Boca Raton Bed Bug Exterminator Services
Our professional and knowledgeable bed bug exterminators will identify and effectively address a bed bug extermination in your home your home.
Contact us now to schedule your bed bug inspection.
Bed bugs and people have a long history together from the days of cave dwellers. For a while, it seemed like human ingenuity had won the day but, over the past few decades, the bed bug has roared right back. Why? Because not only have certain pesticides been banned, also because the insect has evolved to survive the use of other treatments. Long and short of it, though: they’re back, year-round, and in big numbers here in South Florida—in part because they reproduce more quickly in our warm temperatures.
They’ll travel into homes in suitcases and briefcases, on clothing and shoes, and in thrift store purchases and more.
“In the United States, bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) cost over $300 million a year to control, with an average cost per home of $5,000.”
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Identifying a Bed Bug Infestation
Because they’re tiny and hide well, it can be hard to spot them. A full-grown bug is about the size of an apple seed with the immature nymph being even smaller. If you see a flat, round, reddish-brown, wingless creature that’s about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny, though, then you may have spotted this elusive pest.
Sometimes, you won’t see the bug, but you will get bitten, especially at night while sleeping. You may not wake up when the bed bugs bite because they have anesthetic-like substances in their saliva. Instead, a few days later, you may have itchy welts or bites appearing in a straight line or randomly scattered.
Or, maybe you’ll first see their feces or shed exoskeletons; have small blood spots on your bedsheets; or smell a sweet-musty odor. Although none of these signs prove the presence of bed bugs, they’re common signs. To get this verified, contact a local bed bug company.
Health Issues to Consider
Even though these nasty insects don’t transmit diseases, they do bite people to feed on their blood. Areas of bitten skin can itch, swell, become irritated—and sometimes even get infected, which can become a medical issue. If someone has an allergic reaction, the CDC notes that it can reach the dangerous stage of anaphylaxis, which requires rapid medical attention.
Hiding Spots
After these critters feast on blood, they’ll hide, digesting blood, mating, and laying eggs. They’ll do so in bed joints, mattresses, wall outlets, and baseboards; in clothing and linens; under wallpaper and more.
Once hunkered down, adults can live for several months without food. Once a female is fed, she lays one to seven eggs per day, perhaps 200 or 300 eggs per female over her lifetime. Eggs take six to 17 days to hatch and, in warm climates such as we have in Boca Raton, these young bed bugs can begin reproducing in as few as 21 days. This means a small population can quickly become a really big problem.
Preventing Bed Bug Infestations
Carefully examine rummage sale and other secondhand items before bringing them into your Boca Raton home. Vacuum furniture, beds, and more regularly with proper attachments. Scrub mattresses with a stiff brush and then vacuum them. Change vacuum bags regularly and, before throwing them away in an outside garbage can, encase them in plastic.
When traveling, put your luggage in hotel bathtubs when you’re not using the tub and check bedding for a bed bug infestation. When you get home, leave your luggage in a hot car for 24 hours and inspect everything before bringing it back indoors. Use hot water to wash clothing, linens, and bedding and dry them on a hot setting. Put shoes, stuffed animals, and other non-washable items in the dryer for 30 minutes at the highest setting.
Bed Bug Extermination Services
We understand that finding the presence of bed bugs in your Boca Raton home can be alarming. If, despite your best efforts, a bed bug infestation occurs, reach out to professionals for help. Although they’re hard to tackle, there are highly effective bed bug treatments. Because, for example, they can’t survive temperatures of 117–122° degrees Fahrenheit, bed bug heat treatments take care of the problem across the creatures’ lifecycle.
Gregory’s Bed Bug Heat Treatments
We start with a thorough home inspection, including all places where the bugs often hide. We’ll determine where they’re living and being most active, and create a customized plan that will effectively address the problem. Many times, our treatment plans include pretreatment prep (we’ll clearly communicate any details) and then we’ll perform a two-step treatment process to ensure short-term and long-term bed bug extermination success.
- In step one we use a specialized steamer/vacuum. This bed bug heat treatment creates pressure that flushes out 95% of the population, giving us immediate control over the infestation.
- In the second step, our trained technicians use products—natural and synthetic, all safe and highly effective—to address any remaining critters. This allows us to establish long-term bed bug control.
After 21 days, we’ll conduct another inspection to make sure that our bed bug pest control was fully effective. If not, we’ll perform spot treatments until you’re entirely satisfied.
Contact us For Boca Raton Bed Bug Extermination
Contact us online or call (954) 953-4473 for your free 20-point home inspection and a customized Boca Raton bed bug removal plan that includes interior and exterior strategies. Our 12-point personalized plan will focus on your unique needs and our trained technicians will be happy to answer any questions.
Gregory’s Pest Control has served our local communities for more than 30 years as trusted providers of pest control services here in Boca Raton, including bed bug extermination. Our trained technicians provide premier professional services with a personal touch. Plus, because your complete satisfaction is our main goal, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
