Bed bugs have made a major comeback recently after close to 40 years on near extinction. Many experts agree that banning of synthetic pesticides such as DDT has a lot to do with why the pests are back. These pesticides were effective for killing pests but unfortunately not gentle on the environment or humans. But what does a dead bed bug look like? Dead bed bugs look like any other dead bugs and if you notice any dead bed bugs in your home it is a sign of sever bed bug infestation.
Just like other pests, bed bugs do have natural predators including ants. If you have heard stories about ants killing, attacking or eating bed bugs there is definitely some truth to the claim.
Pharaoh ants seem especially dangerous to bed bugs. Other ants known to feast on the pests include argentine ants and fire ants. The bad news is ants or any predator for that matter isn’t an effective way to get rid of bed bugs. The ants typically feast when there is a large bed bug infestation and won’t make that much of a difference in the pest population in the grand scheme of things.
On the positive side, the ants can help to locate where the bed bugs are hiding. You definitely don’t want to introduce ants to your home to get rid of bed bugs. This is not an effective pest control method since it is not the natural order of things for a predator to eat every single one of the prey in any given area. Ants are also pests and you will have a difficult time living with them or attempting to eliminate them.
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Other Natural Bed Bug Predators
There are other insects and animals found in the home that also prey on bed bugs. Again, you should not knowingly introduce pests to your property to eliminate other pests. This is not a successful, viable or even sensible pest control method.
Masked Bed Bug Hunter
Masked bed bug hunters also simply known as a masked hunter have a glossy carapace and are black or dark brown in colour. They are between 17 and 22 millimetres long and feed exclusively on arthropods many of which infest houses. Other favourite food for this insect includes termite, earwigs, lacewings, and woodlice. The masked hunter gets its name from how the nymphs cover themselves with dirt and dust for camouflage. Masked hunter bites are very painful and have been compared to snake bites.
German cockroach
Roaches eat almost anything they can get upon including leftover food, trash, dead skin and in this case, bed bugs. These are also undesirable pests but in an ideal situation, a concurrent cockroach and bed bug infestation would mean that the latter will eventually become extinct. Unfortunately, bed bugs breed much faster than cockroaches can eat them. It is also very easy to confuse cockroach nymph with bed bugs.
Cone Nosed Insects
Cone nosed insects are in the family of assassin bugs and also feed on bed bugs given the opportunity. Unfortunately, their bites are far more painful than bed bugs and the insects spread diseases and parasites. Cone nosed insects are also known as vampire bugs or kissing bugs.
Centipedes
Centipedes feast on small insects including bed bugs. Centipedes are also classified as pests when indoors. You will rarely have enough centipedes in or around your home to make any significant impact on your bed bug population.
Spiders
Quite a number of spider spices feed on bed bugs when available. Spiders make good predators since they often make their webs in the bedroom where most bed bug infestations are concentrated.
House Geckos
House geckos and other types of lizards love to feed on live insects and include bed bugs in their menu whenever available.
Call a Professional Exterminator to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Introducing pests to eat other pests in your home is a terrible idea that will cost you more money, anguish and wasted time than handling the bed bug issue on its own. Most over-the-counter pesticides aren’t effective for bed bugs. Only professional bed bug exterminator have access to legal but potent pesticides that can successfully eliminate a bed bug infestation.
Most DIY exterminations fail for lack of equipment to get into cervices and gaps where bed bugs hide, ineffective chemical use and lack of professional knowledge on how to effectively eliminate the infestation. Hire a licensed exterminator in Toronto to get rid of bed bugs permanently. The professional will also take measures to make sure that the pests don’t come back in future. Call us now if you need help with bed bugs: 647-496-2211
