Bed Bug Knowledge
Bed Bug Knowledge
The majority of people nowadays are oblivious to bed bug signs and symptoms. It
is perceivable considering that bed bugs underwent a massacre during our
country’s once wide use of the powerful pesticide DDT, presently banned because
it is very toxic to humans and animals. We are now witnessing a massive bed bug
revival, primarily due to those who travel internationally and those coming into
our country from other areas of the world where bed bugs are rampant. People are
blind to the signs of bed bugs and only become cognizant of them after the
extreme itching occurs. The bite marks are rounded, similar to mosquito bites
and are raised and become swollen.
If you have a bed bug infestation in your home you need to inspect all your
mattresses and bedding, furniture, clothing, and other areas that you think a
bed bug might like to hide. The question still remains, how does one come to
realize that their home has become invaded with bed bugs? One sign may be an
unpleasant, sweet smelling aroma in the air which is given off from bed bugs.
Other things to keep an eye out for are brown and red stains on your mattresses
and sheets, dried skin that has been shed from growing bed bugs, and almost
clear eggs. Pay special attention to the seams of your mattresses and other
pieces of furniture. Also, do a thorough inspection of all household members’
dressers and the clothing in it. If you have small children you will want to go
over each of their stuffed animals, hopefully they don’t have hundreds. One rule
of thumb to follow is if anyone remains in a particular area of the house for
half an hour or longer, the area should be inspected for bed bugs.
Bed bugs love to conceal themselves and do so close to areas we all rest and
relax in, like in throw rugs by our beds and in the carpets under coffee and end
tables. Another unsuspected place you may encounter bed bugs is under your
wallpaper. They also prefer wooden pieces of furniture, so inspect anything made
out of wood, even picture frames. If you are finding bed bugs all over your home
you have a bed bug infestation on your hands.
Bed bugs get their nourishment from blood and use two hollow tubes to puncture
our skin and draw up our blood. One tube injects saliva which consists of an
anesthetic so we don’t feel them biting and an anticoagulant so your blood
doesn’t clot while they are feasting. The other tube draws in your blood. Bed
bugs rest during the day and feed at night. Female bed bugs can lay around 500
eggs during the course of their lifetime and each egg only takes about ten days
to hatch open. Bed bugs can survive without any blood for 1 ½ years or more.
You can see why it so imperative to control the spread of bed bugs. There are
ways to eliminate these pests and you can do so without the use of harmful
pesticides. One way is to use natural products containing a powerful bed bug
fighting substance referred to as diatomaceous earth. This substance will kill
what bed bugs you do have and keep a protective barrier in your home or
apartment. A protective barrier is particularly important if you live in an
apartment or townhouse because it will not allow bed bugs from other apartments
to infest your place of residence.
Keep in mind, the quicker you realize you have bed bugs the quicker you can get
rid of them. Nipping a bed bug infestation in the bud in crucial in the control
of a looming outbreak.
By: Bradley Skierkowski