Seeking Treatment for Bed Bugs

How smart do you think you are? Wait till you get outsmarted by bed bugs. Their cunning and subtle moves make it extremely easy for them to invade any household. And once they’ve taken harbor in your residence, it’s too late to be closing your doors. So you’ve got no other choice but exhaust all efforts to get rid of them. Though it may sound easy as it seems, it’s not.

Bedbugs have been around for centuries now. Where do bed bugs come from? Some studies suggest that these wingless creatures originated from Asia but now they can apparently be found in all parts of the world. Bedbugs naturally thrive in areas with warm and dry climate. But now they’re already able to invade the northern regions. Thanks to the creation of heated buildings.

An essential part of bed bug treatment is in knowing how to identify these tiny bloodsuckers. Adult bedbugs appear reddish brown and about ¼ inch in length. Without food, their bodies are somewhat flat which then get engorged after a blood meal. Young bed bugs or nymphs are tinier and they appear translucent and yellowish. The eggs appear like tiny whitish rice grains with gooey consistency. Given the optimum living conditions, a nymph can transform into an adult bug in just one month until it gets ready to lay eggs. And there goes the spread of infestation scattering like wildfire.

From Bugs to Pests

Bed bugs start to become a problem when they become hungry for blood. They usually stay in their hiding places in between meals until they are forced to go out once their tummies growl. The heat of the human body is what they’re naturally attracted to but they won’t be able to detect it unless the food source is near them or anywhere within 5 cm.

Bedbugs use their highly specialized mouthparts to bite and suck blood from the skin of an unsuspicious person. Feeding time can last as long as seven minutes or as quickly as one minute. An adult bed bug can absorb blood around seven times of its own body weight. And then it immediately retreats to its hiding place after feasting and it’s ready to lay eggs again.

Most people don’t realize they’ve been bitten by bed bugs until they discover large wheals in the affected body part. These welts eventually develop into tiny red marks that will stay for about two to three days.

Bed bug bites are often mistaken as bites from mosquitoes and other insects. But you’ll know they are bedbug bites by the various patterns the wheals are formed. Some bites appear singly. While others form a line in three’s. It is always advised never to scratch the affected areas to avoid infection. And you should immediately wash the areas with water and mild soap.

Bedbugs can have their dinner on any part of the body as long as it has good blood flow and it is somewhat exposed although not necessarily. So it’s possible that the reproductive organs will also be included in their list of target spots.

Solving ‘em Bugs

Treating bed bugs bites is only a minor portion of solving the problem. The next step is to eliminate these unwanted visitors. People who often travel to areas with a tropical climate are very susceptible to bed bug infestations. Considering the luggage they carry might become the bed bugs’ new haven. Seeing bedbugs crawl into boxes, suitcases and belongings is very difficult. Not surprising really because these creatures are tiny, agile and cryptic. Additionally, using second hand furniture, couches or beds could run a higher risk of bed bug infestation.

Getting rid of these nasty bugs in beds can be difficult. Fabrics with holes and tears are perfect locations for them to lay eggs. During the 40s and 50s the use of DDT was popular as it helped minimize the spread of bed bug infestations but it was eventually eradicated due to health concerns. Apparently they were found to be bad for humans too as much as they are lethal to bugs.

Pest control firms have a wide array tools and techniques to help get rid of beg bugs. These can range from pesticides and aerosols to other chemical agents. Beds in poor condition or heavily infested should be thrown out. Or they can be still be saved by encasing the box spring and mattress. Other effective bedbug treatments used by several pest control companies include steam cleaning and vacuuming.

It doesn’t matter what the extent of bedbug infestation you have. It’s crucial that you completely eradicate these pests the second you confirm their existence. So their journey ends here at least for now.

Bed Bugs Take a Curtain Call

Perhaps you’ve seen the horror stories on TV.

Undoubtedly you’ve read the headlines in the newspaper.

