http://bedbugger.com/forum/ Bed bug support forums en Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:16:37 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/help-and-hints-for-a-first-time-infestation#post-61814 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:44:35 +0000 fantastapotamus 61814@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I put 3 or 4 layers of duct tape over all sharp parts, but I just left the boxspring cover hanging loose. </p> <p>it is a queen size bed and it is just me, so if I were to tape it up I'd be afraid of ripping it while trying to get it on the frame. hopefully this is ok, but if not I'll see if I can get someone to come in and give me a hand while I duct tape like mad. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/id-help-038-encasement-question#post-61813 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:44:57 +0000 EffeCi 61813@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Nothing BB related, don't worry...;-) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61812 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:58:51 +0000 Bugbitten Meg 61812@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Some people do also respond differently at different locations on their body, so that may be what's going on, if the new bites are in new places. </p> <p>at least one person (in Alaska) did report successfully freezing out the bugs by leaving stuff outside, and the FAQs have a page on the winter cold/exposure method:<br /> <a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/08/04/faq-leaving-stuff-out-to-freeze-walk-in-freezers-etc-how-cold-and-how-long/" rel="nofollow">http://bedbugger.com/2007/08/04/faq-leaving-stuff-out-to-freeze-walk-in-freezers-etc-how-cold-and-how-long/</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/things-that-remind-you-of-bb#post-61811 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:10:50 +0000 bbboogie 61811@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>LOL. Reminds me of my husbands favorite white tee shirt that has 2 oil stains on the shoulder. Tiny little dots of black oil. I can't tell you how many times I've screamed at him "Stop!!! There's a bedbug on you." And I run for the tape only to find it's that darn oil speck!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/help-and-hints-for-a-first-time-infestation#post-61810 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:06:45 +0000 bbboogie 61810@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I also bought my encasements from MattressSafe which seem to have a good rep. I put them over plastic covers from Target and so far, so good. You can tuck the excess between the mattress and boxspring and tape it so it stays put.<br /> Every weekend, when I change my sheets, I examine the encasements for any signs of bedbugs but so far I've been lucky not to find any. :-) I padded the sharp edges of my metal bedframe with foam strips to I didn't tear it. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61809 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:32:52 +0000 shaye 61809@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Well that just killed me lol....was betting on winter to kill them off for good! It does get very cold here in the winter for weeks on end its usually in the teens, or colder, but I think I'm going the heat treatment route to be safe. My bites too were on my bottom since I love to wear loungy types of clothing to run errands. As for the new needle type of bites, I had hoped maybe they were from old bites but they are all in new places! Most of my bites initially were on my arm, a couple on my neck, and once on my side. These new ones are on my legs. Seems to me its always after I'm in my suv, but then again I feel like I'm loosing my marbles! I'm always itchy now even if nothing is there, always feel like things are crawling on me, and to be honest I think I cry about 3 times a week lately. Until last night. I had my worse break down yet and all of a sudden I got mad! That you are not going to ruin me anger. I now have declared war! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/a3-superior-just-heated-the-house#post-61808 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:18:16 +0000 Bugbitten Meg 61808@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>60 days... 'mom' had a trailing-off experience with just a few 'new' bites for a week (or maybe a bit more) -- she was afraid that the sofa maybe still had a bug or two active in it, mainly because the bites were not showing up in the midmorning (her 'mostly-typical' time)-- but after the week, she's had no more bites, so is now pretty sure that it was just delayed reactions to preexisting bites. </p> <p>Some of her kitchen cabinets' laminate surfaces came unstuck from the base chipboard; probably glue-and-clampable, but One More D**n Thing. A few of her older pieces of furniture had damage to the finish-- both probably at least 80 years old, and likely a century or older, so if you don't have heirlooms, don't panic, and if you do, consider DDVPing 'em.</p> <p>However, no further bites either place, which is the Good News. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-3-lb-dog#post-61807 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:11:22 +0000 shaye 61807@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>What a wonderful idea! Will just have to be sure its one he can or will jump in and out of. He's very small and timid. I don't want anything getting him and haven't put de in his bed but did around it, but still something is getting him. I haven't found any fecal spots on his bedding however, and we have had a battle with fleas for him since we also have two big dogs in the back yard. I will go check out those beds for him, he loves sleeping near me and I just know he would be lost sleeping somewhere else! Thanks so much for the helpful advice. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-3-lb-dog#post-61806 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:03:30 +0000 wchicago 61806@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>hi shaye<br /> have you thought about isolating your dog's bed? i just did that for my dog (pug, so slightly bigger, but was getting multiple bites every night -even though i steamed her bedding nightly. i don't use DE anywhere she spends time, because i don't want her inhaling it. and i'm VERY careful about pesticides too. she's a small pug.</p> <p>here is what i did (thanks to suggestions from folks here on the forums -you were VERY helpful and my pug thanks you):</p> <p>(1) bought a raised dog cot with metal legs- this one, but there are many out there, some cheaper -all would probably work. i chose this one because the cover is easy to remove and clean and i'm cleaning/steaming it nightly<br /> <a href="http://www.petco.com/product/4663/Petmate-Durabed-Frame-Beds-for-Dogs.aspx?cm_mmc=CSEMGooglebase-_-Dog-_-Petmate-_-958875&#38;mr:trackingCode=19701416-8381-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&#38;mr:referralID=NA" rel="nofollow">http://www.petco.com/product/4663/Petmate-Durabed-Frame-Beds-for-Dogs.aspx?cm_mmc=CSEMGooglebase-_-Dog-_-Petmate-_-958875&#38;mr:trackingCode=19701416-8381-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&#38;mr:referralID=NA</a></p> <p>(2) i put the bed legs in smooth sided drinking glasses with an inch of water in the bottom of each (my PCO suggested the water, he said he would favor an inch of alcohol in there to kill anyone who made it over the lip, but would worry about the fumes for the dog). the glass does not touch the legs or bottom of the bed, and they flare out slightly to make climbing them presumably harder</p> <p>(3) put the glasses/legs on small squares of "no slide" cabinet lining (the stuff that prevents dishes and glasses from sliding around on your shelves) so that when she jumped and in and out of bed it would not slide around. you can buy this stuff anywhere -its cheap. looks like foam rubber but with a kind of stickier texture -its called "grip liner"</p> <p><a href="http://www.target.com/Grip-Shelf-Liner-Khaki-Print/dp/B001TGIYF2/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton" rel="nofollow">http://www.target.com/Grip-Shelf-Liner-Khaki-Print/dp/B001TGIYF2/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton</a></p> <p>(4) remove bedding "top" and steam it nightly.</p> <p>done! as long as she sleeps there, it should be hard for bugs to get her. she was getting bitten pretty badly (and EVERY night, i could see the fecal spots on her bedding despite steaming her previous bedding every night -they weren't in the bedding, but were coming out of wherever they were hiding to get her). she once got 7 bites in a single night, if each fecal stain = 1 bite. it made me insane. </p> <p>since the new raised bed+glasses solution, there have only been 2 fecal stains on the bed (in 3 days). so clearly, its not totally isolated, but it is MUCH better than it was.</p> <p>good luck! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/would-you-recommend-steri-fab-or-kleen-free-for-shoes#post-61805 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:48:50 +0000 Bugbitten Meg 61805@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I'd use ddvp strips, if I felt I had to treat shoes and couldn't heat them. Then be sure to wear socks or stockings for at least the next half-year (moisture breaks down what residuals it leaves, so using them for several months with socks to avoid direct contact should work.)</p> <p>Read the ddvp posts for use/cautions/all that. It needs sealed bags and as remote a storage area as possible.</p> <p>If you're willing to risk your shoes, and will be at home to notice fires, you can certainly put them in the oven. The problem is that the oven isn't really that accurate -- it's why people pay for a packtite. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/company-in-coquitlam-bc-that-sells-encasements-etc#post-61804 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:26:38 +0000 sickofbugs 61804@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Canadian Pest Control Ltd. 604-524-5511 sells bed bug encasements for mattress/box springs/pillow cases at very good prices. They have other products too.