Bed bug pest control company in London providing guaranteed bed bug treatment and extermination solutions

“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!”

blagomanov — Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:21 +0000

The curious history of the most common bed bug phrase

This bizarre rhyme comes from a mix of maritime legend, 19th-century engineering, and a very literal household pest.

It’s one of the most common bedtime quotes in the English-speaking world, usually delivered with a tuck of the covers. But if you actually stop to think about it, it’s a bit of a psychological rollercoaster: first, a wish for security (“sleeping tight”), immediately followed by a warning about insects crawling into your bed to bite.

The ‘sleep tight’ phrase has been around for centuries.

Before the invention of the box spring or the modern metal frame, mattresses were supported by a lattice of ropes woven across a wooden bed frame. Over time, these ropes would become very uncomfortable. To fix the discomfort, sleepers used a bed wrench to tighten the ropes and ensure a good night’s sleep. Thus, “sleeping tight” meant sleeping on a firm, well-supported mattress.

The arrival of bed bugs

The second half of the rhyme — “don’t let the bed bugs bite” — is a fairly recent addition.

Bed bugs have been around for thousands of years, but they became a particular problem in the crowded, urban environments of the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the earliest recorded versions of the rhyme appears in a book from 1896, though it was likely part of oral tradition long before that. At the time, bed bugs were a fact of life regardless of social class, and the rhyme served as a light-hearted (if slightly grim) way to acknowledge a common nightly nuisance.

Fun Fact:

In the 18th century, some people would place the legs of their beds in pans of water or oil to create a “moat” to keep bed bugs from climbing up from the floor.

Though bed bugs remain a modern concern, ‘sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite’ still remains as a fun, unharmful rhyme.

Author: Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control team

How do bed bugs detect our presence?

blagomanov — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 11:29:38 +0000

Bed bugs have coexisted with humans for many years and these elusive pests have evolved senses to help them identify hosts, locate safe hiding places and feeding behaviour for survival. Research conducted by scientists (1) found that a bed bug’s antenna contains both olfactory (sensory system used for smelling) and gustatory (sensory system used for tasting) functions indicating its multimodal role. They also found the hair on the bed bugs legs also serve as senses and help with locating their hosts.

There is no evidence of bed bugs seeing colour or objects under different lighting, so they highly rely on the sense of smell and can detect the odour of their host and release of carbon dioxide (C02). Early research has also suggested body heat, C02 and darkness are triggers for bed bug activity. They can detect these cues at approximately 3 feet away, and this short distance can explain why they chose to settle near a host, like the bed frame, headboard, bedside or chest of drawers next to the bed. Although their detection of the host is from a short distance, once they have successfully detected they are very fast in moving and communicating with each other through releasing pheromones (which is a typical way most insects communicate). They aggregate after locating a host and aggregating pheromones released to signal their settling spot.

Bed bug senses have enhanced over time for survival, as they can detect chemicals and areas that have been treated.

Bed bugs are also attracted to some chemicals released from the human skin such as sweat and pheromones. Once they have identified the C02 released through their host exhaling during sleep, or being inactive, and follow this trail, they use body heat and chemicals released from the skin to make direct contact for feeding. Understanding the subject and the problem helps define a good action for a successful solution, and that is why our experts are trained to think like a bed bug. If you require more information or need a consultation, reach out to our professional team via the Contact Us page.

Author:

Bed Bug Hunters team

References:

(1) SIngh, R.N., Singh, K., Prakash, S., Mehdi, M.J., & Rao K.M. (1996) Sensory organs on the body parts of the bed-bug Cimex hemipterus fabricius (Hemiptera : Cimicidae) and the anatomy of its central nervous system. International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology. Volume 25, Issues 1–2, January–April 1996, Pages 183-204

Do bed bugs hide in mattresses?

blagomanov — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 18:26:38 +0000

Bed Bug HotSpots: “I think they’re inside my mattress!”

They cannot go through fabric or eat their way through materials. Bed bugs cannot be inside your mattress, unless it is torn or damaged.

The initial instinct after discovering bed bugs crawling across a furniture can be to throw it all away, and assume the pests have left the building with the furniture. Unfortunately, this is not always an effective solution to evicting bed bugs from a property as they may be hiding in other places. Throwing furniture away may sometimes greatly reduce the population of the infestation but often the insects feel disturbed and they drop off deliberately.

Why are bed bugs rarely nesting on pillows or duvets?

