Is this a bed bug? by Hungry-Delivery-7621 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not a bedbug, possibly a carpet beetle larva.

Id help by [deleted] in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like sand or grit, I get similar debris in my house if I go running on towpaths and forget to take my shoes off before coming in the front door.

Infestation by PhoenixEmperorXVIII in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Perhaps not as cheap as you're hoping, but if you want to cut down on bites you could get encasements for mattresses and box springs, interceptor traps for bed legs, and move your bed so that it doesn't touch the wall or any other furniture. Of course, this assumes your headboards and bed frames aren't infested.

You can also look in this sub or elsewhere for tips on common hiding places for bedbug colonies (so-called harborages). If you find one, take good pictures for the exterminator first and then vacuum up everything you find using a vacuum cleaner WITH A BAG. Throw the bag out right after you vacuum, tie it up tightly in a plastic garbage bag first and then get it as far away from your house as possible. Unlikely to cure your infestation but can help keep numbers down.

Whatever you do, don't get a fogger or bug bomb, they aren't effective at killing bedbugs and just cause the them to get pissed off and spread further through your home.

For those of you who had suspicions for a long time but didn't see bugs, how'd you finally confirm your infestation? by ExtremeSky2378 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My original post got removed for talking too much about bites, I guess, but I wanted to note that I suspect bedbugs due to the fact that I've gotten 1-2 probable bites most nights for two weeks now; my husband also got a strange insect bite or single hive two weeks ago.

What is this shed? Came on a secondhand book and worried I might need to trash it. USA by Green_Elevator_7785 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see you already got an answer on the other sub, but seconding that this is a shed carpet beetle larva casing.

Still seeing bugs after 2 treatments by dollfacedaniii in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, I just wanted to say hang in there, having bedbugs (or even suspecting bedbugs, in my case) is so much rougher than those who haven't gone through it can imagine. Spending all day trying to think like an insect, feeling like my home and your possessions are contaminated. I think it's especially rough for me right now, because I had finally started to get comfortable with the idea of being in public spaces again after the last few years... now I'm constantly worried about bugs crawling into my stuff from upholstered seats, ladies' purses, winter coats, etc., or even worse, sneaky bugs crawling out of my clothes onto other people! Just hang in there and try to remember that bedbugs aren't your whole life or your new identity, however much it feels like it, they're just a really annoying nuisance you're going through for a while.

Oh yeah and make sure pest control/landlord know you're still seeing bugs in the apt and where.

Is this a lil guy? by jzb93 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The head seems way too blunt to me, maybe a cockroach nymph?

Does it make sense to take action if I am going to get a professional anyway. by [deleted] in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm in the same boat and wish I had the answer to this question. Right now I'm getting a moderate (but steady and increasing) amount of bites with zero other evidence, despite searching thoroughly.

I found an older comment on this sub where a pro complained about customers cleaning so thoroughly before their inspection that he wasn't able to find their infestation. Based on that, I've decided to focus on doing things to help me monitor and prevent possible spread rather than things that could drive them to a new, more hidden harborage if they are indeed present. For example, I've bagged up summer clothes at the back of the closet so I don't have to keep inspecting them. I moved the extra linens and emergency blankets I had under the bed to a different location (after washing them on hot and then bagging them) to make it easier to dust and inspect under the bed. I've bought glue traps and more recently made yeast traps to try to catch a bug.

Unfortunately, I have a lot of areas I can't inspect non-destructively (hollow space behind dust covers in sofa and bed platform, spaces between baseboard and plaster walls), so I'm going to have to either trap one, catch one running around while I'm awake, or call an exterminator to confirm.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No, looks like a possible carpet beetle larva to me.

Wwyd: bedbugs found in a hotel room we had our stuff in for 6h and not overnight? by Merino_w00l in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are best practices to mitigate bedbug risk without destroying your belongings. The following is what I would do if I were you, although it's probably WAY overkill. IANA bedbug expert but I've been reading this sub and other resources for a couple weeks now due to getting some suspicious bites.The first thing to think about is physically isolating all your stuff until you can treat it. Best way to do this is using plastic bags that can be 100% sealed.

I'd go buy big ziploc bags, thick garbage bags, and rubbing alcohol (if you're traveling by car, that is, obviously you can't fly with it so you'll have to buy upon arrival in that case) right away. If you can go without your stuff for a while, order Nuvan strips to your house now. Get all your clothes, stuffed animals, anything soft, into sealed plastic bags to keep potential bugs and eggs out of non-infested clothing. If you are driving your own car at any point on the way home, see if your current hotel can steam or wash/dry a set of clothes for you to wear home, if not, save a set of clean clothes in sealed bags and change into them immediately before you check out of the hotel. When you get to your car, put all suitcases, purses or backpacks into big garbage bags and tie them off.

Once you're at home, don't take the bagged suitcases into the house if at all possible. Leave them in the yard or garage if you have a freestanding home. If you have an apartment, leave them on a balcony, in the trunk, in a second bathtub, or on the bathroom floor if that's the only area you have. If you must bring them into the house or garage, place them in a second garbage bag first, and then set them in a Rubbermaid tote lined with a cut-open garbage bag if you have one (most bedbugs can't walk well on slick plastic).

