Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Introductions
Im New.
(19 posts)-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 17:33:01
#
Login to Send PM
I hope I attached the image the right way. Found this thing Wednesday on the sofa. Squished it and blood came out of it. Tore apart my entire house looking for some sign that these nasty things are living with us, been online looking at images and signs of infestation, but this thing is the only evidence of bed bugs in my apartment thus far. I am not going to think on the bright side that this was the lone hitchhiker from God knows where.I called the exterminator for a free inspection, he comes on Tuesday. I put clean sheets on everyone's beds. I threw away an area rug in a sealed contractor bag. I've been up at 3, 4, and 5 am, every night to check on my kids, to search the beds, the walls, my kids' exposed skin with a flashlight. Nothing. What can I do? Should I wait until I get confirmed by the exterminator, before I tell my landlord and the neighbors downstairs? (I live in a two family unit). Should I start buying giant Ziplocks and laundering and sealing every single thing we own? Should I bust out the vacuum cleaner and vacuum every crack and cranny, or should I leave this alone until the exterminator comes and checks? I am so upset, disgusted...and obsessed with this right now. Any words of advice?
-
BugsMustDie
member
Joined: Aug '11
Posts: 328offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 17:44:03
#
Login to Send PM
Often pest control companies tell you not to do any extensive cleaning because doing so may spread the infestation or get rid of evidence that can confirm it. Since you've already made the appointment with the exterminator and it's free, I would wait and see what they say before you take any other action.
If it turns out you do have them, ultimately you should tell your landlord because they may be responsible to pay for the treatment (check with your local tenant union or another legal body that may be able to provide information about what the law states where you live). Also, your problem could have come from your neighbor or could have spread to your neighbor, so if you only inspect and treat your unit, there's a chance they could just come right back.
- Best
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 19:17:04
#
Login to Send PM
Thank you for your response. So...Do nothing right now. Ahhh! I am still trying to get the hang of this forum, and I was wondering if you were able to see the image I posted. It looks like it could be nothing else but a bed bug. Gross. I am very skeezed out about this whole ordeal, and I always think the worst case scenario. I never brought in any furniture or anything of the like, or stayed in any hotels, or traveled. Maybe this thing came in on one of the 3 kids' backpacks from someone at school? I did have dinner guests who sat on the sofa two days before I found the bug? I guess there's no way of really knowing HOW the thing got here. Do I have to quarantine everyone if we have bugs? Do I tell the schools? Do we have to live for months and months out of sealed bags? Do we need to spend 500 bucks on bug proof mattress covers for 4 beds? I have 3 little kids who run about with their blankets and toys..and now I am looking at everything as potentially contaminated! My friends and family that I have told said I am being a paranoid freak over one bug...but it's never just one...is it? I am seriously ready for an all out war!
-
your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,697offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 21:22:10
#
Login to Send PM
Hi Panicked Mom,
I edited your link so that it was just the URL (web address), because embedding photos isn't possible here right now.
However, I can't view your photo.
I think you may need to go to flickr and look at the permissions settings on the photo. Make sure anyone can view it. You can test how it appears to us by first logging out of flickr, then clicking your link above.
Try not to panic about what having bed bugs might mean for you. First, you may not have them. Second, you may have a small problem which is localized and not as difficult to deal with.
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 23:35:17
#
Login to Send PM
Thank you for your response, Nobugsonme. I adjusted the settings on Flickr (which I am also new to) and allowed for anyone to see the image of my little nightmare. It actually is a lot lot smaller than the picture makes it seem...the bug has been dead (squished) for 3 days, so it looks drier and duller than it did when it was trying to attack my children on the sofa. Weird thing is that blood came out of it..so it definitely got someone, but nobody had any marks. We are a family of 5 and still no obvious bites, 4 days after I found the little (expletive). I have really light, sensitive skin..and yesterday I woke up with a hive under my chin..but it went away. This is not very unusual for me, though. So I guess that's where we are now...waiting. Let me know if you can see the ugly bug! Thanks!
-
BugsMustDie
member
Joined: Aug '11
Posts: 328offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 12 2011 23:42:08
#
Login to Send PM
I'm not an expert, but yes that does look like one to me. I'm sorry
-
your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,697offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Nov 13 2011 2:00:28
#
Login to Send PM
Yes, that does look like a problem. I would not do too much before the pest pro gets in to inspect, for the reasons BugsMustDie noted.
And don't give your sample away to the PCO or landlord. Hold onto it in case someone else needs to see it later.
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Nov 13 2011 2:22:08
#
Login to Send PM
Thanks for the wise words. I am sure I will be posting again soon. This is my first run in with any of this...and I am obsessively scrutinizing every minor detail, and may be a pro before all this is over. Are light infestations a lot easier to treat? I found this thing on the couch, but we are on 2 floors. 2 bedrooms downstairs, and a shared, but sectioned off 1 huge bedroom upstairs. Everybody falls asleep on the sofa once in awhile...the little kids watch tv in our bed. They bring their blankets on the couch. It's crazy to try to think that these bugs would be in just one area. Aw, man. Wish me luck....and thanks again for the support.
-
your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,697offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Nov 13 2011 2:43:44
#
Login to Send PM
I am not an expert, but my understanding is a bed bug problem is much easier to treat if it stays localized. A smaller infestation will be more likely to be localized, often around the bed. If this is the case, it will probably be easier to treat.
If you move things around or self-treat, then you can actually spread them around and make it harder to deal with.
If neighbors are attached to you and have undetected or untreated problems, this can be a factor also.
Remember that a lot of people who post on the internet have had unusual situations. So try not to panic when you read about others' experiences which sound horrific or like they've gone on for a long time. Circumstances vary a great deal. How you respond to bed bugs when they are first detected makes a difference.
