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We say, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite”.
Many of us have heard this more times than we can count, but have always taken it as little more than a nighttime sentiment. However, just a few decades ago, bed bugs played a very real role in our sleeping arrangements.
Due to the widespread use of DDT’s in the 1940s and 1950s, bed bugs were all but eradicated in the United States. But these nocturnal insects are making a comeback. Hotels and motels, for instance, often fall victim to bed bug infestations.
This increasing trend may be attributed to the number of travelers moving throughout the United States. Bed bugs are left behind in the rented rooms, and the next guests can unwittingly get the pests and bring them home.
It can be difficult to determine if your home is housing bed bugs. It’s hard to notice these tiny creatures with the naked eye, so be on the lookout for other telltale signs. Understanding more about the critters can help you to determine if you have them, and can guide you in the extermination.
Species
Bed bugs belong to the Cimicidae family of pests. Generally, these insects are small, flat, brownish in color and nocturnal by nature. This specific branch of the Cimididae family lives by feeding on blood of human and animal.
The most ordinary household bed bugs are Cimex lectularius. These are normally found feeding on human blood, and have adapted to living in human environments. Common to temperate climates, these parasites have been tormenting nations since the ancient times.
Cimex hemipterus is another kind of bed bug that is commonly found in more tropical regions like Florida. This type of bed bug also infests poultry and bats. Another species of bed bug called Leptocimex boueti is found in West Africa and South America, and happily feeds on both humans and bats. Bed bug species famous as Cimex pilosellus and C pipistrella, primarily infest bats, while Haematosiphon inodora, a North American species, targets poultry.
Physical Attributes
Adult bed bugs are generally oval and flattened in shape. Additionally, they are small, reddish brown and wingless. Many people think that bed bugs are so small and move so rapidly that they are not visible to the naked eye. Adult bed bugs grow at around 4 to 5 millimeters in length, often compared to apple seeds. Although they move swiftly, they are not as fast as people perceive them to be. The reason that people don’t typically spot bed bugs is that the insects lay still in the sofa, bed, and mattress crevices, only surfacing while people are sleeping.
Newly hatched bed bugs, commonly called nymphs, are translucent. As the pests reach maturity, their color becomes darker.
Feeding Habits
Although it is physically probable for bed bugs to feed on human blood anytime of the day, they are generally active and feed only at night. The peak activity time for these pests is about one hour before dawn.
Similar to other insects that feed on human blood, such as head lice, a bed bug will inject an anesthetic into the host’s skin. This anesthetic normally numbs the skin so that the human host won’t feel the piercing and sucking. In fact, the process of “numbing” and sucking is made possible with the use of two hollow tubes. One tube excretes saliva containing both an anticoagulant and an anesthetic, while the other tube withdraws the blood.
Bed bugs will feed for about five minutes, and then immediately return to their hiding places in pillows and mattresses. These insects can lie dormant for more than a year without feeding, which is one reason that it can be so hard to be completely rid of an infestation.
Risks on Health
Other blood-sucking insects, such as mosquitoes, carry disease such as Dengue (Yellow Fever) and Malaria. While some people fear that bed bugs can carry and transmit diseases such as Hepatitis B and HIV, there is no scientific proof to that effect.
While not considered by scientists to carry serious health risks, the bite of a bed bug may cause severe itching and skin marks in the affected spot. Scratching the bitten spot can lead to skin infections and scars that may require medical attention from a dermatologist. Calamine lotion can be applied to the bites, to reduce redness and itch and redness. Make sure to wash the area with warm water and germicidal soap before applying calamine lotion.
If you think that you and your home have fallen victim to bed bugs, take immediate actions. These insects can be extremely hard to deal with, so call a professional exterminator to get the job done once and for all.
Tagged with: bed bugs control • pests control
Filed under: Bed Bugs