Bedbugs Are On The Increase, Are We In Danger?

The Danger of Bedbugs By Jessica N King

Many people wonder about the danger of bedbugs to humans. Well, here is a detailed article on the danger of bedbugs.

Generally, bedbugs are parasitic - they feed on their hosts while they are sleeping. The blood is supplied by the host almost painlessly, and the host is never aware that it is happening.

What also happens it this - the bedbug, while feeding, injects some saliva into the skin of the host, and as a result of gradual feeding, more and more saliva is introduced, and finally the human becomes sensitized to the saliva, then the host starts to develop a mild to intense allergic response.

Those people, who have become sensitive to the bites of bedbugs and their saliva, have lesions similar to flea bites or mosquito bites. Generally, people tend to think they have been bitten by some insect - maybe a mosquito, and never know which insect it actually was.

The common bedbug goes by the scientific name of Cimex lectularius - it is quite well adapted to the human environment, and is more often than not found in temperate climates. The Cimex hemiterus, on the other hand, is more common in the tropical regions - it feeds on poultry and bats' blood. There is also the Leptocimex boueti, which is found generally in South America and West Africa - it feeds on the blood of bats and humans.

In North America, there is Haematosiphon inodora - which feeds generally on poultry. Bedbugs are generally quite dangerous when they bite - when you are bitten, you will see a raised red bump of flat welt (which is also referred to as a papule or a wheal) - this will itch tremendously.

There is a special anesthetic in the bedbug saliva, which sometimes causes an allergic reaction - which is why you have red bumps. These bites tend to last much longer - but the symptoms only affect the surface of the skin.

For more information, visit pestmall.com. They offer information on bed bugs, including products for bed bug control.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_N_King

Have You Been Getting Bit By Pesky Fleas?

Flea Control
By Elizabeth Morgan

Fleas are small insects that are capable of giving humans and their pets big troubles with a little stab of their proboscis. There are over 2,400 species of fleas worldwide, but fortunately, there are just four or five species of fleas that are a threat to humans. The most commonly found species in America is the cat flea, which feeds on cats and dogs, as well as humans.

An infestation of fleas can be a serious threat, not merely an annoyance, in some cases. Flea bites can cause skin irritations as well serious allergies in pets and humans. Sometimes, more dangerous fleas pass on serious diseases. So it becomes very important to prevent them from breeding, or destroying them once they are present, by using various measures.

The first step towards stopping the growth of the fleas is through vacuuming the house on a regular basis. This helps in keeping the flea population low by killing adult and egg-stage fleas, although vacuuming has not proven very effective in killing the flea larvae. As a more advanced step, cracks should be sealed after vacuuming, to permanently eliminate these favorite breeding areas for fleas.

In cases of severe infestation, steam cleaning and other measures might be required. Research shows that if a cat flea larva is exposed to 103*F for one hour, it dies. Some commercial devices are available in the market to produce such lethal temperatures. As this tool that generates heat consists of a loose shaft, it can only be applied locally. Therefore, fleas may escape by hiding in the carpet or elsewhere.

Another method of killing fleas is by using insecticide on the organic matter accumulated outside the house. Another product, named Insecticidal Dust, containing silica aero gel, is also successful in killing fleas by rupturing their skin and absorbing the oil and moisture.

The direct application of products containing citrus peel extracts, d-limonene, and linalool on pets’ bedding are useful in killing fleas in all the stages of growth. Finally, pest control products sold by veterinary doctors, like sodium poly-borate, applied on carpets, are also useful in killing fleas.

Taking preventative steps at the right time can save us from the annoyance and troubles caused by these tiny creatures; but if we already have them, there are a number of ways to eliminate them.

Fleas provides detailed information about fleas defined, cat fleas, dog fleas, flea bites and more. Fleas is the sister site of Pitbulls Info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan

A Good Story - A Mouse In The House

I came across a good story of someone's personal experience with rodents invading his house. I thought that you might enjoy it as I did. Here is an excerpt of the article and there is a link to the rest of the story below. I don't know how long the story will be on his site but have a look. Enjoy!

Mouse in the House
By: Hubert Crowell

Day One

I awoke early in the morning about 3:00 A.M. to the sound of stirring above the drop ceiling in our basement bathroom, the weather-had turn cold and had driven something into our warm home. We have lived in the same house for more than thirty years and have had only one mouse get in during the first few years that we occupied the house, so I was surprised.

As I do most of the work or had in the past, I was sure that there were no openings that a mouse could get through but apparently I was wrong. Our parents live upstairs on the main floor and we no occupy the basement.

