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how am I finding these tiny bugs?

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chooke2

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Nov 18 2008 22:04:43
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We discovered we had bed bugs about a month ago... actually a little more than a month ago, and we have followed all the necessary steps to get rid of them. Living out of plastic bags, are in between our second and third treatments, encased our mattress, box spring, and pillows... and we have been pretty proud of ourselves. Well, a week ago I found a tiny, tiny, tiny baby on our computer desk which is in our bedroom. My husband can't believe I even saw it. That was before our second treatment. When the PCO came he said that they took the computer desk apart and didn't find anything, and that maybe it was just and... and i quote "fluke". Is there such a thing as a fluke with bed bugs? please.
But we thought, oh right, of course a fluke... that must be what it was. Then tonight, while I am on the phone with a landlord for a new apartment(!!!!!) I see another tiny, tiny, tiny, baby on our computer desk again. Sigh. Now for the questions:

I am trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I shouldn't move yet. We are desperate to get out (especially considering our LL just RAISED our rent!!!) But I guess we have to wait and be sure. Right?

Do you think that I am finding these babies because the eggs are hatching in between treatments? Is it better or worse to find these little ones? Rather than adults?
I guess I am just looking for some positive words here. I am just trying to hold it together.
BugsInTO

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Nov 18 2008 22:41:51
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Chooke2 - Congratulations on your excellent eyesight. If the bugs are tiny,tiny,bugs (and you are sure, under magnification that they are bedbugs) my guess is that they are hatching from eggs. Check some of the pictures of bedbug nymph/instar stages and see if they match up.

Eggs hatch about 10 days after they are laid. Compare this to the date of your last spraying and this will might give you an idea if the eggs were laid before or after your last spraying. This might let you know if you still have adults laying eggs, as well as eggs hatching.

Check all around your computer desk - curtains, window sills, electrical outlets behind the desk. Other people have posted here about maybe the bugs crawl up the electrical cables to get on to the desk etc. Another thought is that the bugs could be in the computer.

You can steam the desk, vaseline the cables, vacuum the carpet, steam your chair, seal the wall socket, but people really struggle with the decon of a computer. Is it on your desk? Check some of the other suggestions for decontamination of the computer CPU and see if any suggestions work for you.

The above is just based on stuff I have read. I hope it helps.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 4:09:32
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hi chooke2,

Are you 100% certain they are bed bug nymphs and not another insect? Were your original bed bugs confirmed by a pro or entomologist? The reason I ask is that people commonly mistake booklice (among other creatures) for bed bugs. Booklice are small, nearly transparent, but look different if you see them closely. Click the booklice tag above right to see other threads on that.

Even if your original infestation was confirmed to be bed bugs, it's possible you are now finding something else.

And maybe you can easily identify bed bugs and have already looked at the comparative photos, but I wanted to make sure and mention this just in case.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 4:11:10
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This may also be useful:

http://bedbugger.com/2008/03/04/booklice/
chooke2

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 8:36:52
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Hi and thanks Nobugs,
I actually did some research last night after finding the second bug, and came across the article on this site about bed bugs vs. book lice. I would be thrilled if it was book lice considering I am a HUGE reader and we have a lot of books, I thought it would be reasonable too! But I think I am extremely familiar with the structure of a bed bug at this point and I am afraid that it what it is. It is nearly transparent but has a tiny speck of darkness in its abdomen. On our second treatment the PCO said that the one we found was a bed bug, and again just thought it was a fluke. We are supposed to have our final treatment next week. Do you think that might kill off all the remaining nymphs? Or is it possible that the PCO missed the primary infestation the first time around?
Thanks again, chooke2
aballen

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 10:32:15
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Please get an entomologist to look at the bug!!! We had a dual infestation, booklice and BB. The first two PCO's mistook the booklice for BB. I have seen literally thousands of booklice, and one BB. I purchased a microscope and I can tell you that the booklice also have a dark spot in the abdomen, not all, but probably half the time. If you can get a microscope, you can take a good look at the nose/head which is distinctly different from one another when you are looking for the details. My PCO's all misidentified the booklice. It was not until the Vikane company sent an entomologist to look at the bugs that we knew the difference. Everyone here told me to have them looked at and I too said, no, I know what they look like. I had to eat those words.
chooke2

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 10:37:13
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Ok and thank you. We have definitely decided that we are leaving this apartment, so we are going to Vikane our belongings and probably throw bunch of stuff away. I will definitely have someone else look at the bug to make sure, and to be honest I would gladly eat my words if these book lice guys don't bite me! They are so small, you are right, its hard to tell... but it just doesn't look like it could be lice. Anyway, thank you for the advice! I appreciate all of it!
Marixpress

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 10:37:26
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BugsInTO - 11 hours ago »

Eggs hatch about 10 days after they are laid. Compare this to the date of your last spraying and this will might give you an idea if the eggs were laid before or after your last spraying. This might let you know if you still have adults laying eggs, as well as eggs hatching.
Check all around your computer desk - curtains, window sills, electrical outlets behind the desk. Other people have posted here about maybe the bugs crawl up the electrical cables to get on to the desk etc. Another thought is that the bugs could be in the computer.

solid
aballen

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Nov 19 2008 10:45:40
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One more thing, you can easily cath booklice on glue traps set on the floor. You can get them just about anywhere these days, but I purchased mine at Lowes Home Improvement. Unlike BB, if you have booklice crawling around, you will catch them on the traps. They look like a tiny translucent, tannish colored speck at the edge of the glue. Once they reach the glue, they are not strong enough to crawl any further. I would put 3-4 around the area of books and some around your computer just to see. They are only about $4 for a package of 3 I think. I caught tons of them which is how I had one handy when the entomogolist came.