Bed Bug Treatment & Heat Solutions
Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers that hide in mattresses, furniture, and wall voids. Learn to identify an infestation, understand your treatment options, and why heat is the gold standard.
Get a Free Estimate (314) 967-2847 (BUGS)
Identifying Bed Bugs
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, flat, reddish-brown insects about the size of an apple seed (1/4 inch). After feeding, they swell and turn a deeper red.
Appearance & Life Stages
Adults are visible to the naked eye. Nymphs are smaller and nearly translucent until they feed. Eggs are tiny (1mm), white, and often found in clusters in mattress seams and furniture joints.
Signs of Infestation
- Fecal stains — Small black or dark brown dots on mattress seams, bed frames, and baseboards
- Blood spots — Small red smears on sheets from crushed bed bugs after feeding
- Bite marks — Itchy, red welts in clusters or lines on arms, shoulders, neck, or face
- Shed skins — Translucent exoskeletons found near hiding places
- Live bugs — Found in mattress seams, box springs, headboard joints, or behind outlet covers
- Sweet musty odor — In heavily infested rooms
How Bed Bugs Spread
Bed bugs are hitchhikers, not a sign of poor housekeeping. They spread through:
- Travel — Hotels, motels, and Airbnbs are common pickup points. They climb into luggage, clothing, and backpacks.
- Used furniture — Second-hand mattresses, couches, and bed frames are a major source of new infestations.
- Guests — Visitors can unknowingly carry bed bugs on their belongings.
- Adjacent units — In apartments and multi-family housing, bed bugs travel through wall voids, plumbing chases, and electrical conduits between units.
A single pregnant female can start an infestation that grows to hundreds of bugs within weeks.
Treatment Options
Roberts Pest Control is a bed bug heat treatment specialist with one of the largest equipment fleets in the St. Louis metro area — 10+ professional heat units including electric, indoor-rated propane, and a diesel trailer-mounted system for large jobs.
Heat Treatment (Gold Standard)
Our heat treatment raises the ambient temperature to 120-145°F and holds it for a full 6 hours. This extended hold is critical — air reaches temperature quickly, but materials inside walls and furniture take hours to equilibrate. Heat kills all life stages: adults, nymphs, and eggs.
Chemical-Only (Not Recommended)
Our owner’s position is direct: chemical-only bed bug treatments are ineffective. Sprays cannot penetrate deep enough into wall voids, mattress cores, and furniture cavities where bed bugs hide. Bed bugs are also increasingly resistant to many common pesticides. Heat reaches everywhere air can go.
Our Protocol: Heat + Chemical
After heat treatment, we apply a bed-bug-labeled residual chemical treatment for lasting protection. This two-pronged approach ensures anything that survived heat is caught by the chemical barrier.
What to Expect
Preparation
We provide a detailed preparation checklist. Key steps include laundering bedding and clothing on high heat, removing heat-sensitive items, and ensuring access to all rooms. Proper preparation is critical to treatment success.
Treatment Day
Our crew arrives with professional heat equipment and strategically places heaters and fans throughout the treatment area. The process takes approximately 8-10 hours including setup, the 6-hour heat hold, and breakdown. You and your pets will need to be out of the home during treatment.
Follow-Up Protocol
We return for two follow-up visits to inspect with SenSci scientific monitoring traps, treat any residual activity, and verify elimination. We don’t consider a job complete until the follow-ups confirm the bed bugs are gone.
Heat Treatment
Penetrates every hiding place — walls, mattresses, furniture — in a single day
Chemical Backup
Post-heat residual treatment provides weeks of ongoing protection
SenSci Monitoring
Scientific traps verify elimination at follow-up visits
Honest Assessment
We tell you exactly what you have and what it takes to fix it
Think you have bed bugs? Early treatment saves time and money. Call for an honest assessment.
Call (314) 967-2847 (BUGS)Why Choose Roberts?
- Heat Treatment Specialists — 10+ professional heat units — the largest fleet in the St. Louis area
- Complete Protocol — Heat + chemical + follow-up monitoring for verified elimination
- Honest About What Works — We won't sell you a cheap chemical-only treatment that fails
- Experience Matters — Thousands of bed bug jobs completed across residential and commercial properties
What to Expect
- Free Inspection We inspect your home, identify the severity, and explain your options honestly.
- Preparation We provide a detailed checklist to maximize treatment effectiveness.
- Heat Treatment Professional heat equipment raises your home to 120-145°F for a full 6-hour hold.
- Chemical Backup Residual treatment applied after heat for ongoing protection.
- Follow-Up Verification Two return visits with SenSci monitoring traps to confirm elimination.
Service Area
- Jefferson County (Festus, Crystal City, Arnold, Imperial, Barnhart, High Ridge)
- St. Louis County (South County, Mehlville, Oakville, Affton, Kirkwood)
- St. Charles County (St. Charles, O'Fallon, St. Peters, Wentzville)
- St. Francois County (Farmington, Park Hills, Bonne Terre)
- City of St. Louis and surrounding municipalities
Schedule Your Free Estimate
Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you fast — usually same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check for bed bugs?
Inspect mattress seams, box spring edges, and headboard joints with a flashlight. Look for live bugs, shed skins, fecal stains (small black dots), and blood spots on sheets. Check behind outlet covers and along baseboards near the bed. If you find signs, call a professional for a thorough inspection.
Can you see bed bugs with the naked eye?
Yes. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed (1/4 inch) and are visible. Nymphs are smaller and translucent but still visible, especially after feeding when they turn red. Eggs are tiny (about 1mm) and harder to spot without magnification.
Do I need to throw away my mattress?
Usually not. Our heat treatment reaches lethal temperatures inside the mattress. After treatment, we recommend mattress encasements for added protection and monitoring. Throwing away mattresses is unnecessary and expensive.
How much does bed bug treatment cost?
Cost depends on the size of the treatment area and severity of the infestation. Heat treatment is more expensive upfront than chemical-only treatment, but it is far more effective and typically resolves the problem in one treatment plus follow-ups. Call us for a free inspection and honest quote — we don’t upsell and we don’t do chemical-only bed bug treatments.
How do bed bugs get into my home?
Bed bugs are hitchhikers. They travel on luggage, clothing, used furniture, backpacks, and even library books. Hotels, public transit, movie theaters, and college dorms are all common pickup points. A single pregnant female can start an infestation within weeks.