Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tales of Bed Bug Woe
Thermal Heating, only 3 Live bugs found
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jul 11 2012 7:29:29
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Very new to all this, please bear with me.
Live in NH, moved to this apt in Nov. Have two cats. Around Jan, I started getting bitten at night.
Didnt even think twice about being bitten at night, have two cats, and although I didnt see fleas, just thought they were too fast for me to see.I kept getting welts every am. One night I awoke, checked my phone for a message and next to me there was what I now know to be a nymph? Small little thing crawling on my pillow in the dark.
Still didnt know it may have been BB.Talked to Landlord, She sprayed permethrin all around, seemed to help a bit. Then the bites happened again. One night, I was being attacked by these things, still thinking it was fleas. I go into my daughters room which has door that leads to attic. I get bitten there. I go downstairs at 6am, come back up and thats when I see two adult BB on her bed.
Landlord comes again, sprays again. I take a nap during day 2 weeks ago, itching, and pulled covers and theres a BB. Landlord ordered thermal heating. They came yesterday.
I have a lot of wood in my apt, in this mess, landlord removed crappy carpet from rooms. So lots of wood expose, not to mention numerous crevices and holes. This place is a dump. Exterminators only found 3 live bugs, I found a dead one later on on my bed. They pulled apart everything, said not a major infestation, that maybe my landlord spraying helped?
Then the guy says hes not sure about attic. Previous tenants have left craploads of stuff up there. He's not sure if they are nesting up there, but thinks he wouldve seen more.
I thought he wouldve too. Is it possible that I just got lucky. I must have had a female, as I had more than one bug for sure.
Any guidance or ideas here. Can bugs run and hide outside if it gets too hot inside? It was an inferno in here yest. So freaked out.
Thanks
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jul 11 2012 7:34:05
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Just to note, he said my mattresses and bedding seemed ok. That these items didnt show telltale signs of infestation. Also, I didnt have any headboard or frame as it was too big for room. So my mattress was on floor.
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Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jul 11 2012 8:23:03
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Hopefully you just got lucky and caught it early. If the problem persists, I would capture the next bed bug you find and get an identification to make sure it isn't a bat bug. You are near an attic and have had "bed bugs" come for a feed on you yet no signs of them in typical harborage areas (your bedding), bat bugs which look just like bed bugs would do that.
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jul 11 2012 13:17:03
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Thanks for info. Never thought of bats or nor have I ever heard of Bat Bugs. I looked at pics of batbugs and I dont have those. I have two dead BB stuck to tape, they are def BB. Also, Im hoping the exterminator yest would have said something.
Is permethrin known to kill BB?I am moving, as they need to clear out attic and gut this place.
Also, one more thing.
If I moved in Nov, and the bugs were here, but didnt feel effects of bites til many weeks later, is this normal?
Thanks, I know it could be worse, but im paranoid now.
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Posted 10 months ago
Wed Jul 11 2012 13:35:24
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Telling the difference between a bat bug and bed bug is something best left to professionals, seeing a photo and comparing the two won't do it for your average person. They look almost identical and many of the taxonomic differences referred to in online articles are not as telltale as claimed. Not saying it is definetly bat bugs, just wouldn't discount it based on looking at an online pic.
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jul 12 2012 19:41:09
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I think I am confused. I stated the exterminator found 3 live ones. I would hope he would know difference between a BB and a bat bug. As soon as he started the heat, he found the live ones on the wooden window pane.
I am sleeping downstairs where they didnt find any. Havent been bitten but not sleeping. Paranoia is getting the best of me. By the way I was bitten, I wouldve thought they wouldve found more.
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batbugger
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Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jul 12 2012 21:06:57
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Hi:) I would like to chime in here.... Hi blossomrose. I have bat bugs right now from bats that were invading the attic of my apartment. Trust me they look exactly like bed bugs. You basically need a microscope to tell the difference. From what I read about you moving in back in November, and have been getting bit since, and just got thermal yesterday, but don't have any signs of bed bugs by now, that it could possibly be bat bugs. I have these things biting me and my kids, but have no signs of fecal, eggs etc. Its a good thing you live in NH where the landlord has to exterminate.... and your landlord seems more than willing. Wish mine was more cooperative. Good luck to you. If they come back be sure to keep one, and have pcos' entomologist confirm bed or bad bug.