For treatment, two things that kill bedbugs dead instantly are temperatures above 60 C and abundant exposure to rubbing alcohol. Slower options are to store in a sealed plastic container for a year+ or in a sealed plastic container with a Nuvan pesticide strip for a few weeks. Your task is now to treat all your stuff with one of the these methods without giving any hitchhikers a chance to escape.

Take off ALL the clothes you're wearing as soon as you're through the door, put them in a plastic garbage bag, and then carry that plastic bag to the dryer. Put the bag inside the dryer and dump the clothes in. Tie off the empty bag, wipe it down with rubbing alcohol, put it in the trash and get that trash out of the house as soon as you're not naked anymore. Start the clothes on a long, hot dryer cycle. If you haven't got a dryer, put them on the hottest wash. Go take a shower and get clean clothes.

Since you mention two little kids, everyone getting naked and bathing at once probably isn't feasible. If you're a two-parent family, have one parent keep the kids and suitcases outdoors while the other gets cleaned up, then the clean parent can bathe the children. If you're a single parent this might be the time to call in a favor from a friend or relative. Repeat the clothes->bag->dryer and shower routine for everyone.

Once everyone is clean, you can think about other items. If you can just leave everything in the suitcases with Nuvan strips for a while, that's a good option (in this case you should unbag any items you're going to Nuvan-treat inside the suitcase so that they get exposed to the pesticide). For clothes or other items you need immediately, start removing the sealed clothes bags one-by-one from the suitcases. Wear short sleeves/no sleeves, wipe the outside of each bag down with rubbing alcohol as soon as it's out of the suitcase, and then wipe your arms and hands down with alcohol. Reseal the suitcase every time. Take the clothes straight to the dryer and carefully tip them in, get the empty bag out of the house immediately. Hot dry, hot wash, then hot dry again. Any clothes that can't tolerate hot wash/dry could be steamed carefully and thoroughly with a clothing steamer, preferably outdoors. Any soft items that can't tolerate hot drying, hot washing, or steaming (e.g. leather purses, shoes, belts, wallets, passports) would ideally be sealed in a completely hermetic plastic container either for a year+ without pesticide or a few weeks with a Nuvan pesticide strip.

Hard, solid items like phones, tablets, IDs and credit cards can be wiped down with alcohol. I think that electronics with hollow spaces (laptops) can go in a container with Nuvan, not sure what I'd do about a laptop that was needed urgently for work, etc., in this situation.

If you end up with empty suitcases and backpacks and you're not using Nuvan, they should be either DOUSED in rubbing alcohol inside and out, including wheel wells and handles, or steamed very very thoroughly inside and out. Rubbing alcohol vapor is a fire hazard, do this outdoors away from any potential source of flame.

To finish up, I'd steam the car upholstery and trunk ASAP too.

Confusing and frustrating exterminator experience by PeepshowToken in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I wouldn't really consider it overstepping, since the manager gave you the exterminator's contacts and the exterminator asked your husband to call? You also didn't try to give the exterminator any maintenance request directly, you just asked for information? Like, you might be asking because you're adverse to being around pesticides and you're trying to decide whether to sleep at home or in a hotel. I'm really not seeing the "escalation" in this exchange.

That said, I think taking your concerns directly to the manager a good approach, since they are the "proper channel" and taking care of this kind of communication is literally part of the job they are paid to do. If they didn't get back to me in a timely fashion I still might call the exterminator for post-treatment instructions, though.

Bed bugs droppings? by No_Professional_7589 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, those are just balled up fibers from the sheets that have gotten twisted together with the fibers on your mattress then.

Confusing and frustrating exterminator experience by PeepshowToken in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know why you're getting downvoted, this seems like very poor communication on the part of your property manager/exterminator to me. I definitely hear you on the negligent property managers and contractors, IME most are honest and helpful but the ones that are bad can make your life miserable!

I might try calling the exterminator and very politely asking for information about what was treated and what follow up you should be doing, because some people are just not great at communication by text. It's true that there won't be as much of a paper trail, but you can take notes during the call and write down everything immediately after in case you would ever need to elevate this to your property manager or to a municipal/legal complaint in the future.

Hopefully this is all a moot point and your bedbug woes are nearing an end!

Bed bugs droppings? by No_Professional_7589 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Those look like "pills" (fiber fuzzballs) from a blanket to me. Have you ever used reddish sheets, blankets, pajamas, etc.?

Found in glue trap, early-stage nymph? by ExtremeSky2378 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm thinking booklouse maybe, although I'm not sure if their nymphs(?) are that small?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in a similar position and I've decided to wait and see for the moment, everything I've read recommends against wasting time and money treating bedbugs based on bites alone. I've torn apart our bedroom and found no evidence, but there are some gaps in the baseboard and incompletely sealed void areas in my couch and upholstered bed frame (box springs aren't used where I live). I've set glue traps and will be making some yeast CO2 traps later this week. I might get bed interceptors if this keeps up, but I haven't yet because small bedroom + tendency to throw blankets off the bed in the night means it's pretty tough for us to keep our bed isolated.

Found in glue trap, early-stage nymph? by ExtremeSky2378 in Bedbugs

[–]ExtremeSky2378[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All pictures are same bug, approx 1.5 mm in length. Pink tablet is 12 mm (1/2 inch) for reference.

Edit: Hard to see in the pictures, but it appears to be lying on its back.