Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » General Topics
Need assistance with bed bugs!
(15 posts)-
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 19:06:41
#
Login to Send PM
Hey, I came across this site while trying to research about bed bugs because i believe i may have them! Please, i need any help you can offer, I am not sure what to do next!
Here is my story,
A friend of mine lives in a Multi Dwelling Unit, and he has since got bed bugs, BAD. Basically the whole building has bed bugs. I went to his place knowing he has bed bugs (Not knowing how horrible they can be) and since i have been to his place i have noticed bites on my legs. Now i am not sure if i got them at his place, or somehow they hitched a ride of me and came back to my place. When i was bit i still wasn't completly sure it was the bed bugs, until i woke up the next morning itching, and noticed even more bites on my ankles. I freaked out and thought for sure they are in my place now! I searched everywhere, looking for some sort of sign (The bug itself, fecal matter, blood splatters, casing ) But came up empty handed. I was still sure they must be hiding somewhere! So i took measures to another level, heres what i didEncased my matress ( I do not have a box spring, and the bed is a futon)
vacuumed my rooms throughly
decluttered my place
sprayed bug spray (Lots of it) into cracks/crevices
removed all rugs/mats
washed all clothing and blanket
Moved bed into middle of the room and put petrolium jelly on the legs of my bed along with sticky tape on the feet
took everything out of my dresser and cleaned/sprayed everywhere with bug spray
Finally i bought some DE and dusted the floors/ceilings/baseboards/cracks/crevices/bed legs/and even the bed itself.
I pretty much dusted the entire perimeter of my rooms, and ceilings just to make sure.Now my question is, What am i missing?! I want to make sure they are gone before doing and real damage. I can't see myself having a big infestation, considering probably only 1 or 2 hitched a ride to my place.
Anyways, please, if anyone can help me out it is much needed!!
Thanks in advanced! -
parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,011offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 19:36:16
#
Login to Send PM
You are doing so many things right. You are aware and alert. You've come to this forum, a fantastic place to get your questions answered. You are observing and taking steps.
The next step you can do is learn even more by reading the FAQ's here (especially the ones about DE--you dusted the ceiling? I hope you knew to use a respirator).
Your next step after that will be to keep inspecting -- including inspecting your body for bites. The fact that your bites showed up the next day doesn't necessarily mean you brought bed bugs back with you. Delayed skin reactions and itching are normal. But if you haven't gone back to the person's apartment who had bed bugs since, but you find you are getting new bites, then that is proof you have probably brought some with you. So keep inspecting!
If you visit and apartment with bed bugs, the most common way to bring them back is in the clothes you are wearing (including shoes)or in any bags you had with you. I once heard how women who went into apartments to prepare them for bedbug treatments avoided getting bedbugs themselves. Day after day they go into places that have bedbugs but haven't been treated yet so they are constantly exposed. I heard they come home, put all their clothes in the washer and dryer and take a shower. This apparently was enough prevention for them to keep doing their job and not get bed bugs.
-
BedbugsEW
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 26offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 19:42:09
#
Login to Send PM
that sounds exactly what i did at first...except i havent got my DE and didn't even end up using tape...plus i bagged up everything and am thinking about taking a lot of (airtight) bags of things to storage along with my books...not sure how to package them yet though....
-
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 19:52:58
#
Login to Send PM
Wow, thanks for the quick response guys!
As far as the DE goes, i did not use a respirator, but i did use a painters masks.. if that helps any.
That is kind of good to hear that bite marks can show up on a later date... The timeline for all of this is pretty quick
Went to friends apartment with bed bugs > Came home woke up next morning with visible bite marks > waited until next morning and found more bites (All of this with-in a 3 day period)
That is what leads me to believe they came to my place. Now, the first bite i got i was not as worried, and did not do full body search for other bite marks, maybe its possible i missed the some bites and thought it they were new.
ALso, i do drive, so when i left my freinds place i would of went to my car and drove home (Which is approx 40 minutes away) It blows my mind a bug will hang on until i reach home, which leads me to another thought, maybe the bugs are in my car and bit me there... Now i did not check the my car, nor did i clean it since, but i was wondering could they survive in my car even if the weather is cold?
I live in Toronto, and the nights are getting pretty cold probably up to -5 Celsius (23 Fahrenheit )
COuld a bug survive this cold?
Anyways, thanks a lot guys, i will keep checking day after day, night after night for any signs
BTW, This all started approx 1 week ago, Since i've taken the above measures I have not noticed a new bite anywhere.. lets home it stays that way!
Thanks! -
BedbugsEW
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 26offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:03:51
#
Login to Send PM
When I had my exposure to the bugs they were in a couch my boyfriend talked me into getting. It was in my apt. for 2 days, thennnn.....a week and a half later....I woke up with my entire shoulder covered in bites my feet, my stomach(i noticed these first) and my legs...i have some pics ill post them as soon as i figure out how.
-
parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,011offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:04:47
#
Login to Send PM
Yes, unfortunately a bed bug can survive in the cold, even in Toronto in the winter. High heat is the killer, not cold. If you think you might possibly have bed bugs in your car, be sure to observe if you are getting any bites while in your car and, until you are positive you don't have bed bugs, use Ziploc bags to seal anything you carry in and out of your car. It is my understanding that bed bugs need the "blood meal" (us!) so if they are in the car and they are hungry and you get in the car and sit quietly while driving they will bite, so the bites will tell.