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batbugger
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Posted 10 months ago
Thu Jul 12 2012 21:13:23
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blossomrose0962 - 1 hour ago »
I think I am confused. I stated the exterminator found 3 live ones. I would hope he would know difference between a BB and a bat bug.Oh by the way I have been talking to tons of pest control and no not all of them know what they are. Also been talking to lots of entomologists and they don't even know that much about their habits and if they can reproduce without bats and what not. It's making things difficult for me. There is not enough research on bat bugs but tons on bed bugs.
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Fri Jul 13 2012 8:22:16
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Well thank you to all for all of this input. Do bat bugs have same habits as BB? meaning, they come out at nite and so on? What an education I am getting here. An unwanted one, but a necessary one I guess.
Now, I am moving soon. Not taking much with me, but do have a computer and wooden kitchen table and chairs. Any advice on making sure I dont bring any hijackers with me?
Again, thanks to all for helping me.
Bat Bugger, have you seen the bats? and do these bugs feed off them?
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Posted 10 months ago
Fri Jul 13 2012 8:38:28
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bat bugs tend to be opportunistic, meaning if a person is near their area and quiet, still, or asleep they occasionally will come for a feed. They prefer the bats and generally stick close to them, and it is not strange to have people with bat bugs only notice them occasionally sometimes going weeks or months without seeing one. If you have signs of them infesting/harboring close to you, like in your box spring, nightside table, etc. meaning you find all life stages and fecal traces and eggs chances are very high that they are human bed bugs as bat bugs generally will not set up shop near a human, in fact, i have never seen them do this. Many human bed bug jobs done by professionals has initially failed because they were bat bugs all along and the treatments were being done in the wrong areas. Once again, I bring up the bat bugs in your case as a possibility, it could very well be human bed bugs. I would take a sample to an entomologist or ask your pest control person if they have considered this possibility.
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blossomrose0962
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Posted 10 months ago
Fri Jul 13 2012 9:50:48
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Ok thanks DJames, appreciate and am grateful for your wisdom.
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batbugger
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Posted 10 months ago
Fri Jul 13 2012 13:04:32
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Hey blossom. Yes we definitely seen the bats. It started out like this (long story short) we told landlord bats were in the attic back around May 9th. She did nothing. May 28 upon coming home from hospital after having had my son I awoke to a strange bug crawling across my back. WE Freaked googled it and found it to be a bed bug!!! Next I started going completely crazy trying to find more. We found one other on the bed. I started rattling my brain to find out where it came from. We had pest control out the next morning to do a thorough search. He did an hour long search and only found one dead bug in sheets that we just washed. No signs of infestation. We told him about the bats and he then explained about the bat bugs (basically saying they are the same except they are parasites to the bat etc etc..) He had his entomologist confirm bat bugs. It is what happen next that became the real problem. Our swifty difty landlady decided she would remove the bats herself, and not treat the attic for the bugs. It is now July and we still are getting bites finding live and dead bugs but have no signs of infestation. It has become a real battle for us trying to get her to treat the attic and all, and now the bugs are definitely in the walls! Yesterday I spoke with one of the top entomologist in the country about our problem. I am trying to find out if they can breed and thrive without the bats and to my dismay the answer is unknown! But he is going to research now. He also said he is not positive but thinks the bugs will retreat after feeding. Meaning they will feed on humans to maintain themselves by coming down feeding and then return to the attic or where the bats were and wait for them to return. Which sounds logical but, the bats in myu case have been gone for so long that these bugs must be hungry and are staying close. My daughters bed is right near an access panel for the tub and she has been getting eaten up the last few days. Sorry this is so long I just would like to share what I have learned so if someone else should ever come upon a problem with batbedbugs they won't feel so alone. You can also check out my others posts on here. Pay attention to signs of infestation and please have the bugs examined you don't want to take them with you when you move whether they are bed or bat bugs all they need to survive is blood!
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