Many people are appalled at the thought of bed bugs munching on them while they sleep in their own beds. These tiny parasites feed by inserting their hollow feeding tube in the victim’s skin. They feed for about five minutes then scurry back to their hiding spot which could be inside the bed mattress, or even within walls or other pieces of furniture in which they can be safely concealed but be close to their nightly prey. They cannot be starved to death by an absence of a few days–they can survive a year between meals, waiting for their opportunity. The hosts may not notice them because they come out only at night and only eat approximately once every seven days, frequently in the very early hours of morning before the sun comes up.
Once aware of the infestation, there are many different ways that are used to eliminate them. Pesticides and isopropyl alcohol are two methods that kill bedbugs but only if sprayed right on them. The true enemy of this parasite is heat. Bedbugs are extremely susceptible to heat. Bugs will die within a few minutes in temperatures of 46 degrees Celsius or 115 Fahrenheit degrees. Neither bedbug eggs nor young can survive these temperatures. Bed bug exterminators have developed equipment to exploit this weakness when eradicating this pest.
Many homes have the equipment already on hand ideal to apply this type of heat: fabric steamers. The steamers can generate enough heat to kill bedbugs, their eggs and any offspring virtually instantly. The advantage of using a steamer lies in the ability of the hot vapor to penetrate layers of the mattress, and reach every corner to which that pests may retreat. Using a steamer that reaches temperatures of at least 49 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes or more has been successful for the United States Department of Defense. These temperatures are enough to kill the bedbug in all of its reproductive stages so the population cannot make a comeback. Large ovens that can be used for this method of pest extermination exist. Unfortunately, the sun is not powerful enough to generate this type of heat, even if the mattress is exposed to sunlight on a hot day, or encased in black plastic and exposed to hot sun.
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