• Bed bugs and their eggs can be seen with the naked eye.
• Bed bugs are attracted to warmth, blood and clutter, not dirt and grime.
• There are no cases indicating bed bugs transmit diseases.
• Bed bugs can’t be eliminated by pesticides alone, only through comprehensive treatment.
If your home or business is infested, consult an exterminator quickly. Get recommendations from friends and family and contact your Better Business Bureau for a list of BBB Accredited exterminators and reliability reports on ones you’re considering. Visit www.bbb.org or call (937) 222-5825 or (800) 776-5301.
Other tips:
• Compare bids from several exterminators and consider value, not price.
• Understand the job scope before signing a contract, including the extent of the infestation, work involved, chemicals to be used and any side effects.
• Make sure the company is licensed, certified and insured. Ask if it’s a member of the National Pest Management Association.
• Find out if the company offers a guarantee and what’s covered, how long it lasts and what must be done to keep it valid.
• Inquire about follow-up. Eradication may require several treatments. However, you should see a dramatic reduction within a week or so with proper treatment.
• Ask for the company’s National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association certification if trained dogs are used to sniff out bed bugs.
You can help prevent bed bugs by checking clothing, furniture and luggage for black spots, rust-colored stains or white eggs before bringing it inside. Bed bugs travel through apartment building wiring and pipes, so caulk cracks and crevices. Also, de-cluttering your home will reduce hiding places.
John North is president and CEO of the Dayton Better Business Bureau.
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