Adult bed bugs look like reddish brown apple seeds. They are similar to that in size as well. Adult bed bugs are flat, which is how they fit into seams of bedding, wall outlets, under baseboards, etc. Adolescent bed bugs are transparent in color and are extremely small, about the size of the head of a ball point pen. They move extremely quickly, and are very difficult for an untrained human to find. Bed bug eggs similar to a grain of rice. Typically you will find clusters of eggs together. Again, they are very small and difficult for the untrained human to see.

Unfortunately, bed bugs can come from just about any place that humans have been. Think libraries, recreation center locker rooms, restaurants, used furniture (or any item bought from another person), your work place, public transportation, doctor’s offices, assisted living facilities etc. Bed bugs are known as “hitchhikers”. They can cling on to the clothing, drop off at anytime, and then reattach to the clothing of an unsuspecting individual and go home with them.

People typically initially suspect bed bugs when they discover the bites. Bed bug bites are similar in size to that of mosquito bites. They are also itchy like mosquito bites. However, bed bugs tend to bite in a row. If you have 3-4 bites in a row along your body, it may be bed bugs. You can also look for “evidence” of bed bugs within your bed, couch, or other furniture. Fecal matter looks like pin point black dots that can not be rubbed off. Shell casings of the bugs is another sign of evidence.

Finding bites, but no evidence? Our bed bug dog can come search just about any area (homes, office buildings, locker rooms, cars, buses, etc). Tracker and Scout’s highly trained, keen sense of smell can locate even a small number of bugs and can identify exactly where the bugs are hiding. Finding the bugs and treating early, will definitely save time and money in the long run.

Bed bugs put off a very distinct type of pheromone. Most bugs put of pheromones when they are scared, hungry, or ready to mate. Bed bugs do that as well, however, they also put off a pheromone to attract other bed bugs back to their nesting place. They like to live together in clusters. Our bed bug dogs are trained to identify this scent and alert (by sitting) when they have found it.

Our bed bug dog can search homes, businesses, and vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, etc).

Tracker and Scout have a keen sense of smell and high-quality training that allow them to detect live bed bug activity with greater than 90 percent accuracy, much higher than the accuracy of human inspections. Both dogs receive training every single day.

 Heat treatment is the best way to kill all stages of bed bugs (including eggs). Heat treatment should be done by a trained company to ensure it is done correctly. Chemicals can be effective, but bed bugs are often able to smell the chemicals, and then will hide in the walls until the chemical smell is gone. Adult bed bugs can live in walls up to 6 months without feeding.

For ultimate accuracy and in the interest of safety for our dog, no chemicals may be used within 30 days of an inspection. The exception is Diatomaceous Earth because this product is organic. However, Diatomaceous Earth must be vacuumed up prior to the dog arriving.

For the best accuracy and to avoid alerts on “zombie bugs” it is best to have the inspection completed at least two weeks after a heat treatment has occurred.

Yes! Many people choose to have the bed bug dog come and search their home after completing a treatment. This ensures that the bed bugs are in fact dead/gone.

Currently, Advanced K9 Bed Bug Seekers does not offer mitigation services. We focus solely on the detection of bed bugs. We can refer treatment companies that we know and trust. Contact us for more information.