r/Bedbugs • u/ihatecartoons • 8h ago
Requesting community support I did everything to prevent them and just found 1 bedbug in my home…
My grandparents discovered a nightmare bedbug outbreak back in May. I had visited them before it was discovered and was bitten. Thankfully I showered and washed my clothes when I got home since their house is dirty and that’s my usual protocol. I didn’t have any more bites for months, & saw no signs of bugs (I checked daily.) I kept my distance from my
Grandparents.
A few weeks ago my grandpa was hospitalized and they found live bugs on him and my grandma. I did visit them & did an intense cleaning protocol when I got home - clothes bagged, stripped down outside, clothes and shoes in dryer, car left on 100 degree pavement for a full day. All good.
Last week, my family came to visit and we went to my aunt’s house who has helped my grandparents with their bedbug extermination prep. She wore a hazmat suit around them and showered at the community center and threw all the clothing/shoes away after each visit. After visiting my aunt, my partner got a straight line of bites up their leg. That’s not how mosquitoes bite, so I ripped apart my mattress and found one single bed bug hiding in the crease (pictured.) I still haven’t been bitten and don’t see signs of more bugs. We looked everywhere. No fecal droppings or shedding either.
Regardless, I hired a bedbug detection dog to come tomorrow and will be paying $2k for a whole house heat treatment on Friday. I will then apply crossfire and cimexa everywhere. I feel so deeply traumatized by this and just want it to be over, even if my reaction is overkill. Has anyone had success getting rid of a very small (1 bug) infestation? I fear there are more hiding. I only see horror stories of how you never ever get rid of them. I’m spiraling so bad.