Pest Guide
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Very helpful, informative and educational. Excellent service
Justine Carey,
Northfield Road
SW11

Would Recommend
D. Garnen,
Nightingale Square
SW12

I am a very satisfied customer, EE were by far the most competent of several companies I called for quotes, so I chose them on first impressions and very cost competitive. They are the most efficient competent companies I have ever had the pleasure of doing business with. They were totally unobtrusive and advised me on what to do once they left, they even put roof tiles back. They were efficient, informative and effective ñ just what anyone would want, can’t recommend them highly enough. I now sleep well!
Lynne Leighton Hare

Bed Bugs

Cimex Lectularius

Common Name: Bed Bug

Scientific Name: Cimex Lectularius

Identification: 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 color 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.

Habitat and Biology: The Bed Bug lives in cracks and crevices. Bedside furniture, door-casings, under windowsills, behind pictures, in exposed floor boards, behind the skirting boards and in the seams of curtains are the most common places that our operatives find these parasites. An infestation can dramatically increase and get out of control in a very short space of time. They are very common in hotels as they are free to travel in clothes and cases. Bedbugs are a worldwide problem.

Lifecycle:

  • 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

Control: 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.