Have you ever woke up in the morning itching with red bumps thinking "Oh, I'm just having an allergic reaction to some food I ate"? Or, "It's just the new detergent I bought, that's normal"? These may be thoughts going through your mind as you scratch away at those red bumps. But, "Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite", is true and more real than ever.
What do they look like?
Bed bugs, a widespread epidemic, has become a nuisance in everyday common places. Bed bugs do not fly or jump, but move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and furniture. Bed bugs can range in many different sizes, shapes and forms, depending on what stage they are in.
Bed bugs are wingless. They can live up to 18 months without a blood meal. Adults usually live up to 10 months. The female bed bugs lay up to five eggs a day and five hundred during a lifetime. Bed bugs are nocturnal so sightings during the day may indicate a heavy infestation.
Where do they come from?
Bed bugs can come from apartments, hotels, schools, homes, dormitories and nursing homes. Even through active travelers, by luggage, boxes, clothing furniture and even hair. Basically, anywhere there are people. Infestations are not tied to unsanitary living conditions, as they feed off blood, not trash. Even world-class hotels have reported bed bug problems.
How do I know if I have bed bugs?
Bed bugs feed on any bare skin exposed while sleeping. Red itchy welts are an idication of festation. People's bug bites can look different from one another. Some are larger in size, some smaller, some have a red dot in the center, or a scab, others don't. Some look like misquito bites or pimples. Some are in are in a circle. Some in straight lines, depending on how easily accessible the veins are. Dermatologists often cannot identify a bed bug bite or diagnosis it as another cause. If you have an unidentifiable itchy rash, be sure to check your living areas for bed bugs.
Where do I look?
Check for bed bugs on the seams, tufts, or folds of mattresses, bed frames and head boards. Bed bugs may also be behind baseboards, pictures, frames, windows, door casings, loosened wall paper, curtains, cracks in plaster, and behind electrical wall plates. Look for signs of small rusty spots, these are bed bug droppings and blood spots, and white spots which are bed bug eggs/larvae.
How can I get rid of bed bugs?
Complete elimination of a bed bug infestation may be difficult without the services of a knowledgeable Pest Control Service. It may even take as many as five or more treatments so gain control of an infestation. However, there are some simple household steps that you may take to control or eliminate your bed bug problems, depending on the amount of infestation.
- Reduce the amount of clutter to eliminate hiding places
- Vacuum mattresses, box springs and carpets, dispose vacuumed contents in a sealed plastic bag
- Cover mattress and box spring with plastic covers
- Spray bed bugs and nesting areas with bleach (use small plastic spray bottle and 99% bleach undiluted, open windows for ventilation.)
- Wash bedding and garments in hot (120 degrees F) water
- Put clothing in a dryer for at least five minutes to kill bed bugs
- Inspect any furniture or clothing being brought into your home for bed bugs
- When returning from a trip inspect your luggage and clothes for bed bugs
Since bed bugs can be transmitted from so many different sources, it is recommended that when returning from trips, having guests at your house, children in school, and from having small pets that may become hosts, spray your living quarters, sleeping quarters, and clothes daily with a 90% undiluted solution of alcohol in a plastic spray bottle Be sure to wash and/or dry curtains, draperies, bedding, and clothing on a regular basis at 120 degrees F, along with your hair and skin.
Reference
Cincinnati Health Department. What You Need To Know About Bed Bugs. Cincinnati: 2008
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