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Nov 13 2011 2:57:22
#
Login to Send PM
What happens if I have a bed bug...and the exterminator finds no other evidence of an infestation? With a positive specimen will they do a precautionary treatment or will I have to wait longer for a more substantial problem for them to treat? Sorry with the billion questions, you must understand how scared and helpless I feel, not being able to protect my family from this! It is nearly 2 am and I am still up, periodically checking my sleeping babes! Craziness!
-
your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,697offline
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Nov 13 2011 3:53:05
#
Login to Send PM
Panicked Mom - 49 minutes ago »
What happens if I have a bed bug...and the exterminator finds no other evidence of an infestation? With a positive specimen will they do a precautionary treatment or will I have to wait longer for a more substantial problem for them to treat?It's nearly impossible for a human inspector to be 100% sure they found all evidence. Since you found a bug in your home, that is itself a form of evidence. (Other forms: fecal stains, cast skins, eggs.)
If the PCO inspects carefully (many don't do that careful an inspection, especially if it's free), they will probably find some other evidence. But they may not and I suspect they will treat based on you having found one bed bug.
(You also want them to verify it's not a bat bug. Probably not likely in an apartment but it can happen.)
It is nearly 2 am and I am still up, periodically checking my sleeping babes! Craziness!
I know that this is a panic reaction and not a logical one. However, it may help to know that from a logical standpoint, there's no point to periodically looking at your kids to see if bed bugs are biting them.
A single bed bug feeds around once a week and this takes about ten minutes. The odds of you seeing any action would seem to be quite slim.
So go to sleep! I know it's hard. Do something relaxing, like read a bit. (And not the bed bug forums...)
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Nov 16 2011 10:25:34
#
Login to Send PM
Okay, Sooo....The exterminator came in and did a QUICK visual inspection and said he saw no other evidence of a bed bug infestation. (Which I could have told you because I SCRUTINIZED everything with a LED flashlight) He also said that my little enemy in the ziploc was indeed a bed bug. He also checked the people downstairs BRIEFLY and said he saw nothing down there either. He said if there is an infestation it is less than a level 1, and I could WAIT and see if there's more....or talk to my landlord to go ahead and treat. My landlord (who is required by MA law to do something) was on the same page as me as far as treating anyways so that if there are BB in my home, they would not get out of hand....BUT then my land lord said if the treatment is more than 1, 000 dollars that he couldn't afford it!!!! He said he would call me back. Is he required to treat for ONE bug? I don't want to "wait and see" if more come! Seriously, what are the chances that I caught the ONE and ONLY?! Ugh. Frustrating. Either way, I do a lot of laundry (3 kids, 2 adults) and to be on the safe side, for whatever comes, I am Ziploc-ing my laundry when it comes out of the dryer. I have laundered everybody's sheets and bedding. I don't know what else I can do at this point. I did stress to the landlord that bed bugs treatment is not a do it yourself job. Thanks for listening/reading my rant.
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Nov 16 2011 19:35:59
#
Login to Send PM
Landlord called back and said "wait and see"
He also implied that I am crazy for making a big deal over one bug and no bites. I guess for now it's checking and Ziploc-ing. PS. I think my bed bug is a male...he has a weird, non symmetrical pointy thing on his bum....this may be a good thing..right? Check out the pic in my first post and see if you can see yourself!
-
sooverit
junior member
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 49offline
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Nov 16 2011 20:36:46
#
Login to Send PM
Panicked Mom - 1 hour ago »
Landlord called back and said "wait and see" He also implied that I am crazy for making a big deal over one bug and no bites. I guess for now it's checking and Ziploc-ing. PS. I think my bed bug is a male...he has a weird, non symmetrical pointy thing on his bum....this may be a good thing..right? Check out the pic in my first post and see if you can see yourself!If you really do just have the one...then it's AWESOME that it's a male. Crossing my fingers for you!
-
BarelyLiving2
member
Joined: Dec '10
Posts: 131offline
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Nov 17 2011 8:29:45
#
Login to Send PM
Panicked mom, definitely start bagging laundry and trying to keep people from bed hopping within the house. Keep searching, I think the odds of having a single male bed bug is very low. You'll probably find evidence soon.
Sorry, but staying on top of things will make it easier in the long run. Good luck.
-
Panicked Mom
newbite
Joined: Nov '11
Posts: 9offline
Posted 1 year ago
Fri Nov 18 2011 10:36:43
#
Login to Send PM
It's been 9 days since I found the bug. How long until they become evident? No signs, no bites. No more bugs. This not knowing is killing me, here!
-
BarelyLiving2
member
Joined: Dec '10
Posts: 131offline
Posted 1 year ago
Tue Nov 22 2011 11:48:07
#
Login to Send PM
Climb ups can be used to find out if you have them.
-
lrb
junior member
Joined: Oct '11
Posts: 45offline
Posted 1 year ago
Tue Nov 22 2011 15:31:22
#
Login to Send PM
Everyone is different when it comes to infestations. Some may notice within a couple weeks, others may not notice until months have gone by. Some are mild, some are severe. Some people don't respond to bites right away, or at all. I know how frustrating and stressful it is Panicked Mom. Just an idea, perhaps you can do daily inspections of everyones beds and boxsprings? I knew for sure when I tore the bed apart and saw them crawling on the box spring. If you happen to find another bug, take a piece of Scotch Tape, put it on the bug careful not to squish it, and tape it to a piece of white paper for further proof. Perhaps you can look into getting a Passive Monitor? I don't have one, but it may give you some peace of mind. Also, maintain washing/drying on HOT and keeping clothes etc. sealed away in bags for the time being. Try to get some sleep! I know it's really hard to do that, but it's so important. Also, try to eat something if you haven't been. You need your strength!
Reply
You must log in to post.