Over the years we have on two occasions a squirrel came down the chimney and at that time with a cat in the house it caused quite a sene with the cat guarding the fire place and the squirrel starring back through the screen. Before it was out the door, the squirrel ran down the hall and into the bedroom, bounced off the wall and then returned to the front of the house and out the front door.

The second squirrel came down the chimney after we had an evening fire or maybe during the fire. The next morning we could hear him in the chimney and he did not sound too good. Later in the day it got quite and I knew that something had to be done. Chimneys' have a space behind the flue to prevent rain water from entering the fireplace and I assumed that must be where he was, dead I hoped.

I put on a glove and tried to see if I could get my arm up and through the flue opening. After twisting and turning my arm, I manage to get my elbow up above the flue, now to find the squirrel. I was not sure if he was dead, but at least he was not moving.

Back to the mouse, we found mice droppings in the upstairs kitchen and a box in the pantry behind the stairs that had been chewed into. He had found his food supply. After cleaning up the mess all agreed that something had to done immediately. So I headed off to the closest store to find a mouse trap. Do you know how hard it is to find a mouse trap today, after checking four stores I finely located a package of two old fashion spring loaded mouse traps?

That night I set one in the kitchen loaded with fresh cheese and another above the drop ceiling in the basement bathroom . . .

Day Two And Beyond of the Mouse In The House . . .

Rodents! How to Keep Them Out Of Your Home

I was cruising around the pest control sites today researching some material for a quotation I am working on and found some excellent information on rodent proofing your structures.

Here is a tiny bit of it and believe me when I say that if you are looking into rodent prevention there is a ton of things you can do to protect yourself against the little critters.

The Importance of Rodent-Proof Construction
Rats and mice cause serious damage to all kinds of structures if they are allowed access to them. Damage by rodents has been documented in homes, apartments, hotels, office complexes, retail businesses, manufacturing facilities, food processing and warehouse facilities, public utility operations (especially power and electronic media operations), farm and feed storage buildings, and other structures.

In urban settings, rodents most often cause damage to older, inner-city buildings and utilities in poor repair. New housing developments may experience commensal rodent problems, but problems are more noticeable in neighborhoods 10 to 12 years of age or older. Ornamental plantings, accumulation of refuse, woodpiles, and other such sources of harborage and food are more quickly invaded and occupied by rodents when adjacent to an established rodent habitat.

Many types of land, air, and water transportation systems and their infrastructure also face serious rodent infestation problems. Infestations are of particular concern in the transportation of foodstuffs, feed, and other agricultural products. Commensal rodents consume and contaminate human and livestock feed. One rat can eat about 1/2 pound (227 g) of feed per week, and will contaminate and waste perhaps 10 times that amount.

Rodents destroy insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, and other structural components of buildings (Fig. 1). Insulation damage alone may amount to a loss of several thousand dollars in only a few years. Energy loss from damaged buildings results in added annual costs. Rodent-induced fires from damaged electrical wiring or nest building in electrical panels cause loss of property and threaten human safety.

Rodents also serve as vectors or reservoirs of a variety of diseases, such as salmonellosis, leptospirosis, and murine typhus, that are transmittable to humans. Additionally, they may be sources of swine dysentery, brucellosis, sarcoptic mange, and tuberculosis, all of which affect livestock or pets.

The most effective means of limiting rodent damage is rodent-proof construction. New buildings should be designed and built to prevent rodent entry. Rodent-proofing is a good investment. Designing and constructing a rodent-proof building is less expensive than adding rodent-proofing later. Nevertheless, poor maintenance or management practices, such as leaving entry doors and unscreened windows open, will make the best constructed building susceptible to rodent entry.

Read more here

Pest Prevention And Non Toxic Household Pest Control

Non Toxic Pest Control For Your House And Garden

Pesticides are toxic and, while often effective against pests, can be dangerous for your family and pets. Outdoors, sprayed pesticides might drift on a breeze and dust your vegetable garden or your neighbor's yard. Indoors, pesticides can linger in the air, exposing the family to harmful chemicals. For these reasons, many people are turning to nontoxic pest control methods.

Prevention is the best way to control pests, but there are times when even the most thorough preventative measures will not save you from intruders, so this article discusses both preventative pest control methods and nontoxic pest control products.

Preventative Pest Control Methods

Sanitation:
As they say, cleanliness is next to godliness. And it keeps pests out, too. Keeping your home clean is the most effective pest control method. If you don't leave food or dirty dishes lying around the house, animals and insects won't be attracted to the smell. Sweep and vacuum regularly.

