Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums: Recent Posts

loubugs on "Bed Bug ID Possible?"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:25:54 +0000

I think it has something to do with pentatomid bugs; the double dark spots on the circumference reminds me of various species, such as brown marmorated stink bug. It's a guess, anyway.

theboss on "Vikane for cars close to Chicago"

theboss — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:24:33 +0000

Hi..after being told how "unusual" and "rare" it would be for my car to be infested by my PCO, sure enough, it was, and I've been reinfesting my condo and vice versa, vicious cycle. If your car is infested you've got to get it fixed or your chances of fixing the whole situation are low. Could not find a company to Vikane my car in Chicago, which surprised me because we are a huge BB market. I would suggest Vikane because there are sooooooo many cracks and crevasses in which to hide, it's the best and most effective way to get it over with it. After a relentless search spending days on the phone, found a great place two hours away from Chicago close to Bloomington IL...they did a great job, and were nice guys as well, so I want to share. Also, several car rental companies in Bloomington will drop off a rental for you if you need it, so that this is a day trip from Chicago to drop the car off on Day 1, and pick it up Day 2. Fumigation Services Levi Farrell 309 310 1930 <a href="mailto:l.farrell1989@hotmail.com">l.farrell1989@hotmail.com</a>

Brooklyn22 on "Possible Bed Bug Cast/exoskeleton. Please help ID!"

Brooklyn22 — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:23:20 +0000

Thank you for your help! Could you clarify a bit. I'm not sure what this means. Not a bed bug?

loubugs on "Possible Bed Bug Cast/exoskeleton. Please help ID!"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:20:53 +0000

It's basically what's left of an isopod or woodlouse, a land crustacean.

loubugs on "Possible Bed Bug Cast/exoskeleton. Please help ID!"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:20:33 +0000

It's basically what's left of an isopod or woodlouse, a land crustacean.

loubugs on "Please do not use Imageshack to host photos for ID"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:18:20 +0000

I like Flickr.com. You upload large images and it resizes so when you go there, you can download the largest in order to view properly what people have uploaded for identification. So it's also in your best interest to upload the image with the highest resolution. Play with your camera/phone so you know when something is actually in focus; don't necessarily rely on the autofocus mode because it doesn't always work. It's best to be able to set camera or phone to macro mode, too. This is best for close up pictures.

Brooklyn22 on "Possible Bed Bug Cast/exoskeleton. Please help ID!"

Brooklyn22 — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:15:50 +0000

I found this exoskeleton/cast on my sheets within the past hour. It was not there earlier today, nor when I woke up. There was some blood on my pillowcase when I woke up this morning, though I washed it off before considering that it could be bed bug related. I've checked the boxspring and mattress, though I've found no signs of fecal matter or other bugs. Further, there have been some small cockroaches in my pre-war apartment during my lease, though their frequency has been rarer recently. See the attached photo for help. Very worried. <img src="http://i.imgur.com/miOdJ4j.jpg">

loubugs on "Bed Bug ID please"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:04:18 +0000

A small beetle, possibly a silvaniid, something like a saw-toothed grain beetle. Do you know if you have any cupboard type foods such as dried cereals, dried fruits, nuts, oatmeal, that could be infested?

loubugs on "Can anyone ID?"

loubugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:58:19 +0000

cockroach nymph. Looks like brown-banded cockroach.

nikki on "Can anyone ID?"

nikki — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:43:24 +0000

Hi - Haven't posted in a while, but I came home today to find my industrious husband had cleaned out a suitcase of old papers and such for me to go through. As I was doing so, this little guy ran out. Hadn't thought ahead so I didn't have any kind of contact killer nearby and ended up smushing it to stop it before it got away. So, these pics aren't great, and I think the white stuff coming out the middle is smushed bug guts, but hopefully someone can ID. One is next to a quarter edge for scale and the other on a 3 x 5 index card. Hopefully it's nothing to worry about. Pic 1 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/92036305@N04/8751764490/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/8751764490_ab870df3cc.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/92036305@N04/8751764490/">photo-2</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/92036305@N04/">Nikanonymous2</a>, on Flickr Pic 2 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/92036305@N04/8751763164/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8268/8751763164_896f48d934.jpg"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/92036305@N04/8751763164/">photo-3</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/92036305@N04/">Nikanonymous2</a>, on Flickr Thanks in advance, Nikki

Anony on "Bed Bugs? UK"