I think it is fabulous news that you haven't seen any new bites in a week. Keep inspecting and keep posting.
-
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:07:00
#
Login to Send PM
BedbugsEW - 1 minute ago »
When I had my exposure to the bugs they were in a couch my boyfriend talked me into getting. It was in my apt. for 2 days, thennnn.....a week and a half later....I woke up with my entire shoulder covered in bites my feet, my stomach(i noticed these first) and my legs...i have some pics ill post them as soon as i figure out how.How is everything now? DO you still have the bugs? What sort of treatments have you done?
BTW i think you have to upload a picture to a website or host and ass the link here. -
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:09:55
#
Login to Send PM
parakeets - 3 minutes ago »
Yes, unfortunately a bed bug can survive in the cold, even in Toronto in the winter. High heat is the killer, not cold. If you think you might possibly have bed bugs in your car, be sure to observe if you are getting any bites while in your car and, until you are positive you don't have bed bugs, use Ziploc bags to seal anything you carry in and out of your car. It is my understanding that bed bugs need the "blood meal" (us!) so if they are in the car and they are hungry and you get in the car and sit quietly while driving they will bite, so the bites will tell.Really, wow, so how should i treat my car?
-
BedbugsEW
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 26offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:16:48
#
Login to Send PM
i have found NOTHING....few blood smears which i was hoping to get up on here as well, but not bugs or casts...therefore, I, meaning my BF doesn't think that we do....too many coincidences for me....i'm still freaking out. the only thing i did in the beginning was steam (the couches when they WERE here) and I sprayed raid around the baseboards and carpet leading to the bedroom in hopes of them NOT getting in the bedroom....thought i was successful too, but who knows...i wish i knew if they would for sure travel to the bedroom during the TWO days the couches were here...=[
-
parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,011offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:17:40
#
Login to Send PM
Don't worry about treating your car right now since you don't know yet if you have bed bugs in your car, and treating a car preventatively for bed bugs is not going to work. You just have to do what you are doing--keep inspecting and keep alert. You can search on the forum for some ways that people have treated cars, but don't treat your car until you are sure it is infested with bed bugs. Once you observe that you haven't gotten any new bites in your home or car over the next 8 weeks or so, you can relax (as much as any of us can relax, huh?)
-
BedbugsEW
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 26offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:18:01
#
Login to Send PM
i also keep thinking they are in my car, but i'm in there every morning at 5:30 am and so far i haven't noticed anymore. but i did get two big welts above my ankles that i didn't notice till I was at work, so hopefully they didn't happen in the car. plus my car is so disgusting right now that even if they were i would NEVER find them
-
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:31:50
#
Login to Send PM
BedbugsEW - 9 minutes ago »
i have found NOTHING....few blood smears which i was hoping to get up on here as well, but not bugs or casts...therefore, I, meaning my BF doesn't think that we do....too many coincidences for me....i'm still freaking out. the only thing i did in the beginning was steam (the couches when they WERE here) and I sprayed raid around the baseboards and carpet leading to the bedroom in hopes of them NOT getting in the bedroom....thought i was successful too, but who knows...i wish i knew if they would for sure travel to the bedroom during the TWO days the couches were here...=[SO you just started with bed bugs as well! I feel what your going through!
At least you are being proactive, i don't think this problem is to be taken lightly. I feel the one mistake i made (Going to my friends apartment) was a choice i made that i will be regretting for the next six months (Maybe longer). I suggest investing in DE, and surrounding yourself in the stuff, at least if they are in your place, they will at some point come in contact with the DE and die. Im guessing you don't live in and around Toronto, but if you are having a hard time finding DE, i did a search on this forum and found a post where to get the stuff! Good luck! -
whattodonext
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 8offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:34:30
#
Login to Send PM
parakeets - 14 minutes ago »
Don't worry about treating your car right now since you don't know yet if you have bed bugs in your car, and treating a car preventatively for bed bugs is not going to work. You just have to do what you are doing--keep inspecting and keep alert. You can search on the forum for some ways that people have treated cars, but don't treat your car until you are sure it is infested with bed bugs. Once you observe that you haven't gotten any new bites in your home or car over the next 8 weeks or so, you can relax (as much as any of us can relax, huh?)Alright, thanks! I won't worry (although hard not too), but i will definatly keep my eyes open. I havent had a bite in my car, but even still it will probably be hard for a bug to get to my skin anyways, the only exposed parts of my skin are my hands and face. I will do a thorough vacuum and then search on this forum for further guideance.
-
BedbugsEW
newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 26offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 20:40:26
#
Login to Send PM
i already bought some DE...will be posting pics in a min.
-
SearchandDestroy
senior member
Joined: Sep '10
Posts: 452offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Nov 12 2010 22:17:39
#
Login to Send PM
I had probably 2 bbs in my car (they got transferred there from laundry probably)...they will come out and bite in the daytime. That's what they did to me.
Steam is the only way to treat a car and it has to be done thoroughly. I also sprayed Bedlam under the seats which is probably a no no because cars heat up in the summer but that's what I did.
Reply
You must log in to post.
