My Story

About Me

Let me start by saying that I am neither a professional in pest control nor am I an entomologist so by no means do I know everything about bed bugs. I am just a computer nerd who never thought about bed bugs until 2018 when I met them face to face. Then I obsessed over them for several months, learning as much as I could and talking with as many experts and professionals as I could find. As I scoured the internet for information, I quickly realized that I was not alone. There are thousands and thousands of others who are going through the same terrifying experience and seeking help. I began giving back to the same forums that helped me cope during my experience and realized it was gratifying and even therapeutic to help others confront their fear of bed bugs while I faced my own.

Once you have confirmed bed bugs or even if you haven't been able to but still suspect them, it is recommended to get professional help. Fighting bed bugs on your own is a daunting task and if not done correctly, could actually spread the bugs and make them more difficult to eradicate. Yes, it is not cheap to hire a professional but it is well worth the cost since a thorough treatment will entail multiple visits and applications.

When bedbugger, the forum that I was so active in and so indebted to, disappeared from the internet a few years ago, I realized I needed to do something to fill that void and that's why I've created this site. Although I'm confident in the advice I can offer because it's based on the advice I received from people much smarter than myself and I've seen it work personally in my own experiences, I acknowledge that there is still much more to learn. So I invite discussion and am committed to constantly updating my understanding of bed bug behavior and treatments. With this site, I hope to form a community that will share each other's knowledge and experiences and most importantly empathy to those currently going through the battle.

How I Met Bed Bugs

My introduction to bed bugs happened during spring of 2018. We spent the night with a family member who lived in a large apartment complex. The next day, on our way home, I began to itch and found several red swollen welts on my hand and arm. Later I noticed some more on my leg and my wife started to see similar marks on her arm. After a few image searches, I was pretty confident that we had been bitten by bed bugs. Their apartment management eventually confirmed that there was an infestation in a neighboring apartment and treated it and the surrounding units. We stripped down before going in our own home and fortunately avoided bringing any in.

That same year, in the fall, I got a call from my mom saying that she suspected she had bed bugs. She had actually caught some so it was easy to confirm. I found one more on her bed with a light inspection. That night, I realized I had about 7 bites, but how?! I was only in the bedroom for a few minutes and then we sat in the living room for a little bit. Well, it turned out they were also in the living room. That was when it got very personal for me and I started my obsession with learning about bed bugs.

We notified her apartment's management but they were slow to respond. By the time she had her first treatment, I had pretty much eradicated them on my own with my new found knowledge and some handy tools I picked up along the way. We caught it early but I'd say they started on her recliner in the living room and then made their way to the bed. There were many sleepless nights and even tears of anxiety shed during that two month ordeal and I would have been lost without the support that I received online from others who had gone through it themselves.

Since then, I've had 4 more encounters with my nemesis, including in those same 2 apartments, in an AirBnB, and even on an international flight. The knowledge that I've gained from each experience helps prepare me for the next one and the fear and anxiety is a little more manageable with each time as my confidence builds from past victories