If you're getting bitten at home or at work in Newton Park, the first job is to find out what's biting, because the three usual suspects need completely different treatments. Bed bugs live in and around the bed. Fleas live on pets and in the places pets sleep. Bird mites come from a nest in the roof or on a ledge outside. Get that right and the treatment works. Get it wrong and the bites carry on.
Reading the clues
You don't need a microscope to narrow it down. Ask yourself a few questions.
Where and when do the bites happen?
Bites that appear overnight, on skin that was exposed in bed (arms, shoulders, neck), often in a line or small cluster, point to bed bugs. Bites mostly around the ankles and lower legs, picked up during the day while walking around the house or garden, point to fleas. A sudden wave of itching, often with tiny moving specks on walls, ceilings or near a window, points to bird mites.
Do you have pets?
Fleas are far more likely if there's a dog or cat in the house, or if the previous occupants had one. Bed bugs and bird mites have nothing to do with pets.
Has anything changed recently?
Moved into a flat? Bought a second-hand couch or bed? Had guests stay over? That points to bed bugs. Had birds nesting in the roof or under the eaves that have recently left? That's the classic bird mite story.
Why all three turn up in Newton Park
Newton Park has a lot of rental property: flats, townhouses and older homes split into units. Tenants come and go, furniture is bought and sold, and bed bugs travel with it. Shared walls let them spread between units.
It's also a suburb of family homes with gardens, dogs and cats, which is where fleas thrive, especially in sandy patches and under decks where pets lie in summer.
And older roofs with gaps at the eaves and under tiles attract pigeons, mynas and sparrows. When their chicks leave the nest, the mites that lived on them go looking for a new host, and that's often the people in the room below.
How we treat each one
- Bed bugs. A thorough inspection of beds, bed bases, headboards, couches, skirting and plug points, then targeted residual treatment of every hiding place and a follow-up visit to catch the next generation. See bed bug treatment in Newton Park.
- Fleas. Treatment of carpets, pet bedding areas and the garden spots where pets lie, done at the same time as you treat your pets with a vet-recommended product. More on flea control for Newton Park homes.
- Bird mites. Finding and treating the nest, removing it, treating the area the mites have spread into, and closing the gap so birds can't move back in. Read about bird mites in Newton Park roofs.
Mosquitoes bite too, of course, but they're a breeding-site problem rather than something that lives in your house, so they're handled differently.
What people often get wrong
Assuming it's bed bugs and throwing out the mattress. Sometimes it is bed bugs, but we regularly find fleas or bird mites behind bites that were blamed on the bed. Even when it is bed bugs, they live in the bed frame, the headboard and the furniture nearby, so a new mattress on its own often ends up infested too. Identify first, then decide what to throw away, if anything.
A local tip
If you live in an older Newton Park house and the bites started soon after the birds stopped chirping in the roof, check the eaves near the bedroom. A bird nest above the ceiling is one of the most overlooked causes of mystery bites we see in this part of the city.
Do I have to move out?
No. For bed bug, flea and bird mite treatments you can stay at home. Keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry, and we'll tell you what to wash or bag beforehand.
What does it cost?
It depends on which insect it is and how far it's spread. A single bedroom with bed bugs is a different job from a whole flat or several units. Fleas depend on the size of the house and garden. Bird mites depend on how easy the nest is to get to. Bed bugs almost always need a follow-up visit. We'll quote after we've confirmed what's biting you.
For more detail on how these insects behave, read our biting insect guide, or see biting insect control across Port Elizabeth.
Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the bites or any insect you've caught, and we'll help you work out what it is.
Questions we get asked
How can I tell bed bug bites from flea bites?
Location is the best clue. Bed bug bites are usually on the upper body after a night in bed; flea bites are mostly on the ankles and lower legs.
Can bird mites live on people?
No. They bite people while looking for a bird host but can't survive and breed on humans. Once the nest is dealt with, they die off.
Should I throw away my mattress if I have bites?
Not until the cause is confirmed. It may not be bed bugs at all, and if it is, a properly treated mattress can often be kept.
Can I get fleas without having pets?
Yes. Flea pupae can survive in an empty house for a long time and hatch when new people move in. Stray cats under the house can also bring them.
Do you treat flats and rentals in Newton Park?
Yes. We treat flats, townhouses and rental homes, and can work with landlords and agents to coordinate access.