Anony — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:41:45 +0000

Hi Guys!! I'm so glad to have found this forum and people who are going as crazy as I am right now!! Myself and my husband returned to the UK from a vacation to NYC and Vegas 2 weeks ago (2 weeks exactly). I am creeped out at the thought of BB and checked the bed in our NYC hotel like a mad woman - nothing detectable! I did not however check the bedding in Vegas (or the mattress etc.) We were not bitten in the US at all and were never itchy, saw any blood traces or BB fecal matter or bugs in the room/hotel whilst we were there. Mid week last week (so a week and a half after getting home) my husband and I woke up to one bite each on his feet and my leg. The next night I had three in a small triangle on my thigh and then another the next night nearby the triangle. I know. Bites in bed, after returning from US......has to be bed bugs right??? My question is... Would we not be bitten whilst in the US if the hotels we stayed in them had them? We were there for 14 days. I am really starting to stress about it! I can't see any visible traces of anything but I understand that I might not be able to for a long while. How long do I need to wait before calling a PCO if I have no evidence?

P Bello on "Bed Bug ID please"

P Bello — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:40:17 +0000

Dear L, I can't tell what that is from that photo. Please take your critter out of the plastic bag and re-shoot the photo using your "macro" feature. Thanks much ! pjb

Nobugsonme on "K9 Related Questions As Promised"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:39:09 +0000

That's helpful, Paul. <blockquote>We must realize that the average human has under about 3 million olfactory receptors while a dog has about ten times as many. As such, I'm willing to bet on a well trained dog working with a competent handler.</blockquote> The problem with this is consumers have no way of knowing which ones are the well trained dogs with competent handlers. Even some dogs who went to the best schools may perform poorly once placed with a handler who is not knowledgeable and talented. Having a handler who visually verifies all dog alerts as if it's their religion and gets that visual confirmation every time is, in my opinion, the only way to be sure you have bed bugs based on a k9 inspection. See our FAQ <a href="http://bedbugger.com/2010/03/10/bed-bug-sniffing-dogs-what-you-need-to-know/">Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs: What you need to know</a> if thinking of hiring one!

P Bello on "Talstar professional any good?"

P Bello — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:38:01 +0000

The AI in Talastar is bifenthrin and it is manufactured by FMC however, in seeking a better performing bed bug product they developed Transport. Your Talstar will likely work at least as a direct contact treatment and provide some degree of residual activity. However, it is not a current leading choice of today's pros. Hope this helps ! paul b.

Nobugsonme on "How to post a photo here for ID"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:31:08 +0000

Just updated FAQ above, combining the second post (which was about taking photos) with the first (which was about hosting and embedding them) to hopefully make things easier to follow. Feedback and suggestions welcomed!

P Bello on "K9 Related Questions As Promised"

P Bello — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:27:46 +0000

Dear Folks, Below are some recently received K9 related questions and my comments/answers thereof as promised: What? Not a mind reader? Pfft…. > No, for some reason my combo Yoda/Spidey senses are in a weakened condition this month. As such, I can't use the force to either anticipate, sense or mind read to determine what the questions are. You're going to actually have to post them. There are just a few things I want to… confirm, maybe. I really felt confident that he was on the up and up – but I keep thinking… why was he exactly half the price of EVERYONE else? > It is not uncommon for the prices/fees to have a wide range so, let's not have price alone be a determining factor when quality of services rendered and professionalism is at question. The bugs in the container didn’t look like any of the pictures I’ve been looking at and not what I expected them to look like. > It's not surprising that the "real life" bugs may appear somewhat different than the photos you may have seen previously. After all, live bugs move, have varied coloration, varied size, are three demensional and move. And, uh, er photos don't. My question is – at one point, as he walked past my dining room table into my bedroom with the dog, he placed the container on the dining room table. Why didn’t the dog then alert to it? > OK. Hmmmmm . . . Well, if the container was a sealed type container then live scent might not have been able to escape the jar. It's also possible that as he led his dog he subtly instructed the dog not to alert in that area. My dog and cat were in the bathroom most of the inspection, until my dog started to bark and I took her outside. Wouldn’t this have distracted the dog? > Sure. K9s can be distracted, become tired and other such things just like people do. The presence of your dog and cat could easily have compromised the performance of the K9 inspection. Does it mean anything if the dog pays attention to a certain area (sniffing intently?) but doesn’t alert to it? > Really great K9 detection dogs seem to enjoy their work and demonstrate a perceivable level of enthusiasm as they work. Sniffing intently in one area may be a visible example of such enthusiasm. Additionally, there may have been a number of scents present which the K9 was trying to differentiating or "sorting out". How much can I really rely upon this dog inspection? > That's difficult at best to answer based upon the information provided. What if my infestation was extremely low and the dog was unable to pick up? > We must realize that the average human has under about 3 million olfactory receptors while a dog has about ten times as many. As such, I'm willing to bet on a well trained dog working with a competent handler. The dog “sort of” alerted to a chair of mine. The handler said he stopped there, sat and looked at him but did not wait for his treat and moved on from the chair. The routine is the dog will sit, look up and wait for his treat. He didn’t find this to be a positive alert because the dog didn’t “ask” for his treat? Does this sound right to you? > Hmmmm. The handler & K9 work as a team. Given time and many jobs completed together, the handler learns to read his dog while the dog picks up on the handler's cues as well. > As such, I can't tell if this "sounds right" to me or not. The only problem I have with dogs is that they just don't talk. So, my preference is to visually confirm a K9 alert. In any case, remain vigilant and time will tell. Let me know if any other questions or concerns. Hops this helps ! paul b.