Bed bugs are rarely nesting on pillows or duvets, as it’s too risky for them to settle there. It is a waste of money to throw these items away if they are not torn and in good usable condition. Seeing them crawl over your mattress or clothes during the daytime can also be a sign of the bed bugs being disturbed. This behaviour is usually observed when the bed bugs are (insufficiently) poisoned and they come out of their hiding spots in an effort to flee and survive. An example scenario is DIY treatment of an infestation, where the bed bugs know they are at risk and need to crawl out for a new settlement zone.

Bed bugs are sometimes nesting on the mattress, if they are completely undisturbed or unnoticed by their host.

Another reason you may observe bed bugs on your mattress is due to them being highly active at night when the host is not active, giving them a good chance to feed without being caught. Same is applicable to any other furniture that is your resting place, like the comfortable reclining chair in the sitting room, or the sofa bed. It can be a good practice to use encasements to protect the quality of your mattress but this is just another layer on top of the mattress that is usually bed bug proof anyway.

Author:

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control Team

Bed bug treatments in cases of pregnancies and newborn babies

blagomanov — Tue, 02 May 2023 11:20:27 +0000

Expecting mothers rightfully think about the health of their unborn child and prevent certain food and substances which also include pest control sprays and solutions. DIY methods can definitely be a concern due to the likelihood of ingesting pesticides that can be harmful to the expecting mother and their baby, like exposure to other chemicals. Scheduling a pest control while pregnant does not put the health of the mother or the baby at risk because the treatment is applied by a professional who is expected to handle solutions professionally and liable to conduct a risk assessment and share information about the treatment processes, and the do’s and don’t within safety guidelines.

If you realise you have been exposed to pesticides, nothing to worry about. According to a research conducted by the American Pregnancy Association (2021) ‘real risk comes from long-term or intense exposure’. It is however important to note, the level of exposure to pesticides that are safe for pregnancy and breast-feeding is still unknown as well as definite conclusion as to whether birth defects or miscarriage is caused by exposure to pesticides (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).

Combined heat and spray treatments against bed bugs are preferable in cases of pregnancies or newly born babies. In comparison, spray only or heat only treatments usually require multiple visits until the complete removal of the bed bugs.

Heat methods

The two main heat methods in bed bug control are dry steam and hot air. Both combine perfectly well with the professional insecticide spray and allow us to achieve complete bed bug extermination with less visits, respectively less chemicals used and less money spent. The greatest benefit of the heat methods is that they eliminate adult bed bugs (tougher than the newly hatched ones) and bed bug eggs fairly quickly during the treatment itself. This cannot be achieved through the insecticide’s residue that poisons the bed bugs slowly over time.

Insecticides

Professional pest technicians are responsible (under the COSHH legislation) to eliminate or reduce the exposure to pesticides as much as possible and use alternative non-toxic methods, such as hot air and dry steam methods. It is preferred to avoid pesticides in your home all together, especially during the first trimester as no substance can be considered 100% safe. Always seek professional advice if you are not sure how to handle pest infestation.

Professional insecticides are formulated in a way that residue, which is a microscopic dust, sticks to the surfaces extremely well after application. This way the residue from insecticides is not airborne after treatment, making children and pets safe after treatment. Overtime, the professional acting ingredients start breaking down proactively and become safer due to susceptibility to sunlight (photolysis).

References:

https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/pesticides-during-pregnancy/

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/pesticides.html

Author:

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control Team

Bed bugs don’t discriminate

blagomanov — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:25:22 +0000

Common misconceptions about bed bugs

The bloodsucking insect has become notorious in the past two decades, causing people to fear sleeping in their own beds, throwing furniture away or stripping down the carpets. Just the thought of having bed bugs at home can make you feel distressed and worried. The reason for this article is the increased anxiety of bed bugs we hear from customers, and listening to the detrimental impact even the thought of having bed bugs causes individuals and their close ones.

From experience we know that there are many scenarios when it comes to an infestation, although there are some patterns about bed bugs’ behaviour that do not change. Sometimes it’s a flatmate or a family member that has unknowingly introduced the insect, suddenly affecting the other people living in the property. Would you want to call them out and tell them they brought unwanted visitors to your property, or would you beat yourself up for why the bed bugs chose your property in the first place? Neither of these actually matter because everyone is a candidate for hosting bed bugs within their property regardless of the postcode or the size of the property. Truth of the matter is, bed bugs don’t discriminate.

