what do bedbugs look like

Know Your Enemy

ThermalStrike is designed to target and eliminate bugs and pathogens.

This guide will help identify signs and recommended next steps.

Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius)

a.k.a. Public Enemy #1

Target temperature 120°F

Bed bugs have conquered quite diverse locations, ranging from hospitals, hotels to trains, cruise ships and even airplanes. When dealing with an infestation at home or abroad, it is critical to limit any further spread. 

Most Commonly Spread By:

  • Luggage and Travel Gear. Bedbugs typically stowaway in luggage or seams of backpacks, purses, etc.  Suspect luggage should be treated prior to unpacking.
  • Furnishings. Used couches, mattresses, bed frames, and night stands are all highly should generally be avoided.  Discarded items should be identified with a warning.
  • Adjoining Rooms and  Properties. Bedbugs can quickly spread between multi-family housing units through cracks and gaps around electrical outlets.

Primary Items for Treatment

  • Bedding:  Bedbugs  will typically stay close  to a sleeping area if there is a food source.  Blankets, pillows, and sheets should routinely be treated during an infestation to eliminate eggs and colonies.
  • Luggage:  Having a plan setting up the Ranger before traveling will be a welcome sight when you return.  Remove any heat sensitive items such as medicines, deodorants or cosmetics.  In most cases, bugs will not travel on a person.  
  • Heat Sensitive Items:  Never heat treat medicine – bottles should be inspected and wiped down.  Items such as computers should be treated separate (see support FAQ)

Additional Links

Center for Disease Control & Prevention – Bedbugs

 

Bed Bug Colony

Bed Bugs Grouping

Life Stages

Various Types of Lice

Inspection

Bedbug Hide in Folds and Seems of Bedding

Egg <1mm

Eggs hatch within 10 days

Pantry and Clothes Moths

Target temperature 125°F

ThermalStrike is effective against all stages of moths – eggs, nymphs, larvae, and adults.

There are two types of destructive moths typically found in the US:

Clothes Moths.

  • Identification and Diet.  These moths feed exclusively on animal fibers such as wool, silk, felt, and leather.  These moths can live up to two years and start as creamy white caterpillars.
  • Treating Items.  Treating any natural fibers blankets or clothing.

Pantry or Indian Moths

  • Identification: These moths and their larvae can invade cupboard with grains and cereals.  It is also common for them to infest bird seed.
  • Inspect Food:  Food for human consumption infested with moths or larvae should be discarded.  Sealed containers may be salvaged
  • Birdseed and Other: Large bags of feed should be transferred to plastic storage containers and spread no deeper than 6 inches during 4-hour treatment.

Additional Links

University of Kentucky – Clothes Moths

National Pesticide Information Center – Panty Moths

Clothes Moth

Destroys Natural Fibers

Clothing Destruction

Sweaters Blankets and Such

Pantry Moth

a.k.a. Indian Moth Eat Grains

Moth Larvae

Larvae can travel far from food sources in order to pupate

Lice

Target temperature 122° to 131°F

Lice are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on human blood. Lice are easily spread — especially by schoolchildren — through close personal contact and by sharing belongings.  People can have good personal hygiene and still get lice. Unless treated properly, this condition can become a recurring problem.

There are three types of lice:

  • Head lice. These lice are found on your scalp. They’re easiest to see at the nape of the neck and over the ears.
  • Body lice. These lice live in clothing and on bedding and move onto your skin to feed. Body lice most often affect people who aren’t able to bathe or launder clothing regularly, such as homeless individuals.
  • Pubic lice. Commonly called crabs, these lice occur on the skin and hair of the pubic area and, less frequently, on coarse body hair, such as chest hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

Items for Treatment

  • Clothing and Bedding:  Treat clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infested person wore or used during the 2 days before beginning personal treatment.
  • Personal Care Items:  Heat treat items that are in contact with hair such as combs, brushes, hair ribbons, barrettes and towels.  
  • Heat Sensitive Items:  Any items that cannot be treated should sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks (per CDC guidelines)