Nobugsonme on "Please do not use Imageshack to host photos for ID"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:16:30 +0000

Hi Everyone, Please do not use Imageshack to host images for ID. That site loads popups which ask you to install software and set off security programs. <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/test-13">Instructions for posting an image are here</a>, including a warning against using Imageshack and suggestions of other hosts.

cjduke on "heat and DVDs, photos etc packing"

cjduke — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:09:49 +0000

having house heat treated next wk. really concerned that what I pack and put in garage will bring BB back into house. want to leave as much in house as possible. last night i took a dup dvd and baked it in the oven at 150 for 2 hours, when i took it out case and dvd were fine even plastic on the case. dvd played fine, that's one less worry. leaving all my books, clothes(tossed several bags full, great reason to declutter) in house going to wipe down photo albums and put in large zip locks for 18 months. any others suggestions?

Atwarwithbedbugs on "Sleepless and losing my mind over these bugs!"

Atwarwithbedbugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:50 +0000

Thanks. I will keep everyone updated who reads this. Sometimes when I'm reading posts on here, I'm surprised no one writes back after a few months or so to say they no longer have BBs or haven't been bitten in a while. That's what I want to see, success stories!!!

bugtimeinnyc on "Sleepless and losing my mind over these bugs!"

bugtimeinnyc — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:46:37 +0000

Our PCO treated our entire building (3 floor building, 6 units total) and it seems like the infestation was centered on the 1st floor wall separating the front and back units. I live on the second floor and my bed is along that wall, so the BBs did become wider-spread and reached me too. (My neighbor upstairs never saw one/got bit/saw any evidence of bugs though.) After those three treatments, we were fine. ...Until I woke up this morning (about 10 months later) with a cluster of three bites on my hip...which is why I'm back on the forums. Already called the landlord though and am trying not to freak out, though I know my body and am about 95% sure of what it is. C'est la vie. Anyway... I think calling another PCO (or even shopping around) would be smart if you aren't satisfied. Instead of recommending 3 treatments though, hear them out on their plans. Most PCOs have their own "plans of action" that work for them. For example, I was freaked when mine were going to spray every three weeks because I had read that every two weeks was preferable, but our PCO knew what they were doing. Just make sure you get all the info you need from them (a timeline for treatment, what they'll be using, etc.) because that definitely helped me calm down in the beginning. And if something makes you distrustful of them, go with your gut. They should be willing to answer your questions - especially for what they'll be charging!

Atwarwithbedbugs on "Sleepless and losing my mind over these bugs!"

Atwarwithbedbugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:37:45 +0000

Thank you for your input. I think I may go with another company. I also think I should do 3 treatments for peace of mind. How big/small was your infestation? Did you have luck after your 3 treatments?