One thing is for sure – bed bugs have nothing to do with cleanliness, although this is a common misconception. Bed bugs do not discriminate, and they would take any chance to get a bite or free transport to a desired destination. It’s actually true that bed bugs do not choose their hosts when ‘hitchhiking’ luggage, clothes or furniture, hence nobody should be ashamed or feel embarrassed if they find bed bugs in their property.

The most common misconceptions about bed bug infestation are:

Bed bugs like dirty environments and infest dirty houses
Bed bugs carry disease
Bed bug bites always cause a reaction/spot
Bed bugs can jump or fly from one location to another
Bed bugs only like warm places and hatch very quickly

With over 10 years in service, Bed Bug Hunters have seen cases where we attend an inspection for suspected bed bugs and don’t find any trace or sign of infestation. After speaking to the residents we find they either have had a previous experience with bed bugs, or have a generalised misconception about insects causing signs of emotional and physical distress. Bed bugs are actually very intelligent when it comes to detecting areas to settle in, detecting residue in an attempt to hide or move to untreated areas for survival, and knowing when to come out for a bite due to exposed skin and less movement, such as when we are sleeping or cosied up on the sofa and watching a movie.

Bed bugs are just insects.

Understanding your emotional reactions and fears

Fear of contamination

Fear of contamination can take over daily life and make the simplest tasks unbearable. Constantly thinking about the ‘what if’ where one can start having recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviours that cannot be controlled. Having fear of contamination includes fear of germs, disease and dirt and can be characterised with 2 components; obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions: fear of catching a bed bug, bed bug infestation without encountering one in the property, feeling unclean
Compulsions: excessive cleaning rituals, avoiding areas of the house that is thought to be infested, disinfecting regularly

It can be a very paralysing and an exhausting experience which can also create the feeling of helplessness and question or blaming oneself. In its extreme form, it can lead to isolation due to feeling guilt and shame.

We have seen cases of people replacing their furniture, emptying out their closets and throwing away all their clothes. It’s true that bed bugs are great at finding comfortable harbourage sites such as headboards, wooden bed frames, fitting or soft furnishings like a mattress seam. They do not however go through fabric and will not be able to enter inside your mattress, unless there is a rip, or into your clothes. Remember, bed bugs crawl, and cannot jump or fly.

Everyone is a candidate for hosting bed bugs within their property.

Fear of being judged

Bed bugs like a free ride from person to person or personal belongings like a suitcase. Take a look at our article Why bed bugs spread around with such ease for more information on bed bug behaviour.

Our technicians’ experience and knowledge on bed bugs behaviour is shared in our Bed bug FAQs. Please reach out to our trustworthy team with any questions via the contact us form (add link to the online form).

Author:

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control team

Do It Yourself (DIY) vs Professional pest control treatment

blagomanov — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 14:22:22 +0000

Chances and risks always vary, depending primarily on the type of pest, level of infestation, the layout of the property, the treatment methods available, the process itself as well as all preparation and post-treatment procedures. A lot of factors could influence the outcome of a treatment, whether you treat the infestation with DIY products or hire a professional service.

The commercial or DIY active ingredients in the UK and other countries with more advanced pest control legislation are available to the general public, but there are professional-use-only insecticides, which cannot be purchased without holding a professional qualification issued by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) in the UK.

Do-it-yourself pest control products

With bed bugs in the majority of cases the commercial bed bug sprays and smoke bombs result in spreading this evolved insect throughout the property. Do-it-yourself methods and products encourage bed bugs to hide deeply in difficult to reach places, where there is not enough residue to completely poison them. Generally speaking, even the most efficient active ingredients applied through residual spray work slowly over time. In bed bug cases, the waiting period in-between professional treatments is usually 2-3 weeks, while the insects are getting slowly poisoned through their nervous system, after getting in contact with the residue. There are products that may work instantly when you spray directly on some pest insects, but others like bed bugs have evolved mechanisms to persist active ingredients or evade the treatment, hidden deeply in a crack or crevice.

Do-it-yourself methods can be harmful to humans if not handled professionally due to not wearing the correct PPE, exposing you through inhalation, skin contact or via ingestion.

Professional-use-only pest control products

The professional pesticides in general are more toxic to the pests, compared to the toxicity of commercial products. Their efficiency is greater due to the level of toxicity but also the active ingredients are different. They are 130x more effective with the same active ingredient (Cypermethrin).

