What Bed Bugs Are, How They Live And How To Control Them

Bed bugs can turn out to be a real problem for you and your family. From the person who has to sleep in an infested mattress, to the business owner who is losing money because of them, these pests are no joke! No one wants to be dealing with bed bug bites. Chances are that you probably don’t know how they got into your beddings or how you can get rid of them, right?

This article will explain everything you need to know about bed bugs by discussing what they look like, where they live, their habits, allowing you to understand these tiny bugs better. You will also learn about effective ways that you can make your home less hospitable for bed bugs and prevent future infestations from happening. Lastly, you will learn simple steps, that you can take at work that could help keep your employees happy too.

Where Do Bed Bugs Stay?

When bed bugs infest your home or building, they stay close to their food source which is you. They feed every five minutes by sucking blood from human hosts and/or animal hosts. As weird as it sounds, this is where they get the energy needed for life. If left untreated, bed bug populations can increase very quickly in your residence; with some infestations numbering in the thousands!

However, there are ways to effectively control them without setting off an alarm or resorting to chemicals treatment on your own. It is advisable to ask a professional to help you get rid of them.

How Do Bed Bugs Occur?

Bed bugs are small, flat insects that live in the folds of sheets and mattresses. Their bites can cause an itchy red rash on human skin. However, they don’t transmit any diseases or pose a public health risk. There are tiny bed bugs that are difficult to see with the naked eye because they blend into their surroundings; you’ll probably need a magnifying glass for inspection purposes!

The only surefire way to detect bed bugs is by looking for tiny black dots around your bed frame. This is because these little guys leave droppings wherever they go so be on high alert if you notice anything like this at home (or anywhere else). Bed bugs have become more prevalent over recent years due to travel as people visit different places all across the world.

What Attracts Bed Bugs To Your Home Or Business?

Bed bugs are not always looking for dirt to hide in, they often look for the heat and smells that people give off. The worst place you can be is an area with a lot of clutter since bed bugs will have more places to crawl into or around rather than just hiding under your couch cushions where it’s dark.

Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt and grime, but they love the warmth of your blood. They can detect carbon dioxide from as far away as 10 meters. Unfortunately for you, their sense of smell is much more acute than ours. As a result, they will be able to find you even in beddings that have recently been washed with soapy water or diluted bleach. It doesn’t matter if the light is on at night, either. A bright room only means that it takes them longer for their eyes to adjust before they can charge towards you.

The Life Cycle Of Bed Bugs

In the space of just 37 days, a bed bug can go from hatching to adulthood. Once they get there and reach maturity, it’s time for the mating season. This cycle will repeat over and over again until death takes out these little bloodsuckers. Some nymphs won’t make their way into this phase as they’ll die before reaching adulthood.

Signs Of Bed Bugs Infestation

You may not be able to see bed bugs, but you can tell if they’ve been at a particular place. When a group of these pests takes up residence in your home and decide that it’s time for dinner, bloodstains on your sheets or pillowcases are one sign that something is wrong.

Dark or rusty spots of bed bug excrement on sheets and mattresses could also indicate an infestation. The more obvious fecal spotting from their scent gland is found near their feeding place along with eggshells amid shed skin. This is an indication that they have marked their territory.

Other signs that may indicate bed bugs have take residence in your home or businesses include:

• Pungent musty odour present
• Bloodstains on your beddings
• A few live bed bugs crawling around your bedding
• Dark bedbug excrement spots
• The tiny eggshell casings
• Bite marks on your skin

Bed Bug Vs Mosquito Bites

One common misconception is that mosquito bites are bed bugs’. The symptoms of mosquito bites include itchy welts and a fever of 101 or higher Fahrenheit. Other pests like lice and ticks also give off icky-looking marks on your skin but you should never confuse them with the perfectly circular red markings caused by bed bugs.

Body Lice Vs Bed Bugs

Bedbugs and lice are two different types of bugs that affect people in very different ways. Both live on the body, but bedbugs generally hide out near mattress seams while lice make their home closer to your head so they can feed off your scalp. Bedbugs have a much larger size than lice – about as big as an apple seed. Lice also come in varying sizes, from really tiny ones that can barely be seen with the naked eye to large ones that are visible if you close one eye.

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can cause serious infestation too. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of them for good. Here’s what you can do:

• The first step is to simply wash your sheets and blankets in hot water with soap. Ensure that you wash the duvet cover as well.
• Next, vacuum all areas where bed bugs might be hiding – baseboards, cracks between walls, and floor moldings near furniture legs on both floors. You should also take apart headboards or other items that could have been brought from elsewhere. This is because these items may also harbor eggs if you do not clean them thoroughly before moving them into your bedroom area.
• Finally, use an approved drying agent as it helps kill any remaining nymphs. Repeat this process every 2-4 weeks until you get rid of all the bed bugs.

Wrapping Up

The most common way to get bed bugs is by bringing them home from a hotel or an infested apartment. Bedbugs are attracted to the warmth of your body, so while you sleep they climb on and bite any exposed skin. Unlike flea bites that have a red spot in the center, bedbug bites come with no warning because they can be painless at first but later turn into itchy welts within 24 hours after being bitten.

If you notice any of the signs of bedbugs, contact professional pest control ASAP! Just remember that a single female bedbug can lay hundreds of eggs in your home, and if they do hatch and reach adulthood, then you will have yourself a bedbug infestation to deal with.