</p> <p>sickofbugs </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61803 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:19:58 +0000 Bugbitten Meg 61803@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <blockquote><p><cite>shaye - 17 hours ago <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61777">&nbsp;&raquo;&nbsp;</a></cite><br /> either I really am crazy now or they are still biting me when I'm in it! But the bites are not the same. They were always huge and super itchy. Now its like someone has taken a needle and poked me with it. Itch for a few minutes then nothing but the tiny hole. </p></blockquote> <p>At least one other person on the forum experienced this shiftover; she wasn't sure whether she had gotten all the bugs or not, but she wasn't getting the big, itchy bites like before -- she actually went to an entomologist who keeps bedbugs, and had a nymph and adult bite her. Result was that she still got the big, itchy bites from new bites. It seems that she is still reacting slightly and intermittently to old bite sites. I can't promise that that's your deal, but bear it in mind as a possibility. </p> <p>About BBs being killed off by cold -- it is almost certainly not going to happen unless possibly you live in northern Canada, Alaska, or somewhere equivalently cold. A week or more under freezing won't do it; it needs to get significantly colder than that, for a fairly long time. To put it in perspective, there's been a thread lately about bat-bugs (cousins of the human bedbug) surviving the winter in an unheated Canadian summer cabin. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/would-you-recommend-steri-fab-or-kleen-free-for-shoes#post-61802 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:12:12 +0000 twitchyscratchy 61802@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Which one is better?</p> <p>I know a steamer or a packtite is ideal, but i can't afford either of those "luxuries" (ha.). </p> <p>I also don't have a dryer and the ones at the laundromat won't work with the dryer shelves.</p> <p>I wouldn't use the chemicals on every day shoes, only ones i intend to store for a while (at least a few months).</p> <p>In terms of my every day shoes, they are leather. Has anyone tried pouring boiling water on leather shoes? Baking them in the oven? If I did boil or bake them, then oil them immediately afterward, will this destroy my shoes?</p> <p>Also, I can't afford new shoes. </p> <p>I hate you, bedbugs. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/carpet-beetles#post-61801 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:34:11 +0000 hoo2677 61801@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>In the midst of my bed bug ordeal I also discovered carpet beetles and I will attribute some of the itchy/bitey sensation to them. I've seen them at the larval stage and adult. I always wonder if they are responsible for all those little holes in the front of every t-shirt I own. </p> <p>The image is exactly a carpet beetle larvae. They look like real beetles when they are adult, but still pretty small. A 30x magnifier can help you see what's not a bed bug.</p> <p>Portland, OR </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61800 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:28:18 +0000 hoo2677 61800@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I just had heat treatment in my van. 4 hours at between 120 and 140. You might try to find a company that does thermal treatment and talk to them about doing your car. There's a good chance they've never done it, but it'll probably be big business for pest companies in the future.. </p> <p>I had been getting bites on my butt while driving and think i may have brought one into my house, which is dead (thanks packtite!). Cars are so complex. </p> <p>Day after the treatment, which was last Thursday, I went camping for 3 nights in my camper van. No bites.</p> <p>Portland, OR </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61799 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:15:59 +0000 shaye 61799@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>In all of my treatments I am armored with protective everything from gloves to mask to jumper over my clothing. I do remove my dog before any treatment, was just curious if I should keep him out of that room all together. My moms bldg was infested, that's where my problem came from and the guy that sprayed hers told her things to be doing between his treatments. Those arw the things I'm doing on my own except I was spraying every week instead of every two. I leave the house to dry and air out before anyone including the dog come in to stay. I have checked with our rentals association and they say its a tricky case because we have lived here for so long the landlord would have the case on her side saying we brought them in, hince our job to get rid of them. I buy products that are labeled for bed bugs and spray according to their directions. They say not to spray more than once a week. Haven't sprayed the beds, just dusted them with de and encased them. My vacuum is a bagless one and I empty the canister immdiately and seal it in a trash bag and take it out. Now the spraying of my SUV may be a no no that I have done. My labels just say no mattress or pillows, so maybe that should've included the interior of my SUV? That's 1 I hadn't thought of until just now. I know self treating is a risk, health hazards are possible but I'm taking the appropriate measures to protect myself and loved ones in that. This is my only option right now and any advice is appreciated! I'm thinking of steam cleaning too? I don't mind doing the work, in fact I have officially declared war with these things, so any help is great to me. To add, we went 2 weeks without bites and now I'm the only person getting bitten....just began again and its just a random bite here and there. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/id-help-038-encasement-question#post-61798 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:14:29 +0000 upagain 61798@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hard to really be sure for the photo but do not look that interesting to be, esp the biggie. Maybe measure and give the actual size, they look pretty big. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61797 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:52:33 +0000 BuggyinLA 61797@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone. I'm sure we'll be back to this thread soon with more questions for all of you; the combined experience of this forum is invaluable.</p> <p>We've PMed Alan Elias (Elias2000) from ThermaPure with our contact information, so we'll see how that goes and report back to you all with the results!</p> <p><strong>NervousAboutBedBugs</strong>: What thermal provider did you go with, if you don't mind me asking? (You're welcome to PM us.)</p> <p><strong>BuggyInSoCal</strong>: Is there a specific PCO/specialist at Hydrex that you would recommend that we contact whom you liked? I can PM you or you can PM me to discuss further privately.</p> <p><strong>Elias2000</strong>: We PMed you with our contact information. Since we've reached out to the Precision Environmental/ThermaPure representative that did our initial inspection/sales pitch and haven't heard from him yet, we'd absolutely LOVE to speak with you or someone else directly about how to resolve this situation. Thank you for reaching out to us on the forums and we hope to speak with you soon. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61796 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:03:32 +0000 watkinsnewan 61796@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>NOW That is service from a respectable company.....<br /> Hope every thing works out.. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61795 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:38:56 +0000 elias2000 61795@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>BuggyinLA: very sorry that something seemed to have gone wrong. It is <u>extremely</u> unusual and absolutely not acceptable. I'll make sure we look into it immediately.</p> <p>As for electronics... smaller electronics that can be susceptible to heat are normally removed. If not, the provider should be covering them (and the larger electronics) with thermal blankets.</p> <p>Alan Elias<br /> ThermaPure </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bugs-picked-up-from-a-hotel-full-of-carpets-what-could-they-be#post-61794 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:17:06 +0000 buggyinsocal 61794@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>It could be bed bugs, but it could also be a bite like response to carpet beetles.</p> <p>Read the FAQ on the main website to see how to identify bed bugs and the pests that most often cause bites or bite like responses in people who think they may have bed bugs. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61793 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:14:56 +0000 buggyinsocal 61793@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I had thermal treatment from Hydrex back in June 2008.</p> <p>This is the second account I've heard from someone in the greater Los Angeles metro area of a thermal treatment that as described doesn't sound like it was done properly. (Unfortunately, the previous person who complained about thermal did not name his or her PCO, so I can't tell anyone if it's the same company or not.)</p> <p>It is possible that the provider didn't think your unit was esp. infested.</p> <p>Nobugs is absolutely right on this. For what the landlord likely shelled out for treatment, I would think the landlord would be the person concerned with making sure the company lives up to their guarantee.</p> <p>The candles that weren't melted are a big red flag for me. I had several tapered candles in my kitchen that I missed that melted into giant pools of wax.</p> <p>On the other hand, I did have a few votive candles in the bedroom that were in candle shaped plastic casings (a box of votive candles in a drawer I had forgotten about). Even though I know my bedroom got plenty hot, those candles didn't melt. So I wouldn't say the unmelted candles are a total giveaway that things weren't done properly. (The bug crawling across the bed, on the other hand, is).</p> <p>In the event that there is a reheat, I can offer this about electronics:</p> <p>unplug everything electronic. My TiVos both bit the dust because the PCO neglected to tell me to unplug them.</p> <p>I personally wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my laptop in during treatment because it's a pretty expensive item and unlikely to have bugs in it in my case (I almost never use it on my bed at home, and at the time of my infestation, I hadn't ever had it in the bedroom.) In severe infestations, bed bugs will sometimes get inside electronics, but it's not as common as you might think.