremely difficult to starve out by simply vacating a room.

Bed bug bites typically appear in lines or clusters of 3-5 on exposed skin — arms, neck, face, and shoulders. While bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, the bites cause itching, allergic reactions in some people, and significant psychological distress. Many people develop insomnia, anxiety, and stress from bed bug infestations.

DIY treatment of bed bugs is extremely difficult and often counterproductive. Over-the-counter bug bombs and foggers are specifically warned against — they scatter bugs to new rooms and create resistant populations. Professional heat treatment (raising room temperature to 120°F+ for several hours) is considered the most effective single-treatment approach, achieving near-complete elimination in one visit. Chemical treatments by licensed professionals are less expensive but typically require 2-3 follow-up visits.