Hi,
I posted here a few days ago asking if something I found was a bed bug.. My worst nightmare came true, it was one. ID'ed by a state licensed BB exterminator the next morning (Thurs.) Had my first treatment yesterday morning - he said after he treated (with Temprid and Gentrol) it was a very light infestation and there were none in the couch, it was confined to the bed. No eggs, cast skins or fecal matter found around the bed, only 2 dead baby bugs in the first 24 hours of my beginning inspections this past Wed. aft.
I've been washing, drying and bagging clothing (W/D in kitchen) since Thursday evening, and began the cleaning and vacuuming in earnest this morning. Here's where I freak out and need help! So first thing this AM, before I even started the shop vac, I did a bite check on my body and a mattress check as PCO advised I do each morning between first treatment and 2nd. Found a small bite on one hand - I don't react very intensely to them, thankfully just enough to notice small red welts for 2 days in a row this week and investigate the cause.. Otherwise this problem could have been much worse! My first bites were 12 days ago at absolute earliest.
Anyway, I digress... When I did the check this AM I found a baby on the underside of my mattress. Pretty sure that it was dead, but cannot be certain. Like a fool, instead of grabbing it w my hands, I took a paper towel and tried to pick it up and put it in my "evidence" Baggie. dumb move!!!!! When I opened the paper towel to get a closer look at it, it was nowhere to be found!!!! I immediately stripped and bagged my clothes, which I washed with some blankets that had been on the bed this week - all are now in dryer. And I vacuumed that whole area immediately thereafter. When I did, I vacuumed up one more baby (even smaller) and THEN, when I thought I was done vacuuming and was checking the carpet under my bed frame (which is wooden w wooden slats across where the mattress goes on top) I found what I presume to be the mother. It was flat, 2-3 times the size of the other, AND STILL ALIVE!!!! The little sucker was still wriggling around even when I put her in the evidence bag.. Finally squished her thru the bag and a plume of blood and poop came cascading out. Mmmmm lol.
Couple of questions...
-How "normal" is what I'm finding? Can I really be encouraged, especially after killing the Big Kahuna, that they're slowly dying off and will be gone soon after the 2nd treatment? (PCO said it takes 7-10 days after the 2nd one for total elimination.. Though its not part of his treatment plan, I'm tempted to have him return a 3rd time!)
-how worried should I be about the phantom baby that was nowhere to be found in my paper towel? What are the chances that if it was alive and I dropped it (if I did, it was near the bed and closer about 4 feet away - very small 1b apt) that it will now infest either my closet or other parts of my apartment, or come terrorize me while I'm sitting on the couch and then start a family in my couch? (Which has also been treated)
-I'm also concerned about the clothes in the closet. PCO had me wash, dry and bag all the things in my dresser, but said the infestation wasn't bad enough to worry about getting every item in my closet dry cleaned, so they remained hanging while he sprayed. I'm now thinking of drying the less fragile items and taking the more fragile ones to the dry cleaner anyway, just for peace of mind. I already have a whole bag of dry cleaning from the spring/summer that I'd been lazy about taking in, that will now go in today..: this is going to cost me an arm and a leg but I work in a fashion related job and my clothes, shoes and bags are so important to me. I refuse to let any of them fall victim to this! I am really battling the psychological effects of this and that would absolutely send me over the edge.
- which brings me to shoes and bags. Since my infestation seems to be confined and small and I caught it early, do you think it would be sufficient to just visually examine all my shoes and bags every few days w a flashlight and make sure there is nothing there? PCO said they only hide in clothing, books etc with very bad infestations. He also said not to treat w rubbing alcohol or DE as it could counteract the chemicals. I am hesitant to use alcohol anyway as I am an occasional smoker (especially in these times of stress!!!) and voncerned about flammability.
Just looking for some moral support and expert guidance and hopefully reassurance that I'm coming out the gate storming and will win my fight promptly. I suffer from anxiety even on good days but I refuse to let this take over my life. I also can't/won't tell anyone about this for fear of being ostracized, so am turning to you guys for help. Many thoughts and prayers to everyone dealing with this.