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How will I know they are gone?
(7 posts)-
victimized
new username: help_me
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 305offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sun Nov 14 2010 15:07:49
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Hi all,
Since yesterday the man came to do an inspection of our house. I am nervous because the service only includes three rooms and it is $300 for each additional room. Living room is most important to treat right as it is confirmed that there are bugs on the sofa. The kitchen/dining room is right next to it so they are going to treat that room as well, plus the bedroom, bathroom, hall (hopefully hall closet) and stairs. There are two room behind the kitchen, one which is an active storing room/laundry room where my cats eat and do their sand box thing. I have lots of stuff stored in there but no one really stays in there. At the top of the steps opposite my bedroom at the end of the hall I have a room that is cluttered to the max with clothing stuffs. I use it as my walk-in closet with both everyday clothing I wear and antique clothing that I collect. There is so much in there and I worry about that room not getting treated, particularly because the dresser contains undergarments I have been wearing around the house, shoes I have been wearing regularly, and stuff that had been downstairs at one point or another. Should I pay the extra $600 to have those done? My other fear is that they only guarantee the service for 90 days. So if after 90s they come back I'm screwed! Can't they live dormant deep in the bowels of my furniture? What would happen if my other half, me, and our cats up and left the house tomorrow and did not come back for a year, would they be dead?
Also, I am still really anxious about whether or not my cats can transfer the bugs around the house. Obviously they hang out on the floor and on the furniture downstairs. We've been trying to keep them off the sofa and so far they don't seem interested in being on it. They say the bugs generally don't like pet hair but how easy would it be for them to carry a hitchhiker into my bedroom?
Thank you if you took the time to read this. -
spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
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Posted 2 years ago
Sun Nov 14 2010 15:52:41
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60 days with no evidence is the goal.
Consider using a Dinotefuran based flea product on the cats. Vectra is one.
http://www.summitvetpharm.com/Pet-Owners/Products/Cats-Kittens/
Banfield vets have a product called First Shield that also contains Dinotefuran.
There are pesticides for bedbugs using Dinotefuran. See the Alpine dust and aerosols which are labelled for BB treatment.
The compounds in other flea treatments for cats are not used in BB control.
No studies to what I know have been done on the efficacy of Vectra on BBs but since the active ingredient is effective, the possibility is there. It would be my choice of the flea products if dealing with BBs as well.
Jim
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victimized
new username: help_me
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 305offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sun Nov 14 2010 16:23:33
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Also wondering if they can live in the car if no one goes in there for a few days during freezing temperatures at night. Afraid to ride in our car now even though it was thoroughly vacuumed the other day. The Exterminator said it should be fine if he vacuumed but I am not certain so very nervous about it.
My thinking, is that if they need a host to survive and they can't get one, will they die? How long will it take? How long can they live without food? How long do eggs take to hatch? -
Bug wary
member
Joined: Oct '10
Posts: 135offline
Posted 2 years ago
Mon Nov 15 2010 12:56:29
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victimized:
I note that you say you collect antique clothing. Have you considered this as a source of your infestation?
I would not go near 2nd hand clothing. In fact, I now put even new clothing in the dryer before it enters my wardrobe.
You should read the various posts about the efficacy of freezing. Be aware that you need very very low temperatures and for a sustained period. Cars will have warm pockets for thebbs to hang out in. It's going to take a long time to get to deep freeze temps. I live in one of the coldest places in North America and we're not even near those temperatures.
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Bug wary
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Joined: Oct '10
Posts: 135offline
Posted 2 years ago
Mon Nov 15 2010 13:00:03
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Adult bbs can live without a blood meal for a year to a year and a half. I belive that eggs hatch in 10-14 days .
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victimized
new username: help_me
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 305offline
Posted 2 years ago
Tue Dec 21 2010 18:05:51
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Bug,
I have considered this as my most recent purchase was a dress circa 1910 that was mildly altered to be wearable today. i purchased that, plus a fur wrap at a local antique store, back on around Oct 1 for an event my group hosted on the 2nd. Also, back in spring or early summer I won a lot of antique parasol frames off ebay, most of which turned out to be broken and the cost was refunded but the box plus the crusty old frames were standing together in a corner of the room until a few weeks ago when I had to clean house in preparation for the fumigation.
The huge box they were shipped in, too, sat in the room. However, the bugs were found first and foremost on our living room sofa downstairs. Until this point, or Nov 12, I was entirely unaware of any problem. The month preceeding this series of events though left me riddled with suspicious pimples or marks that I chose to dismiss as pimples. Of course the fear was present in the back of my mind as my sister had admitted to me 6 months or so earlier that they had them in their apartment. After she had been over my house a couple times, briefly, and after having gone in her car before I knew bed bugs didn't just stay in bed.
This has been a life changing experience though and I an indefinitely no longer collecting. As much as I love antiques, you won't get me buying anything that can't be washed, cooked, or steamed for a LONG long time. I also bought an entertainment center cabinet thing at Goodwill back in July...
the exterminator said he checked that though and didn't see anything. Who knows. I was even in NYC with my sister and her husband in Sept. She went outside of the restaurant to smoke and was sitting on the arm rest of a sofa on the curb, dumbass. I told her hubby to tell her not to because of bed bugs in the city. And I was in Atlantic City in Aug. -
Bug wary
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Joined: Oct '10
Posts: 135offline
Posted 2 years ago
Tue Dec 21 2010 19:16:26
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Well, it seems that ther are several possible exposures. no use looking back. Now that you are informed, you can avoid risky behaviours on a go forward basis.
best of luck
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