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High-Quality Bed Bug Extermination
in Northeast TN & Southwest VA

Have bed bugs invaded your home? Call Pest Detectives for effective pest extermination services in Northeast TN and Southwest VA!

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Areas all over Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia have suffered from a growing bed bug problem in recent years. Although these tiny critters aren’t known to spread disease, they do cause stress, insomnia, and itchy bites – and they won’t go away on their own. If you suspect your own home has an infestation, call us today. We have a Certified Bed Bug Specialist, an extensively trained team, and we’re here to help.

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Pest Detectives is the team to call if you want an infestation dealt with quickly and effectively. Our collective knowledge and more than 18 years of bed bug experience allow us to develop the best pest extermination solutions for any situation! We offer a lengthy 90 day coverage period and a "No Prep Protocol." This means we do any required prep work and you have peace of mind that the problem is truly taken care of with our extended coverage period.

Our company operates residential facilities. When a bad bed bug outbreak occurred they quickly responded and took care of the problem in an expedient, professional, and cost effective manner. I hope we do not have a future need, but I will not hesitate to call this company. I highly recommend them! 

-Susan A.

Get In Touch With Us!

Bed Bugs

Common Signs of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs themselves can be challenging to spot since they’re mainly active during nighttime, but they tend to leave clues behind like any other pest. Here are some warning signs that you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation:

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  • Bed Bug Bite. Red and itchy rashes are the most noticeable symptom of a bed bug problem, and they often appear in small, flat clusters or zigzag lines. However, not everyone reacts to bed bug bites.

  • Eggs. These pests will often lay milky white, grain-like eggs around your bed framings, mattresses, and box springs. Bed bugs and their eggs may also hide inside cracks and crevices or isolated areas.

  • Sweet Odor. If an infestation becomes widespread, you may notice a persistent musty and sweet smell, often likened to berries.

  • Bed Linen Stains. Reddish-brown and blackish spots on your linens might be bed bug excrement in the form of digested blood.

  • Exoskeletons. As a part of their lifecycle, bed bugs shed oval, light-colored exoskeletons, or skins.                                                                                        If you suspect bed bugs, you need a professional! We never recommend do-it-yourself sprays or attempting self-treatment with these resilient pests. This can cause bed bug resistance, and may also push bed bugs into other areas of your home, leading to more expenses in the future.

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If you’re not sure what kind of pest you have, call us for a free assessment! We have an  Associate Certified Entomologist on staff for the most difficult pest issues. We can quickly identify your infestation and recommend a plan of action.

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James Brashears
Associate Certified Entomologist

James Brashears, ACE
Owner/Operator

Learn About Our Bed Bug Treatment Process

At Pest Detectives, we follow a comprehensive bed bug removal procedure to eliminate these pests in every stage of development from your residence:

Bed Bug Inspection

 

Our trained technicians will visit your home and look for evidence of bed bugs. We make sure to account for every possible hiding spot since these pests tend to grow and spread quickly.

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After locating the infestation and determining its severity, we will provide an upfront quote for our recommended services. Our team will explain the treatment options and answer all of your questions. We don’t begin until you are completely comfortable with our process.

Bed Bug Treatment

Bed Bug Treatments

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Pest Detectives use several specialized treatment methods to eradicate bed bugs. Depending on how widespread the infestation is, we may recommend different treatment approaches for each situation. We focus our efforts on the areas where these pests hide and feed. Our treatment options include:

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  • Conventional Liquid Treatments: Pesticides are incredibly effective for killing bed bugs, and we have different formulations to suit the specific infestation and environment. Conventional treatment is generally the least expensive for bed bug eradication. It usually takes a few weeks to completely exterminate bed bugs with this method, but you will sleep much better after just one treatment! This type of treatment includes three visits, and also comes with a 90 day coverage period for your peace of mind! 

  • Dust and Aerosol Treatments: These are also conventional treatment options. Dust treatments last longer and can easily spread throughout an infested room to cover large surfaces. Aerosols, on the other hand, are excellent for direct application in hard-to-reach bed bug hiding places, like cracks and crevices.  

  • Thermal (Heat) Treatments: Heat treatments involve heating infested rooms to above 122 degrees for several hours to kill all stages of the bed bug life cycle, including the egg. This is the fastest way to eradicate bed bugs, but it is generally more expensive than conventional methods. Our thermal treatments come with a follow-up visit for reassurance and a 90 day coverage period, so you can have confidence in our work!