LBuggy on "Bed Bug ID please"

LBuggy — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:57:54 +0000

Is this a bedbug? It looks like a larva from the diagram, but less like live pictures. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/95687406@N02/8750919538/" title="001 by Lbuggy1, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/8750919538_e57578263d.jpg" alt="001" /></a> Thank you so much for your help. LBuggy

bugtimeinnyc on "Sleepless and losing my mind over these bugs!"

bugtimeinnyc — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:38:22 +0000

I'm not a professional (and with all of our BB experiences, our landlord has taken care of it), but I would look to another company simply because "we can come out, but eh, we don't know when" is not good enough. If you went through the PCOs plan of action and it didn't work after x amount of weeks, they need to be more proactive than that for you. They're only giving the BBs time to lay eggs and make the problem worse. The treatments do take time - last summer, mine came to spray three times over the course of about 9 weeks - but when you feel like your PCO has your back, it makes it a lot easier. Good luck!

bed-bugscouk on "fecal ID needed please"

bed-bugscouk — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:39:08 +0000

Hi, No that's not faecal it's a stain unrelated to bedbugs. If you look in the FAQ's for comparison images you will see that the best description is black dots like a felt tip bed dab. Hope that helps. David Cain Bed Bugs Limited

luna on "fecal ID needed please"

luna — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:18:15 +0000

<a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/18/photoyar.jpg/">pic 1</a> <a href="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/photo1kq.jpg/">pic 2</a> Hi, I've been itching like mad the past week (my legs, chest, and back)... and I've been wondering if I might have a bed bug infestation. I think I may have seen one tonight but I tried to capture it and instead squished it. I also tore apart my room.. and I found this black line running the entirety of one side of my mattress. I'm too afraid to lift it up and see what's underneath. Is this fecal matter? I read about trying to rub some off with a q-tip but it wouldn't come off. I'm feeling really anxious and scared if it is bed bugs, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Nobugsonme on "What to bag before treatment, besides clothes"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:05:48 +0000

<blockquote>I am also nervous that my clothes are somehow NOT clean or that drying everything on hot for 30-40 minutes a load did not do the job... </blockquote> Generally speaking, if your clothing was dirty, then drying isn't ideal because drying dirty clothing can kind of set the dirt in. However, it should not impact on bed bug killing, so don't worry. If you pack items LOOSELY (do not stuff them in) and run dryers on hot for 30-40 minutes (if you start with dry items) , bed bugs and eggs should be killed if present. I personally would not redo those items. <blockquote>More importantly I found a HOLE on a bag today after the treatment had occurred. </blockquote> It's probably very unlikely that a bed bug got in. That said, if it will make you stop wondering and help your peace of mind, why not redo this one load? Contractor's bags (from Costco, hardware store, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, etc.) should be thicker and more sturdy than regular garbage bags, if that's what you're using. they're not expensive if bought in bulk. If tying tightly is a problem, cable ties are cheap and make a nice tight seal. Try not to worry too much. Many PMPs don't even require people to do laundry as part of prep. Yours is being cautious and that's fine but he admitted it's a light case and they probably never made it to the clothes. It's easy to make yourself crazy over these things, but try to relax. You will get through this!

bed-bugscouk on "Bed Bug ID Possible?"

bed-bugscouk — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:01:37 +0000

Hi, Pretty certain it's a "something in the outline shape of an insect but not an insect" the texture appears to be more mat and matted than an insect would be. Hope that helps. David Cain Bed Bugs Limited

Nobugsonme on "Bed Bug ID Possible?"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:58:10 +0000

Not sure what it is but for the experts, here's a link to the largest size image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/95818918@N04/8748635460/sizes/k/in/photostream/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/95818918@N04/8748635460/sizes/k/in/photostream/</a>

Nobugsonme on "Diatomaceous Earth Questions"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:56:21 +0000

Please read the <a href="http://bedbugger.com/faqde">DE FAQ</a> as it answers a number of your questions. DE should not be heavily applied (so "pour it everywhere" is not a good plan). The bellows duster is something some have found useful, but is not a requirement. Others use a makeup brush. Again, please read the FAQ.

Atwarwithbedbugs on "Sleepless and losing my mind over these bugs!"

Atwarwithbedbugs — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:41:00 +0000

