Bed Bug Facts

Bed Bugs are miniature mites – the adult is smaller than a quarter of an inch in size – that feast on the blood of animals and, most disconcertingly humans.

Although not equipped with wings the bed bug does possess the ability to spread very quickly and is prone to rapid spreading as a result.

The Bed Bug concern is a widespread one, as these tiny mites are believed to have traveled from their place of origin in the Asian continent to the rest of the globe.

It is not unusual to see an infestation of Bed Bugs, but what is essential is that we recognise where they live, how to find them and what to do about them.

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

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

The bed bug will feed during the night, and as it feeds on human blood it leaves behind marks of its presence.

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

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

The problem regarding diagnosis is that the symptoms of Bed Bugs are extremely similar to many other skin problems.

Scabies displays very similar signs to bed bug infestation, and other insect bites such as mosquito can also result in a similar tell tale mark.

Bed bug bites will generally appear on skin that is exposed while we sleep – the arms and legs, face and neck are all frequently bitten – and it is to these areas we should look when looking for signals of the creatures.

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

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

Bed Bugs are often brought into the home by those who have been abroad and have maybe slept on a number of different and frequently used beds.

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

Bed Bug infestations spread very fast; with one female mite laying around five eggs each day it is simple to see how quickly the colony can grow.

To eradicate Bed Bugs you also need to remove of the affected mattress and any other items that may be harbouring the creatures.

As bed bugs are very prolific and almost impossible to find, getting rid of all the eggs and creatures with off the shelf remedies may not be guaranteed to be successful.
 
During a case of bed bugs, all clothes, covers and linings that have been near to bugs – or could have been – have to be be thoroughly washed; if possible this must be done on the hottest setting possible to be certain to kill the bugs.