Remember, just because you can't see crumbs doesn't mean they don't exist. Clean inside pantries and cabinets cabinets, under and around the stove and refrigerator at least once a year.

Screens:
This may seem obvious, but screens on doors and windows are a simple and relatively cheap way to keep insects out of the house. Also, screens on crawlspaces keep rodents from obtaining easy access routes into the house.

Caulking:
By caulking cracks in your house, you can minimize places for insects to hide and nest. Target bathrooms and the kitchen, especially doors and windows.

Nontoxic Pest Control Products

Traps:
There are many kinds of traps available that target many kinds of pests. Some examples are sticky traps for cockroaches, glueboards for mice, flypaper, bug zappers, and traps specifically for rats, gophers, or moles. You can usually pick up traps at your local Home and Garden store.

Pheromones:
Pheromones, essentially insect scent hormones, can be used in traps as bait. By emitting the scent of the female insect, pheromones can be used to lure males into a trap, where they are caught in a sticky glue. Insects are only attracted by pheromones emitted by their own kind, so you need to know exactly what kind of insects you're trying to eliminate and plan accordingly.

Biological Control:
Biological control is more often used in agriculture but can sometimes be used in home and garden situations as well. Basically it means using desirable organisms to eliminate undesirable organisms.

For instance, planting certain plants in your garden can deter certain pests. For example, spearmint repels ants. Garlic repels Japanese Beetles. Indoors, spiders eat fruit flies and houseflies, so it may be worth leaving some of those webs around.

Repellents:
There are nontoxic repellents available for pest control. Mosquito repellents are the most popular, but if you look around, you can find repellents that target other pests. Some herbs, like eucalyptus and wormwood, are known for repelling animals and insects.

by TC Thorn

TC Thorn writes for http://www.pestinformation.com/ where you can find more pest control information.

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Bed Bugs? How Can I Tell If I have Bedbugs?

Bed Bugs - the Blood Sucking Pest

Bed Bugs; they are everywhere. One can encounter articles on bed bugs to the left and right; in science journals and online. Why is everyone so interested in bed bugs? Because they are pests, and if we have them in our homes, thus we need to know what they are and more importantly, how to get rid of them.

The first type of articles on bed bugs that you may encounter describes what a bed bug is. A physical description of the parasite can help give us differentiate it from other parasites. Thus, F.Y.I., adult bed bugs are 1/4 inch long and are reddish brown in colour, with oval and flat bodies. Often these articles on bed bugs provide photographs that make it easier for us to identify the insect…though harder to keep our dinner down.

According to various experts on bed bugs, there is not just one type of bed bug…no, there are many different types of bed bugs. Bad news. Aside from the common bed bug that preys on human blood, there are bed bugs that prefer animal blood like birds or bats.

To allow a better understanding, articles on bed bugs offer a glimpse of the creature’s life cycle. Female bed bugs take their eggs and lay in hidden areas. They can give birth to 500 eggs during a lifetime. The eggs are very small, whitish, and may need magnification to be identified.

Ready for more in depth knowledge on bed bugs? Eggs are sticky when first laid; making it stick to whatever surface they are placed. When they hatch, they are no bigger that a pinhead. As these bed bugs grow, they shed their skins. Some say that this shedding can happen five times before becoming adults.

Experts on bed bugs suggest that the speed of the bed bug’s development rely on the right temperature, about 70 - 90° F. At that rate they can complete their transition from eggs to adult bed bug in a month.

Cool temperatures and limited access to a prey can delay the full maturity of the bed bugs. However, this does not mean that they die easily. Bed bugs have been compared to cockroaches in resilience. Bed bugs can survive months at a time not feeding. The adults can even stay alive for a year or more without a blood meal.

Bed bugs are nocturnal creatures. As parasites, they move unnoticeably within our homes, furniture, carpets, bed, etc… Although they can’t fly, they are very quick insects and can move with ease through almost every surface.

Bed bugs are patient parasites. When the bed bugs feed, they pierce the human skin with their beaks and suck the blood through. Unlike mosquitoes, bed bugs take their time in feeding. They get engorged after three to ten minutes. This slow method could be the reason why people do not wake up while the bedbug is actually biting.

The most helpful articles on bed bugs are the ones that show us how to detect these pests in our homes. One sure sign that there are bed bugs under the sheets are dark brownish satins and spotting on the mattress. Experts on bed bugs identify this as the pest’s excrement or droppings.

