Bed Bugs

This pest gets its name from the fact that it is usually found near beds. These parasitic insects feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. That’s because bed bugs need the blood of warm–blooded animals to survive.

Appearance

Adult bed bugs are approximately 1/4” long‚ wingless and reddish–brown. They are similar to the size‚ shape, and color of an apple seed except that they are very flat (if they have not eaten). They have very thin legs and antennae and have no wings. Immature bed bugs are similar to adults‚ except that they are smaller and are a lighter yellow–brown.

Reproduction

Females can deposit one to five eggs a day‚ and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in a bed bug’s lifetime. They can mature in about 35 days. Under normal room temperatures and with an adequate food supply‚ they can live for more than 300 days. Bed bugs can live for several months without a blood meal. This makes bed bug removal difficult to do without the help of a professional.

Behavior‚ Diet & Habits

Bed bugs primarily feed on humans sleeping in bed at night. The bite is painless‚ and the blood meal takes about 10 minutes. Body heat‚ the carbon dioxide from exhaled breath and other biological signatures help focus the bed bugs on unsuspecting‚ snoozing hosts. The bed bug feeds‚ and then retreats to its place of harborage for days or even weeks before coming out again. This can make detection difficult until the infestation is well established.

Where are bed bugs found?

Bed bugs are found throughout the world. They have been found in five–star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.

Bed bug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. These areas include offices‚ stores apartments‚ shelters‚ rooming houses‚ hotels‚ cruise ships‚ buses‚ trains‚ and dorm rooms. They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses‚ sheets‚ box springs‚ bed frames‚ headboards‚ furniture‚ dresser tables‚ inside cracks or crevices‚ behind wallpaper‚ baseboards‚ electrical outlets‚ and even inside appliances or any other clutter or objects around a bed.

How do bed bugs spread?

Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers. They can easily move from an infested building to a new site as people move. The recent resurgence of bed bugs is due in large part to international travel. Bed bugs hitchhike on luggage‚ personal items or clothing and can move from one country to another in a very short time. Within a community, ‚ bed bugs can spread when people move infested possessions into a new apartment or home. Purchasing infested‚ second–hand beds or other furniture has been shown to accelerate local outbreaks of bed bugs. Once inside the building bed bugs can move between rooms or apartments by walking or crawling via hallways‚ or by squeezing through tiny cracks in common walls‚ ceilings‚ or utility ports. You can reduce your chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early.

Do bed bugs spread disease?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ‚ bed bugs should not be considered a medical or public health hazard. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. They can however be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.

What health risks do bed bugs pose?

A bed bug bite affects each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite‚ to a small bite mark‚ to a serious allergic reaction. Bed bugs are not considered to be dangerous; however‚ an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention.

Signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation

One of the easiest ways to identify a bed bug infestation is by the tell–tale bite marks on the face‚ neck‚ arms‚ hands‚ or any other body parts while sleeping. However‚ these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area. These signs include:

• Bed bugs’ exoskeletons after molting; as juvenile bed bugs grow‚ they shed their skins.
• seeing the bed bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets‚
• after feeding‚ bed bugs return to their harborage to hide and defecate rusty-colored blood spots on mattresses‚ nearby furniture or non–porous surfaces and‚
• A sweet musty odor.

WHERE TO LOOK

Proper bed bug control requires a watchful eye. In the bedroom‚ box springs‚ headboards and bed framing are favorite spots for these pests. They may also settle into furniture and fixtures that are close to a bed.

Bedrooms are not the only place where bed bugs can be a concern. The feeding doesn’t have to be at night. All bed bugs are looking for are human hosts inactive long enough to provide a meal. Any place where humans sit; rest or sleep can be a place where bed bugs are introduced or fed.

Sitting for two hours in a movie theater makes you a target. A favorite recliner in the living room can also make you a target. You can also become a target by taking a taxi or bus.

Tips

• Remove all clutter from your home‚ which makes finding bed bugs easier.
• Wash and dry your bed linens at the hottest temperature permitted.
• Closely inspect any second–hand furniture before bringing it into your home.
• Inspect your home after moving‚ trips‚ service calls or overnight guests.

The Pest Destructo Co.’s integrated protection plan works to assess‚ implement solutions‚ and monitor any bed bug problems you may have. Bed Bugs can multiply quickly‚ so early detection is critical to help prevent an even larger infestation. Call us today for a comprehensive bed bug treatment plan.

PUT BED BUG WORRIES TO REST! Call us today.