</p> <p>If your laptop is older, less expensive, and/or something you could live with replacing, it would probably be okay inside during treatment IF you removed the battery before treatment.</p> <p>Short of electronic items with thermal safety switches (I lost an old microwave because its touchpad couldn't sense my fingers any longer and a few old surge protectors--the best guess on both is that it was thermal sensitivity switches or devices that the thermal fried), electronic items that are totally and completely unplugged with batteries removed should be okay IF the thermal provider doesn't raise the temp too much.</p> <p>Hope that helps.</p> <p>Oh, and also: I don't think all items would be treated with a PackTite. A Packtite is only about the size of a roll aboard suit case.</p> <p>They may put items in a container like a truck and heat the truck, but it would take much too long to packtite a whole apartment's worth of materials one load at a time. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bugs-picked-up-from-a-hotel-full-of-carpets-what-could-they-be#post-61792 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:04:57 +0000 curlynicole 61792@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello. I went on holiday 2 weeks ago and the second hotel we stayed in was FULL of carpets!!! (we were in Turkey near Aphrodisias in Western Turkey and it was the only hotel in the area ...) Carpets on the floors, hung on the walls, over tables and sofas.. one of which we sat on when we arrived as we were exhausted... The hotel itself didn’t look that clean, being run by one bloke and his lakkie and infact he didn’t seem that keen for us to sit on the sofa but offered us some uncomfortable looking chairs (they had small carpets on them too!) Anyway we did sit on the sofa about 30 mins before eating and going to bed… During this time I was wearing a wool cardigan too… : ((</p> <p>Two days later, (about 60 hours) in the morning at a different hotel … (we only stayed one night at the Carpet Hotel!) we were both suffering from small bites, hardly visible but really quite itchy mainly on our hands.. I also noticed a kind of rash like thing going on down one site of my torso, quite itchy but more rash-like than anything else, although there were some raised pimpley type thing going on there too. Since returning from holiday the “bites” seem to have got a lot more extensive, now especially on hands, wrists in the area of the veins, and up the arms… I can also feel some bite-like symptoms on my feet occasionally or maybe I’m being paranoid?? I also feel that when I wear the cardigan I was wearing at the time, I seem to get more bits… they are like pimples in size and elevation but really quite itchy at first but this soon goes… after about a day the bit has subsided… </p> <p>The strangest thing is I haven’t seen ANYTHING bug-like on my skin at all???? </p> <p>Has anyone any suggestions what might be causing such things and possible treatment? I live in Turkey so any treatment would have to be generic or from a natural source as we don’t have the range of products available elsewhere (despite being quite a “buggy” country!!!) Worried the culprits will be migrating into my collection of Turkish wool kilims!!! Help!!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61791 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:04:05 +0000 buggyinsocal 61791@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>meremortal,<br /> I would strongly recommend NOT using a bug bomb inside a vehicle. First, bug bombs are major fire hazards. They are manufactured to be used in certain square footage, and even a Suburban is much smaller than that.</p> <p>Secondly, the chemical used in bug bombs is one that may cause bugs to be repelled. Setting one off inside a vehicle is more likely to drive the bugs deeper into hiding within the vehicle than to get rid of the problem.</p> <p>shaye,<br /> I might contact your local renters advocacy group to see what the legal requirements in your municipality are regarding landlords' legal obligation to treat.</p> <p>Self-treatment is very hard to do successfully, and spraying chemicals yourself without reading the label and being absolutely certain that you're using the chemical pesticide in accordance with the label instructions runs the risk of making people and pets esp. in your home sick.</p> <p>In the event that you really cannot find a way to force the landlord into treating the property, I would do a lot more research here about how to have the best chance at self-treating. Self-treatment can in very rare cases be both safe and successful, but the only accounts we've heard of people doing so involve people who essentially gave themselves a crash course in chemical pesticides and personal safety gear. </p> <p>If you're using chemical pesticides to self-treat, you need to be carefully following all label instructions. Your account so far doesn't sound like you've done that.</p> <p>If you're applying DE, you need to be using personal protective gear, which means using the industry mandated respirator protection (N95). Your account makes no mention of that.