Bed bugs... Who has fought and conquered them?

Dunno how they got in the house but I gotta get rid of them.  The welts on my back are telling me I need to act. 

Boric acid. A metric E36 M3 ton of it. 

But... do you have visual confirmation of bed bugs, or just the bites? If it's just the bites, start asking friends and neighbors if they've had them too. They could be Oak Leaf Itch Mites. Here is a recent news report on it from my town: https://wgntv.com/news/cook-county/mystery-bug-bites-chicago-cicada-horticulture/amp/

Literally everyone I have talked to that spends any time outside in my neighborhood has them. I have 6 right now. My daughter has a big one on her face. My wife is keeping me awake right now constantly itching one on her foot. 

I've dealt with them 3 times at my apartments in 20 years. Check any folds in upholstery, bed frames, and between your mattress and box spring. They hide pretty well but they multiply quickly. 

I've had the best luck with heat. They will bring a diesel generator and a bunch of 5' tall heaters and take the whole place up to about 140F. IIRC they start to die about 120F and it takes a little longer to kill the eggs.

If you catch things early, like find ONE or TWO, the only chemicals I've had any success with are Zenprox EC and Gentrol IGR. You can apply them both at the same time, in the same water mix.

They are hitchhiking MF'rs and they love book bags.

Heat.  About a decade ago the small house I was renting got an infestation.  I think a friend that came to stay with me for a few days brought them in her luggage but it's hard to know for sure.  Cost me nearly a thousand bucks then, not sure what they charge now, and it probably depends on the area and size of the home.  Kills pretty much every insect in the house and takes all day.

What pres said.

The hospitals use heat. 

120 degrees for 90 minutes will kill the eggs, nymphs, and adults. 

This heat thing--do they warm up the entire house or just the room in question?

In reply to stroker :

The hospital seals the room and heats just the room. 

They have a PA code for it they call and a fast response team. Apparently, when you have 400 beds, bed bugs are a pretty big deal. 

In reply to stroker :

Entire house although they didn't heat the basement in my case.  Lot of items that are heat sensitive like vinyl records have to go outside the house to not let them be damaged in the process.  Took about 5 or 6 hours total in my case (1000 sq ft house, detached garage, unfinished basement).

mtn said:

But... do you have visual confirmation of bed bugs, or just the bites? If it's just the bites, start asking friends and neighbors if they've had them too. They could be Oak Leaf Itch Mites. Here is a recent news report on it from my town: https://wgntv.com/news/cook-county/mystery-bug-bites-chicago-cicada-horticulture/amp/

 

Literally everyone I have talked to that spends any time outside in my neighborhood has them. I have 6 right now. My daughter has a big one on her face. My wife is keeping me awake right now constantly itching one on her foot. 

My wife and I got a bunch of these on our legs while at our neighborhood park during an event. The 3 other neighbors who stood next to us under 1 particular tree also got them.

Still haven't found a bedbug in the house.  I'm beginning to think it's fleas from the lawn...  

stroker said:

Still haven't found a bedbug in the house.  I'm beginning to think it's fleas from the lawn...  

Consider yourself lucky then. My sister had her house get infested with them (their daughter's friend had been traveling and came over and spent the night) and after all was said and done, she said it would have been cheaper and easier just to burn the damn house down and start over.

Never put luggage/bag packs on a hotel bed or your bed at home.  

Don't watch Hotel Impossible with that Anthony guy as you'll not want to stay in a hotel again.