  • Aprehend® Natural Biopesticide Treatments: Aprehend® is composed of millions of Beauveria bassiana fungal spores that we disseminate strategically in narrow bands where bed bugs are known to travel. Once bed bugs walk over an area with the spores, the spores attach to their body, and bed bugs carry them back to harborage sites to infect the remainder of the colony. The spores are easily transferred to others in the colony. All bed bugs that come into contact with the fungal spores have their cuticles penetrated by the spores and this results in death within four to ten days. This process of acquiring spores from a surface treated and transferring them to the colony is repeated by bed bugs nightly. This occurs until the entire population is eliminated. This biopesticide formulation is specific to target insects and does not affect humans or animals. The spores stick to the application area and do not remain airborne. Aprehend® has a 90 day residual effect and is often used every 3 months as a preventative in vacation rentals, hotels, and other high risk environments, to stop the problem before it starts! 

  • Combination Treatments: Combination treatments include heat treatment and conventional methods. These work fast and leave a longer lasting protection against future infestations. Combination treatments are covered for 90 days, as well. 

Modern Bedroom

Follow-Up Visits

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After administering the initial treatment, our technicians will inspect and/or treat for a minimum of one to two follow-up visits, to ensure all bed bugs are gone and no activity is present in our bed bug monitoring devices. We know bed bugs are cryptic and that's why we always use bed bug monitors after we perform our first treatment. If monitors are not present, you may not know if all bed bugs are truly gone until weeks later. Monitoring is just as important as treatment! Follow-up visits are always included in the initial price and these extra visits give our clients peace of mind.

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If bed bugs are common in your area, we will recommend a few preventative measures to reduce the risk of re-infestation. These steps include encasing every mattress and box spring with protective covers and reducing clutter to eliminate hiding places.

Call Us Today for Effective Bed Bug Control and Extermination

Like any other pest problem, bed bug infestations will progressively worsen the longer you ignore them. A female bug may lay between one to three eggs per day and 200 to 500 eggs in her lifetime! Eventually, they will spread throughout your entire home and require more extensive treatments – don’t let this happen to you.

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If you suspect you have a bed bug problem, contact Pest Detectives right away. Our team will eradicate these invasive pests and provide a prevention plan to help you keep them away for good. Call us at 423-534-9771 or fill out the form above to schedule an inspection!

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Read Our Reviews on 

Google review

James was very thorough, trustworthy, professional, and great at what he does. He takes the time to explain what he's doing and what needs to be done. He won't stop until the problem is solved. Would definitely hire him again.

-Jeff S.

Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

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Packed Luggage
Image by Sigmund
Moving Boxes
Empty Classroom

People suffering with bed bugs often have one question in common: "How did I get bed bugs?"  

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Bed bugs are hitchhiking pests. This means they are moved from one location to another by human activity and in belongings, such as luggage, purses, furniture, clothing, bedding, and boxes. Bed bugs do not fly or jump, but they are fast crawlers! Sometimes people get bed bugs by having visitors for a sleepover, or even from frequent daytime visits by someone with an infestation. Bed bugs have been known to travel back on personal items after staying in hotels, visiting schools, daycares, movie theatres, public transportation, and more. 

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Another common source for bed bug introduction is from purchasing used furniture with an infestation already present. You may not know bed bugs are present until the furniture has been in your home a while and bed bugs come out looking for a meal. Bed bugs can also be found in clothing at yard sales, thrift shops, and other second-hand stores.

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Bed bugs are very common in apartments, condos, and hotels. These pests are known to travel between floors/ceilings, behind walls, and through electrical outlets in multi-unit housing. If one unit is infested, and not professionally treated, bed bugs may travel to other neighboring units. Tenants are often reluctant to report bed bugs due to fear and embarrassment. They may try to self-treat with over the counter sprays, causing the bed bugs to disperse to nearby units. Always notify management if you suspect bed bugs, so the problem can be taken care of professionally. Bed bugs are also prevalent in nursing homes, assisted livings, and other healthcare settings with overnight guests.

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Unfortunately, sometimes people encounter bed bugs by moving into a new home where prior tenants left an untreated bed bug infestation. Often, people think they can move from one home to another, and not take bed bugs with them; this rarely occurs. The next tenants will inherit a problem, and now there are most likely two homes with bed bugs.

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The bottom line is that bed bugs can be found anywhere humans are frequenting. They are not associated with filth or disarray. Bed bugs are looking for a human host to feed on and they are easily transported to other places by personal belongings. If you have an untreated bed bug problem, these resilient pests will likely hitchhike with you to other places you visit, work, and sleep. This may cause new infestations for others to have to deal with!

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You don't have to live with the nightmare of bed bugs. Call Pest Detectives to exterminate your bed bugs and get your home back!

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