Bed bugs

Detection and treatment of bed bugs

Bed bugs are biting and bloodsucking insects which live in temperate climates across the world. They are especially prevalent in large urban areas, where population displacement is most frequent, encouraging the propagation of the epidemic.

Bed bugs are generally found in the hidden recesses of homes, but mainly in bedrooms, close to their food source: your blood!

Bed frames and headboards, bed bases, mattress seams as well as skirting boards and parquet flooring are their favourite places. However, you will also find them in electrical sockets, light switches, behind picture frames, chests of drawers, cupboards, etc.

There are a number of signs that indicate the presence of bed bugs, especially:

The presence of small red or brown patches which correspond to blood or the insect's droppings.
The person in contact with the insect can display red patches or spots on the body.
The presence of bites on the skin.

Sniffer dog

Faced with an infestation, it is often difficult to locate the insect, which measures only a few millimetres.

Our specially trained dogs ensure the most accurate detection of bed bugs. The dog, because of its keen sense of smell, can locate 97% of the infestation, making it possible just to treat the targeted areas. What is more, it is not a chemical product that flushes out the bed bugs, so this method is absolutely harmless to the environment.

The benefits of canine detection:

Economical, because targeted detection means our pest control engineers only treat the affected areas.
Ecological, because we don't use a chemical product for flushing out and limit the use of chemical products to the contaminated areas.
Discreet, no need to move all the furniture because the dog can move around without any trouble.
Reliable, thanks to its sense of smell the dog detects 97% of the infestation.
Effective, our sniffer dog can inspect a building of 200 rooms in eight hours whereas you'd need one hour per room without a dog.

Bed bugs FAQs

What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are insects measuring 5 to 6 mm in length, oval in shape and brownish in colour. They are flat from back to stomach, which allows them to squeeze very easily into mattress seams, cracks in the floor and in the various hidden recesses of living areas.

Can bed bug bites be a danger to our health?

It has not been proven that bed bug bites can carry disease or viruses. However, the seriousness of the reaction experienced after a bed bug bite varies from one person to another.

How do they come to be in our homes?

The vast majority of cases demonstrate that individuals carry bed bugs from an infested area to their own home, particularly in their suitcases but also in their clothing, bed linen, etc.

How does one protect oneself?

Monitor the appearance of any suspicious bite.
Avoid taking home second-hand items without having meticulously inspected and cleaned them first.
Keep your living area clean and free of unnecessary clutter.
Regularly use the vacuum cleaner.

How does one detect them?

Bed bugs are difficult to see because they run away from natural and artificial light. You need to ask yourself questions when you notice:

Itching in the morning.
Bites in the skin most often left in a straight line.
Traces of their droppings, small black specks of 1 to 3 mm, on mattress seams, and little patches of blood on the sheets caused by the bed bugs being crushed in your sleep.

What does one do in the event of a contamination?

Deratisa Services SA, in partnership with DETECTBUG Sàrl, will come to you at your request to detect and eradicate bed bugs present in your home.

For a quotation with no obligation and our expert advice, contact us.

To see our procedures before and after treatment in terms of safety measures, click here.

For more information on our partners DETECTBUG Sàrl, click here.