Bed Bug Extermination London

Adults are a flat oval shape and are reddish brown measuring 4mm-8mm in total length. The head is small and body is large with 6 legs, they can almost appear be a purple colour after feeding. They only have small wing buds but have well-developed antennae and compound eyes. The legs are clawed to allow them to climb up rough surfaces; they are able to climb upside down on ceilings.

• Female lays 200-500 eggs in batches of 10 to 50 in a two month period
• Nymphs are developed within three weeks
• Moults (blood feed needed before each moult) five times

Bed Bugs are an ever growing problem in the U.K, mainly due to central heating. In these conditions they can breed and thrive, eggs will only hatch above 13°C. They purely live off mammal blood; rodents, dogs, cats and humans are the desired host. They can survive up to 12 months without feeding.

By day the Bed Bug will hide, by night the nocturnal parasite will awaken and follow our exhaling breath (carbon dioxide) and bite us from the waist up. Feeding usually takes 10 minutes and they can ingest 7 times their body weight. They are not known to carry diseases but when bitten some people have a severe allergic reaction. A bite usually causes irritation and many bites can cause pain.

The stigma caused by bed bugs makes us feel unclean and it’s quite horrifying to think that a parasite is in wait for us to fall asleep. Patience and systematic phased treatments are essential in the total elimination of this awkward pest.