</p> <p>With a 3 pound dog, the body weight of a pet that small alone would certainly tell me that the dog and its bedding should absolutely be removed from any place where pesticides and dusts are being used, as at 3 pounds the dog is going to be esp. susceptible to exposure to pesticides just because of body weight alone.</p> <p>I don't know of any residual chemical pesticide labeled for weekly use.</p> <p>In addition, there's no mention of how you're treating the material that gets into the vacuum after you've vacuumed.</p> <p>Self-treatment is a terribly complicated process that requires successful bed bug warriors to do a tremendous amount of applied science research and develop a pretty broad and complicated skill set. That's why most people on the boards with reliable opinions caution people that it really should only ever be done as a last resort. </p> <p>I know that risking your friendly relationship with your landlord is a tough thing to imagine, but if your landlord is at all reasonable, you might be able to convince him or her that it's more cost effective to treat the unit while you're in it than it would be to treat the unit if you all moved out. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61790 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:41:58 +0000 nervousaboutbedbugs 61790@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>We had thermal treatment in September, twice actually. Thermal seems to be a great tool for killing bedbugs, but I've heard from quite a few people on this forum that required more than one treatment. I think there are a lot of new people getting into the field and it takes a while to learn the 'art' of heating a home or apartment. If I had it to do over, I would have gone Vikane.</p> <p>When our thermal provider came back a second time, I was very careful to walk them through the house and show them all of the areas I was concerned about (bins of clothes, etc.). I also showed them the places where the bug dogs had alerted to. During treatment I came home several times to check in. Although it's hot, you should be allowed in to check temp sensors if you request it. I did that not so much because I didn't trust my provider but because I was curious as to how the process was going. </p> <p>To be honest, I'm still not sure if the 2nd treatment was successful, but I'm more hopeful this time around. After the first treatment, my daughters were definitely still bitten - this time around there are still some bumps, but no huge welts.</p> <p>One caution, though... on the 2nd treatment, I suspect the provider upped the temperature to insure success, and there was a bit more damage. We have a set of Hitchcock dining chairs and the glue seams between the wood seats changed colors, probably weakening the chairs. We also had a wax seal in one of our toilets start to leak after the treatment. In our minds, these were prices worth paying if the treatment actually worked.</p> <p>Good luck - I hope your landlord gets them back in there for you! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/de-diatomaceous-earth-and-heat-pipesradiators#post-61789 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:47:15 +0000 als 61789@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>what about in/behind older hot water rads? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/id-help-038-encasement-question#post-61788 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:41:55 +0000 als 61788@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>hey folks,</p> <p>thought id never have to come back to these forms, but here we are (siiiigh). two questions:</p> <p>1. carpet beetle? bedbug? something else? theres one biggie and one small-y and i apologise for the crappy macbook photobooth photos:</p> <p>backside:<br /> <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4082514015_00b39f9807_o.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4082514015_00b39f9807_o.jpg</a></p> <p>frontside:<br /> <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4082514011_398d1bcaa4_o.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4082514011_398d1bcaa4_o.jpg</a></p> <p>2. personal recommendations on a mattress encasement. i have a double-sized futon mattress. on one of those standard/common black metal futon frames. (ohh beautiful king sized bed, how i miss you so) also, im located in toronto.. so 416ers, your suggestions are most appreciated!</p> <p>please &#38; thanks in advance! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61787 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:40:44 +0000 meremortal 61787@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Has anyone tried using a bomb/fogger inside their vehicle? Whilst unoccupied of course... Would this be even remotely successful, since it is a "closed" area?