Bed Bug Service

Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite…

Ever wonder where that term came from? Many thought it was just a cute way to scare you when you were a kid trying to get some sleep. It’s not just a nursery rhyme anymore. Bed Bugs are very real in Portland, Vancouver and the surrounding areas.

Calls to local pest control companies are on the rise. In an effort to bring you the best possible service and knowledge Interstate Pest Management sent head technician and company co-owner, Dwayne Clement to Trenton, New Jersey to the Bed Bug “University”, Bed Bug Central for an intense week of courses both in the class room and hands on training on identification and treatment. Also learning the latest in techniques and the latest chemical applications.

Though rigorous training at Bed Bug Central, Interstate Pest Management one of the few companies nationwide that are Certified BedBug Free. This certification is given only to a few companies around the country who commit to regular certifications and pro-active customer service.

Portland Bed Bug Removal

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are wingless and cannot fly or jump, but are able to enter into extremely small locations in the home because of their flattened bodies. Bed bugs can live for several weeks to several months without feeding, depending on the temperature.

Bed bugs can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days; older bed bugs can go without feeding longer than younger ones. Adult bed bugs have been known to survive for as long as 550 days (over a year and a half!) without feeding.

Bed bugs prefer to feed on human blood, but will also bite mammals and birds. Bed bugs typically bite at night, but if hungry enough have been known to bite during daylight. After feeding, bed bugs turn dark red and become bloated

How Do I Know If I Have Bed Bugs?

A physical sample of an actual bug or egg is required to be 100% certain that you have bed bugs
Bite symptoms are a good indicator but cannot be diagnosed with 100% certainty
The most effective inspections are conducted by a qualified pest management professional

The only way to know for sure if you have bed bugs, is to produce an actual sample of the bug itself. Do not automatically assume that any bite-like mark is a bed bug bite. Also it is important to realize that medical professionals cannot give a positive diagnosis simply by examining bite symptoms, they can only suggest some possible explanations for what may have caused the bites/symptoms to occur. Obviously if you see bugs in your home associated with your bedding or other furniture, you should have it examined by a professional that is qualified to provide a positive identification. However, if you are experiencing bites but have not seen any bugs, you should consider the circumstances in which the bites are occurring. For example, there is a very good chance that you have bed bugs if you keep repeatedly waking up each morning with bite symptoms on your body that were not present when you went to sleep. A situation like this would be a good reason to have a pest management professional perform an inspection to identify if bed bugs are present. On the other hand, bites that occur at various times of the day in various locations such as at home, in the car, at work, etc. are much less likely to be caused by bed bugs. It is also important to realize that just because you have looked for bed bugs and could not find them, does not mean that they are not there. These insects lead a very cryptic and secretive lifestyle and will often go undetected. It is best to have a highly trained professional conduct the inspection for you.

Occasionally you may see evidence of a bed bug infestation without actually seeing any bed bugs. Bed bugs leave fecal stains in the areas they inhabit. These stains are actually partially digested blood but remember that it will not be red unless you crush a bed bug that has just recently fed. As the blood is digested it turns black and therefore the bed bug droppings usually consist of several black spots in one area. The fecal spots will not flake off if rubbed and will smear if wiped with a wet rag.

Early Detection:

The early detection of bed bugs is very difficult. In many cases bed bugs will go undetected during an inspection particularly during the early stages of an infestation when only a few bugs or eggs are present.
Even the most qualified inspector will be challenged when the entire infestation consists of two eggs that were laid on a piece of luggage and hitch hiked a ride back to your house after a recent trip.

The installation of bed bug specific monitors or early detection devices would be extremely helpful but no such devices exist at the current time. Insect sticky traps/glue boards are often placed out in an effort to catch bed bugs and while these traps will capture some, they are not reliable monitoring devices since any bugs caught on them were by chance and the monitors should not be used as the basis for concluding that an area is free of bed bugs. The use of mattress and box spring encasements that have been specifically designed and tested for with bed bugs may be one of the easiest things you can do to help detect the presence of bed bugs. The reason that encasements are so helpful is because your mattress and box spring have many hiding places for bed bugs making inspection time consuming and difficult. Without an encasement, evidence of bed bugs is often buried deep inside your mattress and box spring, and can be almost impossible to find. However by encasing the mattress and box spring the bug’s access is restricted to the smooth exterior of the encasement where signs of bed bugs, such as spotting and shed skins or the bugs themselves are readily detected during an inspection. Early detection of bed bugs is often complicated when the bugs are occupying areas inside the box spring or under folds on the mattress where they are easily missed. However by encasing the mattress and box spring the bug’s access is restricted to the smooth exterior of the encasement where they are much more readily detected during an inspection. An additional benefit is realized as the encasements prevent the subsequent infestation of the mattress and box spring.


Inspection of encased beds can be done easily, as bugs are restricted to the exterior of the encasement where they can be quickly spotted and dealt with.