Professional-use-only actives achieve a quicker knockdown effect, while preventing reproduction, eggs hatching and moulting with insect growth regulators (IGRs). The professional equipment in combination with those advanced insecticides in the hands of an experienced and thorough technician is by far more superior in comparison to the DIY methods. The application process is much more thorough, the residual effect and the longevity of the professional activities are greater.

Author: Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control team

Entomophobia (Insectophobia)

blagomanov — Mon, 02 May 2022 22:32:04 +0000

Entomophobia, also known as insectophobia is the persistent fear of insects which can cause emotional and physical distress. Some of the most common feared insects are spiders (Arachnophobia), wasps and bees, cockroaches, crickets, mosquitoes and bed bugs.

The fear of insects or specific bugs can be caused by lack of interaction with nature and exposure to insects, or the total opposite where one has a traumatic experience with encountering an insect in the past. Our experiences create a knowledge base in our mind which helps guide our future behaviour when in similar situations. You don’t always need to have first-hand experience as observational learning is just as important. Imagine speaking to a friend whose house was manifested with bed bugs and due to the bites they developed allergic reactions and experienced persistent itching. Hearing your friends’ experience, and seeing the marks on their skin can create mild anxiety and the fear of bed bugs when in fact you have never experienced such a scenario.

The persistent fear of insects can have detrimental effects on daily habits and social life. Anxious thoughts of being bitten can be enough to prevent you from going outdoors and creating a generalised anxiety due to the thought of encountering an insect. Irrational belief and the idea of being exposed to an insect is enough to generate unrealistic fear. Knowing that most bugs don’t pose imminent danger isn’t enough to remain calm.

Physical symptoms

Most common symptoms of insectophobia include:

Extreme itching

Sensation of an insect crawling on ones skin

Increased heart rate and sweating

Dry mouth

Panic attacks

Hyperventilation

Crying and outpour of emotions

Shaking

Coping with entomophobia

Speaking about emotional distress and discomfort can be very difficult due to the negative stigma around mental health or simply feeling alone and helpless. There are online resources, self help materials and guides to professional support if you feel like your fears are causing you discomfort. Fearing the unknown is normal and that’s why our experts are here to attack insects in your home or office, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise by providing you with information about different insects that make the hair at the back of your neck stand up. If you wish to speak to one of our experts, please contact us.

Shift in bed bugs’ behaviour amid the 2020 lockdown in the UK

blagomanov — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:36:04 +0000

Bed bugs’ behavioural change

Since the lockdown measures took place in the UK, many people have considerably reduced their travels for pleasure and work. Not to mention that some people are on a tight budget or may be even restricted from travelling. This year, for the first time in the past decade, we have noticed a significant change in bed bugs’ behaviour. In the past 10 years more than 80% of all the new bed bug cases were reported to us by people that have recently returned from a trip abroad.

This summer (2020), we noticed something rather unusual that immediately caught our attention. More than 70% of all the newly started bed bug infestations were reported by people that have only been using public transport, while the rest 30% of the people had been travelling, sleeping over in hotels or other shared accommodations. That means that bed bugs are spreading locally more often now, as well as through public transport. Moreover, this summer we had few customers that had brought bed bugs to their properties after getting bitten at the beach, on the South and East coast of the UK.

Tips to prevent bed bugs

Get familiar with the signs of the problem
Inspect your bed frame on a regular basis
Raise awareness with your family and friends
Inspect your bed in any shared accommodation
Wash your clothes and inspect your luggage after travelling

How do they spread and detect us?

While it is true that bed bugs do not transmit any harmful disease, they are one of the most disturbing pest insects in our urban environment. There are many ways that we introduce them in our properties, as they do not usually spread from one property to another. They migrate from outside very rarely, although we have seen such cases. Sometimes it is a mattress left outside or a piece of furniture that may be heavily infested, leading to a spread of the bed bugs inside the neighbouring properties.

Otherwise, bed bugs spread with luggage in more than 90% of the cases. Once introduced in the property, the bloodsuckers hide really well in gaps, cracks and crevices of bed frames and furniture mostly, detecting our presence by CO2, odour and heat. They would follow us anywhere in the property to get a bite and typically do not hibernate in the presence of people. Another interesting fact that should be considered is that 20% of all people do not react to bed bug bites.

