Bed bug extermination on the North Shore

Bed bug sheet in brief

Recognizing bed bugs

Bed bugs are discreet and often spotted late. There are several signs that should alert you:

• Bites often aligned or grouped together, which itch and appear on areas uncovered during sleep (arms, shoulders, legs, neck).
• Small blood stains on sheets and pillowcases, left behind when a bed bug is crushed.
• Black dots (droppings) gathered in the seams of the mattress, along the box spring, behind the headboard or baseboards.
• Translucent moults and tiny whitish eggs in the corners.
• Sometimes a sweet and unpleasant smell when the infestation is large.

The adult is brown, flat and about the size of an apple seed; The young (nymphs) are smaller and paler. Inspect the mattress, box spring, headboard and anything within two metres of the bed as a priority.

How do bed bugs happen

Contrary to popular belief, their presence has nothing to do with cleanliness : they can be found in all walks of life. They are propagated by passive transport, i.e. by clinging to objects that are being moved:

• Luggage and clothing when returning from a trip, a hotel or a stay with relatives.
• Used furniture, mattresses and appliances picked up or bought used.
• Neighbouring dwellings in buildings: they circulate through walls, baseboards and ducts.

According to the Direction régionale de santé publique de Montréal, reports of bed bugs are on the rise in the greater Montreal area — hence the importance of reacting at the first signs.

Why professional treatment is necessary

Bed bugs lodge in tiny cracks, are resistant to many over-the-counter insecticides, and lay eggs that survive partial treatments. As a result, homemade solutions often displace the problem without solving it, and can even disperse the infestation. An exterminator proceeds differently:

• A rigorous inspection to locate all the outbreaks.
• A targeted, often thermal treatment (heat eliminates insects and eggs at all stages of life, without pesticides).
• One or more follow-ups to ensure that no eggs have survived.

Above all, don’t throw your furniture out on the street without precaution: you risk spreading the bugs elsewhere. The Quebec government recommends that extermination be carried out by a licensed professional.

How to prepare for treatment

Good preparation significantly increases the effectiveness of the intervention. In general, bedding and clothing should be washed and dried at high temperatures , treated items should be placed in airtight bags, clutter around the bed, and furniture should be moved as directed. After treatment, it usually takes at least 6 hours before returning to the home. Your exterminator will give you a specific preparation list — follow it exactly.

Preventing bed bugs

Prevention is based on vigilance: inspect second-hand furniture and mattresses before bringing them in, check your bedding and luggage when returning from a trip (keep the suitcase away from the bed), vacuum regularly and use an anti-bed bug cover on the mattress and box spring. If you are a tenant, report any infestation to your landlord — it is up to them to act — and consider compiling a record of evidence. For other pests, also consult our insect extermination page.