They are reddish brown in colour turning blood red after feeding. The adult reaches approximately 5mm in length and passes through five nymph stages over a period of time to 128 days. The female lays her eggs in batches of 10 to 50, they are white in colour and deposited on various surfaces with a thin glue. They take on average 10 days to hatch and can mature into adults within one to two months given ample food. The female is then ready to start laying eggs. The speed of development depends on temperature and food availability. Surprisingly, bed bugs can live longer without food and can go without feeding for up to 140 days; the adult typically lives for about 10 months but can survive for a year or longer in cool buildings. This sensitivity to temperature means bed bugs will start to die if temperatures drop below 9ºC or rise above 36ºC. However, modern buildings have created ideal conditions for the bed bug with central heating and easy access to adjoining properties being commonplace.
Preparation Prior To Treatment
Bed Bugs are one of the hardest insects to treat and treatments will only work if the preparation has been done correctly. The bed sheets & curtains must be removed & washed. The room(s) to be treated must be vacuumed & cleaned. The drawers & wardrobes must be emptied & the clothes only re introduced to the rooms once they have been washed or tumble dried. The treatment will fail if the room is full of clutter. The rooms must be clear of toys, books, boxes, bags, posters etc. Be careful not to put any of these objects into other rooms as you may spread the infestation. Objects in the room that cannot be either washed, tumble dried or sprayed with the insecticide (books, shoes, cd’s, Bags etc) must be put in a freezer overnight. This should be done before putting objects back into a treated room.
