How Long Do Bed Bugs Last After Treatment?
When pest control companies spray for bed bugs, they may say that the area is bug-free for about a week. However, bed bugs can re-emerge several weeks or months after treatment. This is why it is important to repeat the treatment every seven to ten days.
Bed bugs can hide in a number of places and can be difficult to find after treatment. They may be hidden under your carpeting, between floor boards, behind baseboards, or even in the walls behind electrical outlets. Generally, they do not feed every day, but they feed about once a week, often between meals. However, treatment can help reduce the number of bed bugs and reduce the number of infestations.
One of the most effective ways to kill bed bugs is by destroying their eggs. The best way to do this is with heat. The heat used to kill bed bugs can penetrate the walls and furniture, raising the temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This kills any bed bugs that are resistant to pesticides.
Adult bed bugs are oval, wingless insects that are approximately 1/5 of an inch long. They have well-developed antennae and small compound eyes. The area behind their head, or pronotum, bears a large number of tiny hairs. Immature bed bugs, called nymphs, are smaller and a lighter yellowish-white color.