What Are Bed Bugs?

Identifying Bed Bugs

Have you ever wondered why you’re itching whilst laying in bed? You might have the case of bed bugs, which is actually very common universally and are found in places people often gather, such as residences, public transportation, schools, stores and so on. Here’s how you can eliminate them and keep them at bay from returning. Associated with humans for over 3,000 years, bed bugs are known as great hitchhikers that seek refuge in beds, feeding on humans as they sleep. They feed only on blood and must continuously have these meals regularly to survive and continue to develop and breed.

Not only do they attack humans, but other warm-blooded animals such as birds and other poultry. They have the ability to latch onto clothes, linens and other items and can travel wherever these items are taken, which is why their spread is so common and so easy. Identifying them is actually quite simple, unfed adult bugs are the colour mahogany, bed bugs that are engorged (have eaten to excess) are usually a reddy brown and nymphs are almost colourless. They have 6 legs and 2 antennae, shaped like ovals and are elongated when they are fed.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

Bed bugs are quite easily identified by little reddish brown spots on mattresses or walls (and even on clothing if it hasn't been washed in a while!). If these spots are found, it can actually indicate an infestation. You can also tell by finding bites on an arm and legs, despite being small marks that can take 2 days to appear, they may begin to swell and become quite itchy. Infestations can also be found by finding bed bug eggshells, their eggs or the bug itself as they can be visible to the human eye. The eggshell appears pale white when emerging from an eggshell, for example.

How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are very elusive creatures, so knowing how to get rid of them can be quite challenging. You should first begin with cleaning up the place in which the bedbugs live. This includes, cleaning bedding, curtains and other crevices that help them to hide out. When it comes to bedding and linen, be sure to wash your clothing and dry them on the highest setting to kill any bugs that may be lingering. Another step is to vacuum your bed and its surrounding area often, after cleaning be sure to immediately place the vacuum bag in the bin outside. When it comes to your mattress, encase it and/or the box springs with a tight cover to keep bed bugs from escaping or entering the mattress.

Bed bugs can actually live up to a year without being fed, so keep the cover on the mattress all year to ensure they are dead when it comes to removing it. Get rid of all the clutter around your bed and keep your bedroom fresh and clean in time for a good night’s rest without any disturbances. If however, your mattress is infested, it may be a better idea to get rid of this and buy a new one, but be sure to look after it or they will infest the new mattress too. Whilst cleaning and looking after infested areas is a good idea, eradicating them usually requires some sort of chemical treatments. It’s vital that only products that are safe to use in your bedroom are chosen as treating insecticides can be harmful to human life. Oftentimes it is much better, easier and more effective to hire an experienced pest control professional to exterminate your bedbug problem.