Bed Bug Facts

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

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

The Bed Bug spread is a worldwide one, as these tiny insects are understood to have spread from their origin in the Asian continent to the entire globe.

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

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

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

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

A bed bug feeds by piercing the skin and feeding in a tube with which it sucks out the required blood, and therefore the victim will rarely know they are being bitten as they are normally asleep.

After feeding – which could cover as long as ten minutes – the Bed Bug leaves behind a red mark which may swell and will irritate continually, bringing irritation and discomfort to the patient.

The problem regarding diagnosis is that the symptoms of Bed Bugs are often similar to those of other skin infections.

Scabies leaves behind very similar indications 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 be seen on skin that remains 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 feeding creature and it likes to feast on our blood; it also likes to remain hidden and this is why it frequents our beds and furnishings.

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

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

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

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

To remove Bed Bugs you initially need to remove of the infested mattress and any other things that may be harbouring the creatures.

As bed bugs are very prolific and difficult to find, getting rid of all the eggs and mites with off the shelf routines may not be entirely successful.
 
During a case of bed bugs, all clothes, covers and linings that have been in contact with bugs – or are suspected of having been – must be thoroughly washed; if possible this must be done on the hottest setting possible in order to kill the bugs.