What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, flat, and wingless insects measuring about a quarter inch long. They’re reddish brown and flat. They’re everywhere in your bed, from the headboard to the box springs and the seams. At night, they come out, then hide during the day. They also hide in cracks and crevices in floors, furniture, and walls. Because they crawl so fast and can hitchhike on everything, it’s easy to bring them home.
Dark, undisturbed areas are ideal for bed bugs. They like the warmth and carbon dioxide people exhale. In a short time, the amount of bed bugs can grow. They can live anywhere, clean or dirty areas. If you’ve been somewhere with a bedbug infestation and they’ve latched on to your clothes or belongings, they may still infest your house even if you keep it clean and clutter-free.
Despite the fact that bed bugs can hide in your home at first, they are also capable of travelling to a distance of up to 20 feet before biting you. If they get done with that, they will then proceed to move to a new hiding place, which will be about three to six feet away from their host.
The shape of their bodies means that they can fit into any small or narrow space. They’re easy to miss until you look for them. Bed bugs will give off this sweet yet nasty smell when they’re infesting a specific part of your house. Even just this alone is a signal that you need to act fast and see if the infestation has spread to other parts of your house.
How Do You Get Bed Bugs?
So, how do you get bed bugs in your house? In a multi-unit building, bed bugs can spread from unit to unit, but not from house to house.
Staying in an infested area, or leaving your stuff for a while near an infested area, will lead to them latching on to your stuff. Now you can start moving them to the new place, which will most likely be yours. Remember, they’re not just in homes, they’re in offices, hotels, hospitals, and even in cars.
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Here’s how bed bugs get into your house?
The following are a list of the various ways in which bed bugs are spread:
- The easiest way to obtain them is from infested furniture, clothes, or other items you borrow or buy from people who live in infested areas.
- When you stay in an infested area, like a hotel or motel, you can get them. It is possible to attach them to your luggage or backpack.
- Apartments or multi-unit buildings mean they may crawl in through cracks and crevices from your neighbors.
No matter how hard you try, bed bugs will not go away no matter how hard you try.
I Don’t Think It’s About Sanitation:-
There is a common misconception among many people that bed bugs only infest areas that are cluttered and dirty. So, let me be the first to tell you, sanitation is never an issue with bed bugs. Due to their reputation for hitchhiking, they can live anywhere and set up colonies over and over again. In spite of the fact that these pests can be found even in the cleanest places, once they are inside, they will spread rapidly once they are present.
As opposed to other insects, bed bugs do not transmit disease, contrary to other insects. Some people, however, are susceptible to getting itchy red welts as a result of their saliva.
Their favorite part of the house is the bedroom:-
The bedroom is one of the most likely places to find them hiding since that is the place where they can have a close relationship with their host and can feed without being disturbed. In the United States, bed frames, headboards, mattresses, and box springs are the most common harborage sites for them. Other types of hiding spots include nearby appliances and furniture pieces in the house.
Outside the bedroom is where bedbugs hide:-
In order for bedbugs to feed, they need to find hosts that are inactive for long periods of time. Although they usually come out at night, they do not always feed at night even though they usually come out during the night. It is not uncommon for them to eat human blood at any opportunity, even in broad daylight. They are also commonly found in the following places:
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Movie theatres
It only takes 2 hours of watching (or sleeping through) a movie in order for bed bugs to have a healthy dose of your blood.
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Usual Means of Transport
How long does it take you to get to work by cab or do you take the train? Probably already know the answer to that question. When we travel to and from work, we usually don’t just sit. As bed bugs rest and even sleep during their journey, they have the ability to feed on you or latch onto any items you may have.
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Couch
Irrespective of whether you have a habit of staying up all night or binge-watching for hours on the couch bingeing your favorite shows or a few movies, bedbugs will take advantage of this as an opportunity to feed on you.
In this regard, it is imperative that you remain alert and cautious at all times so that bed bugs do not find their way into your home.
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Bed bugs: what’s the main cause?
Like all living things, bedbugs (like all other animals) are on a mission to feed on and reproduce.
They do not specifically target homes in order to be a nuisance just to annoy you.
Let me tell you something:
The only way to avoid a bed bug infestation that you can take into your own hands is to be proactive, and to take steps to avoid one from occurring in the first place.
In order to prevent bed bugs from taking up residence in your home, you should follow the following steps.
1. Take Care of Your Belongings:
It is also possible to take a trash bag with you to store your suitcase during your stay at the hotel.
I also recommend that you wash all of your clothes on high heat when you get home.
(Even the ones that you haven’t worn yet).
2. Beware of used furniture:
Make sure not to bring second-hand furniture into your house without inspecting it thoroughly for signs of bed bugs such as blood stains and eggs.