I am new to this site and from what I've read it seems like a great site with help from experienced PCO's to people who have had these no good for nothing bugs. Here's my story... I lived in an apartment for over 2 years before I moved into my house almost 2 months ago. Two weeks after I moved into my house (which I'm renting) my boyfriend got a few bites on his back and we brushed it off as just random bites. A few days after I got a couple bites on my arm in random spots. I asked a nurse I work with if she thought they were bed bugs and she didn't think they looked like they were bed bugs. A few days after that I had about 4 bites on my lower leg and knew it was bed bugs, they had the classic line and they itched like crazy. I asked my kids if they had any itchy bites on them and they declined. I pulled my bed apart and found nothing. Another few days goes by and I was reading online about these suckers. As I was reading the signs of having them, I suddenly remembered about a month before we moved out of the apartment I remember washing my sons' bed sheets and found small blood stains. I jumped off the couch and went to take a look at my oldest son's mattress and was horrified. I found quite a few hanging out on the corners of the mattress and saw all that black fecal stuff I was reading about. I then went into my other son's room and his had them as we'll, but not as bad as my oldest. They had shared a room in the apartment, so that explains that. Anyway, I panicked. I went to Lowe's, sprayed & saturated their mattresses and ended up throwing them out because there is no way I was going to let them sleep on them. I called a PCO who came out a week later to do an inspection. I told him I had not seen anything live since we found them on the beds. He advised me to buy air mattresses for when my kids came home from staying with my parents all week. He said we probably just needed one treatment since I hadn't seen any live bugsTwo days before the inspection, I just happened to go in my youngest son's room late one night and found one crawling on the floor by his air mattress. Other than that...nothing else seen. PCO came and did a treatment. Called PCO 2 weeks after treatment because now I was starting to see them and still getting bites, but they were babies and a couple medium sized (not quite adults). I called him and he was asking if my kids had any sleep overs or if anyone has slept at my house which I said no. He said he could come back out but not sure how soon. Tonight, I found an adult bed bug on my couch Killed it of course. This is very difficult since my boyfriend and I are the only ones who get reactions to the bites. My kids don't even have red marks as to where they've been bitten, nothing! I have since put DE in mine and my oldest son's bedroom. That was done almost a week ago and my boyfriend and I are still getting bit but it's just one here and there. Hoping it's working since I read it can take up to 10 days to kill them. So here are my questions for anyone who has experienced or is a professional: Should the PCO spray again at no additional charge since he said I only needed one treatment? He charged me $285 for one treatment and I'm not sure how thorough the guy was that came. He did not say anything about a fee when I talked to him, but I'm not going to assume there's no fee. Should I possibly look into another company? Sorry this is long, just want to give details about what has been happening. The infestation seems small but I want this taken care of before it gets out of control. It's been almost. 2 months since I found out and I feel like they are never going to go away. These things driving me crazy, losing sleep. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

bed-bugscouk on "Bed Bug Boys 2013 Calender"

bed-bugscouk — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:40:50 +0000

My official name with titles and qualifications is: Master David Cain PgCert, BSc(Hons), ESQ PgCert = postgraduate certificate in education BSc(Hons) = Bachelor of science with honors ESQ = unmarried son of officer in the forces and this able to legally use title of master What is this 50 shades thing? David

bed-bugscouk on "Bug ID [a: earwig, beetle, unknown flying insect]"

bed-bugscouk — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:36:29 +0000

Hi, Yes on beetle and earwing. The flying insect I am not sure about other than its not a midge, they are a lot smaller. David Cain Bed Bugs Limited

panicandfear on "Bug ID [a: earwig, beetle, unknown flying insect]"

panicandfear — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:31:48 +0000

Hello. So I did another careful search of the mattress and found the following: Please confirm this is a beetle and a earwig. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/95631627@N03/8750030098/sizes/k/in/photostream/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/95631627@N03/8750030098/sizes/k/in/photostream/</a> Could you please identify this bug? Could it be a biting midge? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/95631627@N03/8745891404/sizes/h/in/photostream/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/95631627@N03/8745891404/sizes/h/in/photostream/</a> Thank you!

bedbugphobia on "Number Two - How Do You Sleep At Night"

bedbugphobia — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:27:18 +0000

BOM, I also used sleeping pills to get rest. I was too emotionally drained by the experience that i had to use something to keep myself from going completely crazy. Its been almost 90 days clear and i'm now sleeping normally without pills. Good luck.

beardog on "Talstar professional any good?"

beardog — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:18:20 +0000

I just bought Talstar Professional and it says that it will kill bedbugs and just about every other kind of household pests.I am new to this product and killing bedbugs.If I use this and DE powder am I on the right track to get rid of these bugs.If anyone has used or Knows of something better please let me know what I should be trying.I do not think that I have a bad infestation I have only seen one or two bugs in about a month or so.When I found out that I had them I got rid of my couch,recliner,carpet and padding and then put down new laminate flooring and took all of the trim boards off and sprayed every crack I could find.I have a four bedroom house and I only use the living room and sleep in a new recliner and this is the only place that I have seen them is near where I sleep.Thank You any help would be great.