The physical manifestations of a bed bug bite can be mistaken for other types of insects. But if tiny drops of blood on the sheets, pillowcases or walls accompany the itchy, swelling welt on your exposed skin, then you just may be sleeping with a pest on your bed.

Once you have confirmed that bed bugs do exist in your mattress, most experts strongly suggest that you throw your bed away. Spraying pesticides on the bed may be poisonous for the owner, if he intends to sleep on it afterwards.

Where one bed bug lives, there are hundreds more. Since articles on bed bugs say that bed bugs are hard to spot, you may want to hire pest control to check your entire home for any infestation. These bed bugs may also be living in your pet’s day bed or doghouse and are mistaken for ticks.

by Nat Price

Nat Price is the owner and creator of Superzyme.com. He is a veritable expert on bed bugs and, more importantly, how to get rid of them. To find out more about these pesky creatures, visit http://www.superzyme.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nat_Price

Glue Trap Lights For Fly Control

Glue Board Fly Killers

What is a glue board? A glue board (aka sticky board or gluepad) is a piece of stiff card with very heavy adhesive on one side. It is inserted into a fly killer machine.

What is a fly killer machine? It is a device that attracts flying insects by shining ultra violet light and then traps them.

What is ultra violet (uv) light? It is light just like any other light. It just happens to be invisible to humans but not to flies, who are extremely partial to it and tend to eagerly fly towards it. Anyway, a fly killer machine attracts flies using its uv light. Some fly killer machines have electric grids that electrocute the fly while others have glue boards on which the fly is trapped. This brings us back where we started.

Once the fly is trapped, it is no longer a threat. Fly killer machines that use glue boards are often used in situations where silent operation is required. Fly killers that electrocute (or zap) the fly give out an unmistakable noise that lets everyone know that the machine has made a kill.

Some restaurants would prefer a more subtle operation where the fly discreetly flies into the fly killer machine and never comes out - and no sound is ever heard. Glue board fly killer machines are often made to mimic wall lights. Diners in a restaurant will not give these lamps a second glance, but they are not lamps in the normal sense.

They are difference between having a fly spreading germs and giving the restaurant a bad name and a restaurant that pays regard to hygiene and has a good reputation.

If you live near a field or know somebody that does, then you may be aware that they will get more than their fair share of flies (and wasps). Similarly, if you keep livestock, have stables or even a dog, you will have more than the average amount of visits from curious flying insects. The same goes if you live near a food production plant or a refuse dump.

For those who are in these areas, they too may prefer one of these discreet fly killer "lamps" instead of the industrial-looking zappers. Life is more comfortable in a fly-free environment. There is nothing worse than trying to entertain friends with a rolled up newspaper in one hand, at the ready. To be on constant guard when you should be relaxing is not ideal. Worse still is the fact that your unwelcome visitors - the flying ones, not your friends - will also spread disease.

They will typically visit animal droppings, or a trash can, and then fly around your kitchen, spreading germs that they have picked up on their feet or regurgitating their own saliva on solids that they need to soften in order to digest. Not nice - and completely avoidable if a fly killer machine is used.

Fly killers fitted with glueboards will use less electricity than zapper fly killers. In an age when electricity prices are rising this is an increasingly significant consideration. There are also those who like to count their dead flies. Why, you may ask? Counting how many flies are killed will give an indication of the fly killer machine's effectiveness and an idea of flying insect activity.

This is particularly useful to entomologists and other scientists and researchers, especially those concerned with the environment. Pest controllers will also use this method to determine the best place to site a fly killer. By moving the machine from one location to another they can count the amount of flies caught and determine the best place to site the machine. Manufacturers of fly killer machines, such as Insect-o-cutor. also use this method to test fly killer machine designs.

The method of trapping flying insects using glue has been with us for a very long time and way before electricity came along and gave us zappers. Hanging sticky papers is a practice that still happens today. It is much less common as most people would rather not see lots of dead flies hanging in their kitchen.

Not only did electricity give us zappers but it also gave us ultra violet lamps. These will attract the flies to the glue, whereas sticky papers tended to only work if there were enough of them or if the fly's seemingly random flight pattern happened to take it to the paper.

Glue board fly killers are used extensively around the world. If you knew very little about them before and know more now, then at least, when you next are harassed by a fly that refuses to be swatted, you know there is another way to do it.

by Vernon Stent

Vernon Stent is the content writer for Arkay Hygiene. Here is a glue board fly killer, and here is a glue board

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vernon_Stent