Bedbugs

Everything you need to know about bedbugs

Bedbugs are small, flat insects that feed on blood and particularly like to hang out and hide near where people sleep – in beds, furniture, skirting boards or cracks in walls. They are not dangerous but can cause significant distress in the form of itching, anxiety and sleep problems.

Bedbugs spread quickly and can be difficult to get rid of without professional help. In multi-family housing, the risk of them spreading between apartments is particularly high. For property owners, it is therefore important to work proactively and react quickly in the event of a suspected infestation. Early detection is crucial to avoid spreading, extensive pest control and unnecessary costs. Bedbugs occur in all types of homes – even in clean and well-maintained ones – and it is important to know both the signs and the measures to take.

The picture shows what bedbugs look like and their life cycle.

How do I know if I have bedbugs?

Typical signs that you have been affected by bed bugs are getting small, itchy bites – often in rows – as well as blood stains or black spots on sheets and mattresses. You may also find live bed bugs or empty shells in the folds and seams of the bed. Bed bugs are photophobic and usually show themselves at night. If suspected, it is important that you act promptly and contact a pest control company for inspection.

How do you get bedbugs?

Bedbugs usually come with suitcases, second-hand furniture or via cracks between flats. They can also spread in communal areas such as laundry rooms. Getting bedbugs has nothing to do with hygiene – they simply seek out places where people sleep. A single egg can be enough to start an infestation.

How do you get rid of bedbugs?

Trying to combat bed bugs yourself is unfortunately rarely effective. Always contact a professional pest control company in the event of suspected or confirmed presence. Pest control may involve both heat treatment and insecticides. It is important that residents follow instructions carefully for the treatment to be successful. Remember that early action reduces the risk of spreading.

Protect yourself against bed bugs with Abeco's bed bug strip Lusifer

In the modern, global, mobile world in which we now live, bedbugs have become increasingly common in Sweden. Every year, well over 35,000 bedbug pest control treatments are carried out in Sweden. A bedbug eradication process is comprehensive and costly, and also tends to drag on over time. During the heat treatment, the resident needs to find alternative accommodation.

It is a good idea to get preventive protection against bedbugs. You can do this by installing Abeco's skirting board/baseboard or cable skirting board/cable moulding Lusifer. Hidden inside this skirting board or moulding is the adhesive tape Nattaro Safe® containing the active substance diatomaceous earth, which is harmless to humans and pets, but has a lethal effect on bedbugs, silverfish, ants and small cockroaches. Read more about how our product works here.