Bed bugs: their types and how to eradicate them effectively at home?
Bugs are insects of the weevil family. There are over 40-80 thousand species of bugs worldwide. Some of them live outdoors, such as the soldier bug, and have no adverse effects on humans or vegetation. However, there are also less friendly species of bug – parasitic bugs. The most unpleasant society is that of the bugs that live closest to people and in homes.
One of them is the blood-sucking bed bug (also known as bed bugs), which is usually active at night. As the saying goes, you need to know your enemy: only then can you successfully knock them out. So that’s what this article is all about.
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What kind of pests are bed bugs?
Bed bugs have been keeping humans company since our ancestors lived in caves. When they moved into their homes, the bugs moved in with them. However, with the invention of modern insecticides, the population of bed bugs declined sharply in the 20th century, eventually leading to their near extinction. However, in the last dozen years, the number of bed bugs has started to increase again.
So bed bugs are not such rare guests. The main source of food for bed bugs is human blood. On average, a bug can eat its fill in 5-10 minutes.
These bugs are active at night, but attacks are possible during the day, especially if the bug has been starving for a long time. They usually take up residence in bedrooms, living rooms, children’s rooms – places where they are likely to find people sleeping and not being bitten.
In the home, bed bugs make their home in mattresses, bedding, bed frame gaps, under carpets, wallpaper, behind skirting boards, even on hard furniture, etc. The detection of their “victim” – humans – is aided by a highly developed and sensitive sense of smell.
How do bugs get into our homes?
Bug infestations are often associated with poor hygiene and uncleanliness, but this is a false stereotype. Bugs can enter the home in a variety of ways:
- After buying second-hand furniture and textiles;
- Visiting a house where bed bugs have infested and bringing them back on clothes and shoes;
- Returning from trips and hotels with suitcases and other belongings;
- Coming in through cracks in walls and ceilings from neighbours, etc.
How to identify bed bugs?
The bed bugs are greyish-pink (sometimes said to be reddish-brown), flattened in shape. The average size of adult bugs is approximately 4.5-6 mm. The body of the bug is covered with brown hairs and the insects move by crawling.
Although they don’t have wings, bugs move incredibly fast on surfaces and can hide cleverly.
What are unpleasant attacks by bed bugs?
One bug in the bedroom may seem like no big deal, but bugs reproduce very quickly: 1 female lays up to 5 eggs a day and an average of 400 eggs or more in a lifetime! So the longer you delay eradication, the harder it becomes.
In addition, it has been reported that bugs can carry up to 30 different pathogenic micro-organisms (the extent to which this scenario is realistic in practice is unknown).
Another negative aspect is that bed bugs cause people to sleep poorly, leading to poor daytime sleep, low energy levels and reduced performance. A single bug can bite from several to dozens of times a night.
What are the signs that bugs have taken up residence in a house?
- Black or brown spots on bedding and furniture. These are bug droppings. They are usually very fine, as if they have been scratched with a pen.
- In the morning, there are bite marks on the body, which itch intensely. So, if you have not been out in nature in the evening and have not been attacked by mosquitoes, it is possible that bugs are the culprit.
- Both live bugs and dead parasite bodies have been detected.
- Eggs of bed bugs are also found. The eggs are only 1 mm in size, but can be seen with the naked eye by those with good eyesight.
- There is an unpleasant, slightly musty smell in the room (people identify it with almonds, raspberries). It is a bit like the smell of mould and mildew.
Symptoms of a bug bite
Bugs are considered pests because they are bloodsuckers and feed on human blood. When a bug bites, the following unpleasant symptoms occur:
- itching;
- skin irritations (a bug punctures the skin and injects saliva into the wound, which stops blood clotting and irritates the skin);
- redness, swelling and a lump on the stung area.
How to eradicate bed bugs?
- First, vacuum thoroughly and clean the bedroom. Throw away the disposable vacuum cleaner bag immediately and clean the container.
- Clean especially hard-to-reach and inaccessible areas, such as mattress seams, indentations, sills, etc.
- Wash all bedroom textiles – blankets, pillows, bed linen, etc. – in hot water and tumble dry.
- Buy special sprays or powders to control bed bugs. However, these products pose a health risk and should be used according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
- For more effective tips, see the article “What are bugs afraid of?”.
If you think you may have a large population of parasites, it is advisable to contact professional bug control and room disinfection companies. The Sterilus.lt team has many years of experience, and has selected the most reliable and best-performing products and methods for exterminating bugs.
And if all your efforts to eradicate bugs on your own have come to nothing, we invite you to a free consultation – don’t hesitate to book a bug control service!
