The many things you need to know about bed bugs

Below, he answered a few frequently asked questions: Infestations of common bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. The cleanest living area can have a very large infestationand improving sanitation alone will not eliminate an established bed bug population. Cluttered conditions can offer the bugs a lot of excellent harborages very near their human blood-meal hosts.

Bedbugs are small, oval, brownish insects that live on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, however, their bodies swell and are a reddish color.

Bedbugs do not fly, but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. Female bedbugs may lay hundreds of eggs, each of which is about the size of a speck of dust, over a lifetime. Immature bedbugs, called nymphs, shed their skins five times before reaching maturity and require a meal of blood before each shedding.

Under favorable conditions the bugs can develop fully in as little as a month and produce three or more generations per year.

Although they are a nuisance, they are not thought to transmit diseases. Where Bed Bugs Hide Bedbugs may enter your home undetected through luggage, clothing, used beds and couches, and other items.

Their flattened bodies make it possible for them to fit into tiny spaces, about the width of a credit card. Bedbugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but tend to live in groups in hiding places. Their initial hiding places are typically in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards where they have easy access to people to bite in the night.

Over time, however, they may scatter through the bedroom, moving into any crevice or protected location. They may also spread to nearby rooms or apartments.

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

Because bedbugs live solely on blood, having them in your home is not a sign of dirtiness. You are as likely to find them in immaculate homes and hotel rooms as in filthy ones. When Bedbugs Bite Bedbugs are active mainly at night and usually bite people while they are sleeping.

They feed by piercing the skin and withdrawing blood through an elongated beak. The bugs feed from three to 10 minutes to become engorged and then crawl away unnoticed.

Most bedbug bites are painless at first, but later turn into itchy welts. Unlike flea bites that are mainly around the ankles, bedbug bites are on any area of skin exposed while sleeping. Also, the bites do not have a red spot in the center like flea bites do. To confirm bedbug bites, you must find and identify the bugs themselves.

Other signs that you have bedbugs include: Remove the dust cover over the bottom of the box springs and examine the seams in the wood framing. Peel back the fabric where it is stapled to the wood frame. Also, check the area around the bed, including inside books, telephones or radios, the edge of the carpet, and even in electrical outlets.

Check your closet, because bedbugs can attach to clothing. If you are uncertain about signs of bedbugs, call an exterminator, who will know what to look for. If you find signs of infestation, begin steps to get rid of the bugs and prevent their return.

Bedbug Treatments Getting rid of bedbugs begins with cleaning up the places where bedbugs live.

What NOT to Do if You Have Bed Bugs | deBugged

This should include the following:Bed Bugs. Bed bugs don’t like being jostled, so they avoid hanging out in your hair or clothes, but they do like to stay close to their food source, namely you. The mattress is the first place you should inspect.

Bed bugs love to hang out in cracks and crevices. They can fit into any gap the thickness of a business card. You can find a lot of articles on the web about bed bugs.

They're great and all. But do you really need to know how many body segments they have?/5(). Bed bugs need at least one blood meal before the individual bug can develop to the next of the six life stages.

They can feed more than once.

Wacky, Weird but True Bed Bug Facts

Each stage also requires the molting of skin. Mar 15,  · 10 Things You Need to Know About Bedbugs. The Latin name for bedbugs is Cimex lectularius, which means "bug of the bed." But don't let that fool you-the pesky creatures can be found anywhere.

If you are uncertain about signs of bedbugs, call an exterminator, who will know what to look for. If you find signs of infestation, begin steps to get rid of the bugs . Generally, I recommend that folks review the information found on unbiased Web sites including university-based Web sites, medical school Web sites, and others.

You can do a search on bed bugs and find many references to learn more about bed bugs. The more you know, the better able you are to make good decisions.