Have you or any of your family woke up itching with small dark spots on your skin? Well maybe you have bed bugs. You say no way! Don't be shocked. Bed bugs have become so common in the US within the last five to ten years that pest control companies have more bed bug business than they can handle. Bed bugs are not only common in motels and apartments but in homes as well. They are thieves in the night taking a little of your blood to complete their life cycle.

Do you want to exterminate the bed bugs yourself because you can't afford to hire a pest control company? Costs can be $1000 to $1500 or more for a house depending on square footage. Well you can do it yourself, but it requires some work. Follow these steps:

1. Be sure the bite marks are from bed bug bites. Look for the insect near to where you and others in your household sleep. They are small flat dark bugs of different sizes with horizontal dark markings. The very young are lighter in color The size depends on what stage the insect is at. A full grown bed bug ( there are two common species) is about 3/16 of an inch long. If your are not sure its a bed bug you can identify it by dropping a couple of drops of alcohol to stun it permanently. Then place the insect under a magnifying glass and compare it to a photo on the Internet. There aren't many if any, insect pests that have similar markings. You can find these insects hiding in small crevices such as seams of mattresses, behind base boards, backs of mirrors, picture frames, bed frames, outlets, cracks in window sills, and anywhere there is a small crack. They are attracted to wood so may be hiding in your dresser.

2.How many rooms are these bed bugs in ? Inspect all rooms where anyone is sleeping. If your lucky you may have them in only one bedroom. If no one in is being bitten in other rooms where anyone is sleeping, the bed bugs probably aren't in there yet. Bedbugs are nocturnal so best time to inspect is when the room is dark. If you turn on the light you need to do a quick overall inspection because the bed bugs immediately look for a hiding place. You can flush them out by spraying cracks and crevices with isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol is deadly to bed bugs. Be sure you ventilate room by opening up windows and running fans and spraying only in quick spurts so you don't have to breath it. Don't try killing all the bed bugs by spraying every crack and crevice with isopropyl alcohol. 

Now It's Time To Eradicate Those Miniature Vampires!

3. Once your know you have bed bugs, vacate the infested room and wash all bedding, clothes, curtains, anything washable. Transfer all washable items in plastic bags. Discard plastic bags in outside trash containers as soon as you place items in washer. If you have a lot to wash, you may have to take washable items to a laundry mat. It has been proven that washing clothes, bedding, etc. in a washing machine will kill all stages of bed bugs including egg stage. Placing the washed clothes in the dryer ensures this. Do not transfer anything else out of infested room. If you have to remove any other items be sure you inspect it for bed bugs thoroughly, spray it with isopropyl alcohol, or if item can be heat treated, place in heated dryer for at least 15 minutes.

4. Treat all floor wall junctions in room with diatomaceous earth including window sills lightly. The diatomaceous earth scars the waxy coating and the insect dehydrates.You can purchase it at garden centers. It is a very safe natural organic dust but you want to wear a dust mask when applying it. A bulb type duster works well for applying it. You may have to pry baseboard slightly away from wall to dust behind it or pull up the edge of the carpet and dust under it near the wall. Treat adjacent bedrooms floor wall junctions with diatomaceous earth as well, as a safety measure for wandering bed bugs.

5.Next buy a pest strip such as "Hot Shot No Pest Strip" that contains the insecticide dichlorvos also known as DDVP. It can be purchased at hardware stores and other places. Read label and directions. It can be hung up in vacant buildings and vacant rooms. As a extra safety measure I would keep treated room locked if you have children. Hang strip according to directions. Hot Shot No Pest Strip treats up to 1200 cu. ft. Do not use more strips than is required. Seal any large openings in room such as heating vents and bottom of bedroom door with duct or 2" masking tape. This room should be treated and kept closed and locked and heated to 90 degrees with a space heater for at least one week. Warm temperatures activate the insecticide faster and the bed bugs are attracted by the heat at first, thinking its you body heat. Treating room for two weeks is even better so that any possible eggs that did not hatch the first week is neutralized the second week. It is safe to enter room for brief periods during treatment. Label of Hot Shot says you can stay in treated room for 4 hours, but I personally would only stay a few minutes. Turn off heater and dispose of pesticide strip according to directions after completing treatment. Air room out after treatment is completed, for 24 hours, by opening windows, and using fans to circulate air. This insecticide leaves no residue. After room has been aired out, inspect for live bed bugs for a couple of days. You can again spray cracks where you know they were hiding with isopropyl alcohol. Again avoid breathing alcohol by leaving windows open, ventilating room with fans, and spraying in short spurts.

You should be free of those blood thirsty critters.