Bed Bug Facts

Bed Bugs are miniature creatures – the adult is no more than a quarter of an inch in size – that feed on the blood of animals and, most disconcertingly humans.

Although not a flying insect the bed bug does retain the ability to spread very rapidly and is prone to rapid spreading as a result.

The Bed Bug concern is a common one, as these miniature creatures are believed to have spread from their natural home in the Asian continent to the rest of the globe.

It is hardly unusual to see an infestation of Bed Bugs, but what is vital is that we understand where they live, how to find them and what to do about them.

The female Bed Bug will give out eggs each day; as she can live for extraordinary lengths of time – over a year – this results in a natural explosion of the Bed Bug population.

The bed bug is active at night – when we are dormant – and the primary clue to the infestation of Bed Bugs is the presence of marks on the skin in the morning.

The bed bug will feed during the night, and when it feeds on the blood it leaves behind marks of its being there.

A bed bug feeds by spearing the skin and inserting a tube with which it draws out the required blood, and hence the victim will rarely know they are being bitten as they are usually asleep.

After feeding – which can cover as long as ten minutes – the Bed Bug leaves behind a red puncture which could swell and will itch continually, bringing irritation and discomfort to the individual.

The problem about diagnosis is that the indications of Bed Bugs are very similar to a number of other skin infections.

Scabies shows very similar pointers to bed bug infestation, and many insect bites such as mosquito can also produce a similar tell tale mark.

Bed bug bites will generally be seen on skin that is exposed while we sleep – the arms and legs, face and neck are all often bitten – and it is to these areas we should be vigilant when looking for indications of the creatures.

The Bed Bug is a night living mite and it likes to dine on our blood; it also likes to stay out of sight and this is why it lives in our beds and furnishings.

Though the Bed Bug does not nest like many other insects, it does gravitate to suitable places, hence great numbers will hide together in the crevasses of a mattress, the inside of covers and linings and many dark and secure places.

Bed Bugs are sometimes brought into the home by those who have been elsewhere and have usually slept on a number of varied and frequently used beds.

A Bed Bug case is not necessarily a case of poor hygiene, however, as many hotels and guest houses have also been the source of infestations.

Bed Bug infestations come about very quickly; with one female creature laying around five eggs each day it is simple to see how rapidly the colony can grow.

To eradicate Bed Bugs you also need to dispose of of the infested mattress and any other items that may be home to the creatures.

As bed bugs are very small and difficult to find, getting rid of all the eggs and creatures with off the shelf remedies may not be guaranteed to be successful.
 
During an infestation of bed bugs, all clothes, covers and linings that have been close to bugs – or you think may have been – must be thoroughly washed; if possible this should be done on the hottest setting possible to be certain to kill the bugs.