Bed bugs are adept hitchhikers that can quickly enter homes. Once inside, they often cling to dark-hued mattresses, box springs or bed frames where they find refuge from light sources.
Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown in color with oval bodies. Their young, known as nymphs, have translucent yellowish bodies with no wings.
They Bite
Bed bugs feed on humans as their primary host. Bed bugs feed on exposed skin in sleeping humans’ shoulders, backs, arms and legs – leaving blood spots, shed exoskeletons, musty smells and fecal stains as they move about an infested dwelling.
Their bites may be itchy, but they do not transmit disease. Most bites tend to cluster together, making them easy to identify. While some individuals don’t react at all to bed bug bites, others experience pain and inflammation from being bitten.
Under ideal conditions, bed bugs can develop to their next life stage (eggs) within about a month and produce multiple generations per year. They require regular access to fresh blood in order to flourish. You can click the link: https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/bed-bugs-appearance-and-life-cycle to learn more.
Instead of attacking only ankles and feet like fleas do, bed bugs feed on any exposed skin while someone sleeps, even clothing and luggage. People can avoid bringing home bed bugs from hotels by covering mattresses in protective covers and washing all clothing in hot, soapy water before returning home from visiting an infested location.
Bed bugs tend to hide in seams, tags and piping of mattresses and box springs; cracks in headboards, nightstands and dressers; crevices along walls and floors as well as between ceiling and walls at junction points. They may also be found under clothing clutter in closets as well as book bindings inside clocks, TV sets and smoke detectors.
They Are Parasitic
Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus bed bugs that plague humans are parasitic insects that feed off blood from warm-blooded creatures like birds and bats; in addition to humans they also feed off mice, domestic cats, and dogs as hosts. You can visit this site to learn more about parasites.
Adults are reddish brown in color and look similar to ticks. During the day they hide away from light in cracks and crevices; at night when their activity picks up they come out searching for hosts. Once found they inject saliva containing anticoagulants and painkillers through mouth parts that saw through skin; their bites can cause anything from simple reddening of skin patches to intense swelling and red spots on hosts’ bodies.
To reduce infection risks, never bring secondhand furniture, particularly beds and box springs, into a home without first performing an intensive inspection for signs of infestation by a trained pest control professional. Regular checks by residents as well as using traps can also help control bed bug populations effectively.
Avoid bleach, rubbing alcohol, cigarette lighters or “bug bombs“, as these methods could have harmful side effects that may require medical intervention in order to be effective against bed bug populations.
They Can Be Disturbing
Bed bugs are unwitting hitchhikers that can enter homes and businesses through clothing, linens and luggage that has been used.
Once inside, these parasites quickly establish themselves – often hiding behind sconces, mirrors and wall-mounted paintings as well as in crevices in wood molding; behind wall sconces; in books and smoke detectors; drawers/closets full of clothing or other objects in which to hide out; even inside clocks themselves! They are adept at finding hiding places that may remain concealed for some time!
Once these pests become established in hotels and other high-traffic residential and commercial properties, their population can become difficult to manage. Though not considered harmful by health authorities, these pests do pose itchy welts upon some individuals that can lead to inconvenience and discomfort.
Do not attempt to remove an infestation without first consulting both pest professionals and residents alike. Professionals like the ones found at https://hadlowpestsolutions.com/ can help you contain these infestations. These bugs can be identified by dark smears and staining, caused by dried excrement.
Infested clothes should usually be encased to discourage further infestation while reusing in another location; regular inspection by both residents as well as pest professionals is key in controlling these pests.
They Can Be Disappearing
As they search for blood, bed bugs can spread rapidly from dwelling to dwelling, infesting hotels and apartments as they feed off of people coming and going, but can also infiltrate single-family buildings, offices, schools, churches, hospitals, nursing homes and other community facilities.
Bed bugs are adept hitchhikers that latch onto suitcases, bags, boxes, shoes and clothing in order to reach new locations more quickly. They feed on many warm-blooded creatures, such as birds and mice, but their primary target is humans. Their bites are relatively painless so most don’t even realize they are being bitten; any itching caused by bed bug bites is easily managed using over-the-counter topical steroid creams.
Females can lay hundreds of tiny eggs that measure no larger than a pinhead. Once laid, immature larvae called nymphs molt five times before reaching adulthood and each shed requires feedings of blood from female bed bugs.
As a result of the pandemic, fewer travelers and guests are staying in hotels and Airbnbs, leading to reduced numbers of infestations but no indication they’ve completely vanished.
To reduce re-infestations, invest in mattress and box spring covers with seals to keep bed bugs at bay; additionally store or throw away infested furniture in sealed plastic bags for up to one year in order to suffocate any remaining insects.