Author:

Blago Manov

Managing Director of

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control

Bed bugs, tenants and landlords in the UK

blagomanov — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 18:00:56 +0000

Professional bed bug assessment and report can help in disputes

The presence of bed bugs in rented accommodation in the United Kingdom is not covered by a specific piece of pest legislation. Since bed bugs do not spread any harmful diseases, they are merely considered to be a nuisance pest.

However, in infested rental accommodation there is often dispute as to who should pay for professional extermination of the bugs.

By hiring a pest controller or bed bug expert accredited to the British Pest Control Association, (BPCA), you may however be able to prove who is responsible for the infestation and therefore has financial liability.

A written report from the initial inspection and risk assessment may act as proof of responsibility and help to prove your case in Court if you go that far. Whether treatment is the responsibility of the Landlord or the Tenant the local Council is another Authority that may serve an enforcement letter – in circumstances where the liable person does not want to take responsibility for the matter.

By professionally assessing the level of bed bug infestation, the source location and possible spread of the insect and the number of nests and eggs present, we can tell with very high levels of probability how old and infestation is. This is the key factor from the assessment, which usually clarifies the whole situation and determines the responsible party.

So, under what circumstances would either the landlord or tenant be held responsible for treatment?

Landlord’s responsibility

The landlord or agency managing the property may be required to cover the expense of bed bug treatment in the case that the accredited pest control provider finds out that the tenant has moved into a property that is already infested.

If we assess an average to high level of bed bug infestation, this would indicate that the problem has been there for at least 2-3 months. This is evidenced by the slower reproductive cycle of bed bugs when compared with other insects. In a case whereby the tenant has just recently moved in, it is clear that the bed bug problem was pre-existing. It would therefore be difficult for a landlord to claim that the new tenant brought the infestation.

Tenant’s responsibility

In those cases where tenants have been living in a property for some time and then they report a bed bug issue, most likely they have introduced the bed bugs themselves, even if not directly. Bed bugs can be introduced after travelling or guests visiting the property, in both cases unknowingly bringing bed bugs in with their luggage.

An inspection then would normally assess a fairly new and low-level infestation. This is when the landlord may refuse to take responsibility and the tenants may have to pay or share the expense of the treatment. The infested bedroom where we find the main source of bed bugs is where the problem initially started; this too may indicate the source.

Other bed bug infestation case scenarios

There are rare instances where a heavily infested mattress or a piece of furniture is left carelessly near the front doors of a neighbouring property, leading to the spread of the bugs. If this is properly assessed and evidence is collected, the person who has left the infested items may be held responsible for the treatment. Passage of bugs through the piping leading from one property to another is also possible but rare and the risk of bed bug introduction this way is relatively low.

Our advice to tenants and landlords is to act promptly when they encounter a bed bug issue in their property and hire a professional to inspect and risk assess the situation.

DIY bed bug sprays and smoke bombs fail in 90% of the cases

We do not recommend DIY treatments using retail bed bug sprays or smoke bombs, as these methods often result in the spreading of the pests throughout the property. The bugs literally ‘run away’ from ineffective treatments. Poor DIY treatment may also lead to the building up resistance to insecticides, thus making it very difficult even for the most experienced specialists to cope afterwards.

Every case is different, and the complete extermination of the bed bugs depends on many factors. The best practice with this insect is always to treat the whole property, which is extremely difficult to achieve with a DIY method. The active ingredients in ‘professional use only’ insecticides are far more efficient, especially when combined with integrated heat methods, such as dry steam treatment. For more information and detailed assessments, and advice over the phone, our customer service is available 24/7.

Author:

Blago Manov

Managing Director of

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control

Edited by:

Peter M. Cherry

BSc. (Hons) Biology

Director. Pests Birds and Bugs Ltd.

What triggered the most recent evolution of bed bugs?

blagomanov — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 07:31:12 +0000

Bed bug evolution timeline and history

The modern bed bug evolved from flying insects similar to the mosquito. This was most likely an adaptation to changes in the environment, called an adaptive radiation. Scientists have found fossils of bed bugs dating back to 1500 BC, and they were well-known and documented in ancient Egypt and across the Roman Empire. Indeed, even Aristotle mentioned them in ancient Greece some three hundred and fifty years BC.

Bed bugs have been a major topic in the media since their most recent evolution and significant resurgence in the last few years. Lots of people have probably read already that they have evolved unique mechanisms to resist even the most advanced active ingredients used by professional pest controllers.