</p> <p>I used DDVP strips all summer (in one unused vehicle, then switched to our other vehicle, 2 months in each) to no avail. I vacuumed the daylights out of each vehicle before its "treatment" but am still getting bitten, in both vehicles... :( </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/carpet-beetles#post-61786 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:32:10 +0000 curlynicole 61786@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello. I went on holiday 2 weeks ago and the second hotel we stayed in was FULL of carpets!!! (we were in Turkey near Aphrodisias in Western Turkey and it was the only hotel in the area ...) Carpets on the floors, hung on the walls, over tables and sofas.. one of which we sat on when we arrived as we were exhausted... The hotel itself didn’t look that clean, being run by one bloke and his lakkie and infact he didn’t seem that keen for us to sit on the sofa but offered us some uncomfortable looking chairs (they had small carpets on them too!) Anyway we did sit on the sofa about 30 mins before eating and going to bed… During this time I was wearing a wool cardigan too… : ((</p> <p>Two days later, (about 60 hours) in the morning at a different hotel … (we only stayed one night at the Carpet Hotel!) we were both suffering from small bites, hardly visible but really quite itchy mainly on our hands.. I also noticed a kind of rash like thing going on down one site of my torso, quite itchy but more rash-like than anything else, although there were some raised pimpley type thing going on there too. Since returning from holiday the “bites” seem to have got a lot more extensive, now especially on hands, wrists in the area of the veins, and up the arms… I can also feel some bite-like symptoms on my feet occasionally or maybe I’m being paranoid?? I also feel that when I wear the cardigan I was wearing at the time, I seem to get more bits… they are like pimples in size and elevation but really quite itchy at first but this soon goes… after about a day the bit has subsided… </p> <p>The strangest thing is I haven’t seen ANYTHING bug-like on my skin at all???? </p> <p>Has anyone any suggestions what might be causing such things and possible treatment? I live in Turkey so any treatment would have to be generic or from a natural source as we don’t have the range of products available elsewhere (despite being quite a “buggy” country!!!) Worried the culprits will be migrating into my collection of Turkish wool kilims!!! Help!!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-3-lb-dog#post-61785 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:09:46 +0000 shaye 61785@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>We have a 3lb dog that has his own bed in our bedroom (where the vampire bugs are) I have sprayed and sprayed and applied de. Thought they were gone when noone received bites for 2 weeks, but sure enough they are still there. Should I remove my dog from that room completely? I have de around his bedding as well but it seems like they are still getting him and I'm worried. Last night I couldn't take it, I needed a break from bites, so I slept in a bug free room while my husband was the bait. I could hear my dog in agony. Was this from the bugs or because I wasn't in there? Never heard him again after my husband got on my side of the bed. Any thoughts? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61784 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:32:10 +0000 Nobugsonme 61784@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I just don't understand why your landlord would pay for a treatment with a 100% kill 30 day guarantee and then when the problem was not solved, would not insist they honor it. Thermal is expensive. I would pressure the landlord on this one first of all. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/precision-thermaheat-treatment-went-terribly-next-step#post-61783 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:16:08 +0000 BuggyinLA 61783@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I live in a tiny studio apartment in LA and had a ThermaPure Heat treatment provided by Precision Environmental yesterday. After the inspection last week they seemed like a great company - they claimed they could treat our wood floors (where the bugs are likely hiding in HUGE cracks), walls, numerous bags of contaminated clothing from previous failed spray preparations, and our wood furniture. Their very confident salesman told us that our electronics would be safe, that the heat was a low 150 and slow - perfect to kill bugs without any damage to our belongings. Best of all, they claimed to have a 100% kill 30 day guarantee! So after meticulously combing our apartment for candles and aresol cans, and moving our bagged clothes back into the closets (per Precision's instructions), two guys from precision showed up to treat 3 different units in the building. They claimed that anything we cared about should be removed from the apartment- suddenly we had to decide if our laptops and antiques were safe. We tried to stay calm and left.</p> <p>Twelve hours later we came home to find the company still there. Our apartment was "done" but they were still there working on one of the other "severely infested" units. We walked into an apartment that was largely untouched beyond the bed. Some walls were warm at random, but most everything was cold. Two candles that we had accidentally left upside-down were un-melted. The apartment was not rifled through at all - it was dirty, but it didn't seem like anyone had walked around checking internal temperatures. </p> <p>Not more than 20 minutes after entering the apartment I saw a bug bed run across the bed. ON THE BED. Assuming that they did bother to point a heater at the bed, our best guess is that the floors and infested clothes were left untouched, so the bugs just crawled back after the heat treatment.