The resurgence of bed bugs is striking fear far and wide nationally.

These sneaky bloodsuckers have been the cause of increasing paranoia and panic from Maine to Florida. Las Vegas to Ohio. This six legged menace has been spotted in cheap dives and plush hotels alike. They’ve been found lurking in rental cars and furniture delivery trucks. Theaters and middle schools have also reported bed bug breakouts. Clearly no one is immune.

Now bed bugs have re-emerged, in part because of increased international travel. They set up camp in your bedroom only to strike when you least expect it. That is when you’re sound asleep.

That’s right. Once they’ve found a source of food, that would be you, they’ll settle into our mattress or box springs. That way they can be close to their favorite food source of course – creepy and revolting as they may be.

What they do from there is lie in wait. Hungrily awaiting your return. That night. Or typically closer to dawn when you may be in your deepest sleep of the night. To strike when you least expect it and otherwise sound asleep.

Let’s be clear. Apartment managers, those running hotels or anyone in the hospitality industry, as well as home owners should see this as a growing menace. Enough of one so that some are leery of traveling. This is not to say we have to hunker down but we do need to accept the fact that we need to be more careful. Because bedbugs have re-emerged, like was noted partly due to increased international travel.

And guess what else? Some will never know what hit them. Well at least not unless they react to their horrible little bed bug bites. Which can show up as red-colored marks, welts, or worse blisters on your body. Found anywhere from your face, to your neck, arms or legs.

For some these bites can get to be incredibly itchy. Enough to drive some crazy. Surely bad enough to seek relief.

Physical discomfort aside, being on some bug’s menu can keep you up nights. It’s like starring in your very own horror movie. This is the stuff of nightmares that can traumatize you and scar you for life.

Once victimized by bed bugs you may wake up in the middle of the night swearing there is something crawling on your neck even though there isn’t anything there. Or you may mistakenly examine even innocent bits of lint as if they had biting mouth parts.

What’s worse is if there actually is something crawling on your neck, you may slap at it. Only to find your hand is covered in blood as a result. Plus what’s left of the hapless bug you slapped to kingdom come.

Now some cities have been hit harder than others. Ohio for some reason ranks up there as a state with a high count of residents who have had close encounters with these nauseating parasites.

So you don’t want to minimize the scope of this problem. These critters don’t discriminate. They’ll bite you regardless if you are in the luxury suite or staying in the low rent district. Doesn’t matter.

Nor can you simply ignore these pint sized bloodthirsty attackers hoping they’ll just go away. If you want to stay ahead of this scourge, you’ll need to be proactive and arm yourself with some useful tips.

For example used mattresses and sofas can be the bed bug equivalent of Trojan horses. Some Goodwills no longer accept upholstered furniture or bedding because of this. And you shouldn’t readily bring any furniture like this into your home unless you are confident it is bed bug free.

Even though the trend it towards cold water washing, exempt bed sheets, bed spreads and anything else that may touch the floor. The top heat setting in your clothes dryer will be hot enough to kill adults, nymphs and eggs alike. Making this a good, pest free way to minimize the risk.

Obviously a couple ideas like these won’t keep you bed bug free. But it’s a start. Because if you aren’t careful you will likely find out the hard way that they’re creepy, they’re crawly, and they’re coming to a bed near you.

Bed Bugs At A Glance

These are small. oval shaped bugs that feed by sucking blood from humans or other mammals.

They can be found anywhere in your house. While most often found in bedroom, if you happen to doze off in the LazyBoy don’t be surprised if they hide on the underside watching for their next nocturnal snack.

They tend to favor exposed skin. Any skin. They aren’t picky. Which is why you’ll wake up to find your face, hands, or arms have been targeted.

Raised bumps characterize their bits. They may swell, redden and become maddeningly itchy.

Telltale signs of bed bug activity would include flecks or excrement on your covers, sheets, or mattress cover, shed skins or the adult bugs themselves scurrying for cover.