Additional Links

Center for Disease Control & Prevention – Lice

University of Kentucky – Management of Head Lice

Lice Adult

Close Up On Hair

Personal Care

Combing for Lice

Life Stages

Various Types of Lice

Lice Eggs

Nits attach to hair follicles

Carpet Beetles

Target temperature 120°F

Carpet beetles do not bit humans.  They feed on dead animal products, dander, and other debris.  The larvae, however, do chew through fabric causing damage.

Carpet beetles are often attracted to light and warmth indoors. Often, they’ll just fly inside your home, but can also get inside on pets or clothes.

If carpet beetles are living in your bed, it can be hard to tell if you have them or bed bugs. Both can live in mattresses and other bedding, and are attracted to the carbon dioxide you exhale as you sleep.

How to Treat for Carpet Beetles

  • Vacuum:  Vacuum floors, carpets, and heating vents – especially around the edges and corners.
  • Clothing and Fabrics:  Clothing and other fabrics are easily treated.
  • Bedding:  If carpet beetles are found near the bed, treat linens and bedding in a similar manner as bedbugs. A mattress encasement may be helpful.

Black Carpet Beetle

Most Descrtuctive in North America

Larvae

Prickly fibers may cause rashes

Varied Carpet Beetle

A common house and museum pest

Carpet Beetle and Larvae

Larvae may cause rashes

Lice

Target temperature 122° to 131°F

Lice are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on human blood. Lice are easily spread — especially by schoolchildren — through close personal contact and by sharing belongings.  People can have good personal hygiene and still get lice. Unless treated properly, this condition can become a recurring problem.

There are three types of lice:

  • Head lice. These lice are found on your scalp. They’re easiest to see at the nape of the neck and over the ears.
  • Body lice. These lice live in clothing and on bedding and move onto your skin to feed. Body lice most often affect people who aren’t able to bathe or launder clothing regularly, such as homeless individuals.
  • Pubic lice. Commonly called crabs, these lice occur on the skin and hair of the pubic area and, less frequently, on coarse body hair, such as chest hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

Items for Treatment

  • Clothing and Bedding:  Treat clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infested person wore or used during the 2 days before beginning personal treatment.
  • Personal Care Items:  Heat treat items that are in contact with hair such as combs, brushes, hair ribbons, barrettes and towels.  
  • Heat Sensitive Items:  Any items that cannot be treated should sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks (per CDC guidelines)

Additional Links

Center for Disease Control & Prevention – Lice

University of Kentucky – Management of Head Lice

Lice Adult

Close Up On Hair

Personal Care

Combing for Lice

Life Stages

Various Types of Lice

Lice Eggs

Nits attach to hair follicles

Viral and Pathegons

Target temperature 138° to 156°F

Medical Facilities

Update Nov 2020 – FDA Authorizes Emergency Use For Mask Decontamination

Contact Us For FDA Product Line

Stunt Harness Industry

ThermalStrike is thrilled to be selected by Climbing Sutra as the only approved method for disinfecting their stunt harnesses.

Contact Us For More Information

Child Care Facilities

Disinfecting stuffed animals and plastic figures is our specialty.

Contact Us For More Information

What Do You Need

If you have a special need, contact us at Support@ThermalStrike.com or click the link below.

2020 created many unique challenges worldwide.  When there were just 700 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., the Ranger was already being deployed in nursing homes, hospitals, and intensive care units to decontaminate protective gear for the front line. 

ThermalStrike meets the FDA requirements for a Tier 3 Bioburden Reduction System.

It All Started With A Bug Bite...

Over the last 10 years, ThermalStrike has enabled people to feel confident when traveling, helped numerous shelters and charities continue their work, and help people take control when dealing with an infestation.

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Saturday/Sunday: Closed

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