DDT was sprayed on people, quite literally

These blood-feeding insects have recombined markers in their DNA structure to develop quicker metabolisms, thicker outer shells, and can enter states of full and semi-hibernation, allowing them to survive in certain conditions even when poisoned. Their senses have also improved making it possible for them to detect certain body odours and recognise our luggage, which is now the main reason for the introduction of bed bugs at our properties, arriving home with us after a holiday.

During the 1940’s and the 50’s, before the evolution was triggered, bed bugs were successfully treated and nearly vanished globally, thanks to the widespread use of the most common insecticide back then – the infamous use of DDT. This pesticide took a vital role in tackling various insect related issues across the world but it had a negative impact on the environment and decimated beneficial insects such as the pollinators, leading to the global banning of DDT in the 1970’s.

In the past six to seven years we have been steadily researching and gathering data. We have gleaned this from bed bug cases, pest control business owners abroad and people from various backgrounds and places internationally. We have concentrated on data regarding the history of DDT and the outbreaks of bed bugs in the past. Having successfully run Bed Bug Hunters for quite some time now, our director Blago Manov has come to a conclusion as to the trigger for the recent evolution of bed bugs.

Our take on the most recent bed bug evolution

Our hypothesis is that bed bugs did not evolve on the basis of building up resistance to the DDT by recombining their DNA structure. There is evidence of a more comprehensive evolutionary process, since bed bugs evolved not just one but several defence mechanisms and improved as a species. Bed bugs evolved due to the mass extinction threat during the 1940’s and 1950’s and the fact the they were nearly completely eradicated. Most likely, this triggered the change in the biological algorithm or ‘software’, which is a goal-oriented process of initiating intelligent design changes. This helps to transform the physical body and improve its functions. The process also depends on input from the environment, which must be processed successfully by the biological ‘software’ for the evolutionary process to succeed.

That means that bed bugs most probably evolved most around the 1960’s but it took some time for these evolutions, or mutations if you prefer, to reach a stable state. We believe that the evolved bed bugs coexisted with the old bed bugs for some time. The current outbreak, 3-4 decades later is mainly because of the steady surge in the number of people travelling abroad for business and leisure.

Insect’s brain is bigger than artificial intelligence (AI)

If we compare the evolution process and insect intelligence with the Artificial Intelligence, (AI), that we are developing now, the insect brain is much smarter than machine intelligence. Currently, scientists are researching ways to improve the machine learning process, while studying the insect brain structure and functionalities. Insect intelligence is worth billions of years of evolution and AI could only learn from mother nature. In the future we will probably see conscious robots and intelligent machines optimised by the brain patterns of insects studied in the laboratory.

Hopefully the study of the incredible efficiency of the insect brain will serve our society well, helping us to preserve the flora and fauna of our world increasingly well.

Author:

Blago Manov

Managing Director of

Bed Bug Hunters & Prime Pest Control

Edited by:

Peter M. Cherry

BSc. (Hons) Biology

Director. Pests Birds and Bugs Ltd.

Bed bug pest control company in London providing guaranteed bed bug treatment and extermination solutions

“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!”

The curious history of the most common bed bug phrase

The arrival of bed bugs

How do bed bugs detect our presence?

Do bed bugs hide in mattresses?

Bed Bug HotSpots: “I think they’re inside my mattress!”

Why are bed bugs rarely nesting on pillows or duvets?

Bed bug treatments in cases of pregnancies and newborn babies

Heat methods

Insecticides

Bed bugs don’t discriminate

Common misconceptions about bed bugs

Understanding your emotional reactions and fears

Fear of contamination

Fear of being judged

Do It Yourself (DIY) vs Professional pest control treatment

Do-it-yourself pest control products

Professional-use-only pest control products

Entomophobia (Insectophobia)

Physical symptoms

Most common symptoms of insectophobia include:

Coping with entomophobia

Shift in bed bugs’ behaviour amid the 2020 lockdown in the UK

Bed bugs’ behavioural change

Tips to prevent bed bugs

How do they spread and detect us?

Bed bugs, tenants and landlords in the UK

Professional bed bug assessment and report can help in disputes

So, under what circumstances would either the landlord or tenant be held responsible for treatment?

Landlord’s responsibility

Tenant’s responsibility

Other bed bug infestation case scenarios

DIY bed bug sprays and smoke bombs fail in 90% of the cases

What triggered the most recent evolution of bed bugs?

Bed bug evolution timeline and history

DDT was sprayed on people, quite literally

Our take on the most recent bed bug evolution

Insect’s brain is bigger than artificial intelligence (AI)