</p> <p>In my panic I squashed the bug, so although I was able to get the technician back into the apartment he didn't believe that there really had been a bedbug. He said that when they were heating there had not been any bugs running around, there was "no visible activity," and therefore they could do nothing. He suggested that we wash all of our clothes again (even though the inspector has explicitly stated that we would not need to wash any clothes. I caught another live bug about an hour later.</p> <p>So, what's next? I have no idea really. Our management company has decided that Precision can't really solve the problem and that heat won't work, so although they are Precision's client (and I am not), they are uninterested in pushing Precision to do more. Although management is being accommodating their current plan is to have Precision come back in a few weeks and have us move to another building while treating all of our belongings in a PackTite. </p> <p>I'm looking into the future and all I can see is lost work time, bugs, and living out of an empty apartment. Any advice on advocating that Precision live up to their original 100% claim would be greatly appreciated. We're certainly looking into vikane treatment, and any SoCal experiences regarding that would be great too. We spoke with Lloyd's in Anaheim and they seem like they seem sure that vikane will work, but Precision also claimed that they could solve all of our problems so I'm very skeptical. HELP! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bug-haiku#post-61782 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:33:48 +0000 ThisBItes 61782@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Icky invaders<br /> Why don't you just die die die?<br /> Bloodsucking bastards </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/where-are-they-1#post-61781 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:58:24 +0000 buggyinsocal 61781@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Keep in mind that even if the bug you had was confirmed by a knowledgeable PCO or an entomologist, it's possible that there are or were other pests in the house also causing bites.</p> <p>For example, we know that bed bug bites and exposure to DE both seem to make skin more reactive to other irritants--including making them more reactive to other bug bites.</p> <p>In addition, if you have carpet beetles, fleas, or chitin sensitivity, you could be having flare ups of old bites and/or reactions to new bites by things other than bed bugs and/or reactions from coming into contact with other bugs.</p> <p>There is also the possibility--esp. since you only found one bug in your home--that you're being bitten someplace that you regularly go but don't have an infestation in the home. (I was treated with thermal in June 2008. I got rid of the bugs in one go. In August or September, I freaked out because I clearly had bed bug bites. I was still under warranty, so I called my PCO back out for an inspection, and he found nothing. I had to conclude that I had been bitten by bed bugs, most likely at a movie theater I didn't normally go to. Haven't been back to that theater since, and haven't had any bites since then. If I worked at that theater, I would still be showing up with new bites, but I very well might not have bugs in the house.)</p> <p>In addition, if you live in a multi-unit building, it's possible that your unit isn't infested or isn't heavily infested, and your bites are from stragglers migrating in from another unit.</p> <p>And/or either you or the PCO isn't very good at finding the places that the bugs hide. Bed bugs are masters of stealth. I'm not sure that until a PCO walked me through looking for the eggs and nymphs, I would have been able to spot those very young ones on my own.</p> <p>There are a lot of possible explanations, and unfortunately, it's kind of like the pest world's version of a diagnosis of exclusion. You'll need to rule each possibility out until you figure out exactly what the cause is in your case. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/will-bb-bite-through-clothing#post-61780 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:49:49 +0000 buggyinsocal 61780@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>My understanding is that they can bite through clothing but that they prefer not to.</p> <p>We've heard many, many stories about people going to bed in long sleeve shirts, pants, socks, and even gloves, only to then develop bites on their faces because that was the only exposed flesh.</p> <p>I know that some of the bites I got were places that had clothes covering that skin while I was asleep, although more of the bites were on skin that was exposed.</p> <p>Once you know about bed bugs, it's very common to think you feel things crawling on you when you don't actually have things crawling on you. In short, you become hypervigilant. After a while, I realized that the "things crawling on me" sensation was actually the air stirring the fine hairs on my skin--which happened all the time even though I didn't notice the sensation until I started worrying about the possibility of bugs all the time. </p>