In order to implement best practices…
If you are planning to buy bedroom furniture, you shouldn’t buy used furniture, but rather you should purchase only select new items.
The following furniture stores have been known to have bed bugs:
How to avoid getting bed bugs
Here are a couple of things you can do to prevent bringing home these pesky critters in the first place:
- If you’re staying at someone’s house or in a hotel:
Use the suitcase stand so you can keep your suitcase far away from the furniture and from the walls rather than simply placing it on the floor or bed. Make sure you tuck all your belongings away after you have finished using them. In order to eliminate any possible bed bugs from your clothes, wash them and dry them at the hottest setting after returning home.
- Check used and new furniture before you bring it in.
If you are going to buy a piece of furniture, make sure that you examine it from top to bottom, including the tufts, seams, and cushions. It is important to remember that even new furniture can bring bed bugs into your home, especially if it has been in storage or stock for quite some time and was not touched after it was received.
It is important that you follow these tips in order to prevent your home from becoming infested with bed bugs.
How to get rid of bed bugs in your house
The first thing you have to remember when dealing with bed bugs is that there is no magic bullet that can completely exterminate them. It is essential to use an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control bed bugs and prevent them from multiplying. By using this method, you are less likely to endanger the environment as well as your health.
There are a number of things you can do to control bed bugs that include:
- Remove all the clutter from your bedroom and clean it thoroughly.
- In this case, you can move the bed to a new location and keep it away from the furniture and the walls.
- The best way to keep the bed and the furniture clean is to vacuum daily, paying attention to any small areas. It is important to make sure that each time the vacuum is used, you empty it and dispose of it in the open air using a sealed plastic bag or container.
- Put all the bed linens into the washing machine, then put them into the dryer at the highest temperature setting. If you are looking to prevent bed bugs from getting back into your mattress and box spring, then you should use mattress and box spring encasements.
- Seal any cracks or crevices you see in any part of your home, as well as any openings you see.
Pesticides are safe to use?
When pesticides are used inappropriately, they can both be dangerous and ineffective at the same time. The following things you need to consider when using pesticides are some of the things that you should consider:
- Products that have been approved by Health Canada are the best.
- You should never apply pesticides directly to your body even if they have been diluted. Bed bug repellents that can be applied directly to the skin are not registered for use in controlling bed bugs.
- You should never use pesticides found outdoors inside your home.
- To ensure that you get the help of a professional bed bug exterminator, research a company known for its quality of work. The company should follow the correct procedures for pesticide application. Also, the business you choose should have the proper licenses.
No Signs of Bed Bugs but I Have Bites:
In order to find out whether you have been bitten by bed bugs or any other bugs, or if you have been bitten by bed bugs on your skin, learn about the signs of bed bug bites first. If you find red spots of insect bites and you think it is bed bugs, but you cannot find any evidence that you have been bitten by bed bugs from your mattress and from any other parts of your home, you must know the signs of bed bug bites. If the signs that you are experiencing are the same as those associated with bed bug bites, then it may be that you are actually experiencing bed bug bites. However, it may be something else.
Bed bug bites: signs and symptoms
Bed bug bites usually look like any other insect bites, especially those caused by other insects, as explained on the Health Line site. The bites you get from bed bugs are very itchy and they are smaller than a quarter of an inch across. It is possible that you may notice the bites to be red on your skin if you have white skin. In cases where you have dark skin, you may notice that the bites appear pink or purple at first, turning deep brown as the bites remain on your skin for an extended period of time.
The important thing for you to understand is that these are able to develop into large sores, which are also able to develop into bumps which are itchy and filled with fluid and can often be bigger than 2 inches. It is common for bed bug bites to occur on parts of your body which are exposed during your sleep, such as your feet, your hands, your arms, your neck, your face and your shoulders. In general, bite marks appear in three or more bites in a line or zigzag pattern.
What else bites at night
You might not find bed bugs in your skin if you find bites on your skin. It might be some other type of insect that is causing the bites. There are a number of other bugs which bite humans at night and it is very important that you are aware of them. According to the website Healthline, there are several other insects that bite during the night in addition to bedbugs.
- Spiders
It is common for many spiders to be more active at night rather than during the day, and there are several different spider types that adapt to this behavior. In spite of this, it is relatively rare to be bitten by a spider while you are sleeping. The majority of the time, spiders bite when they feel threatened. There is a wide variety of spiders that can produce venom, but the majority have not got venom strong enough to cause serious harm to humans. Generally, they can only cause minor injuries to humans. If you have been bitten by a spider, you will likely experience swelling, blisters, rashes, itching, and red or purplish sores. There is a difference between spiders and bed bugs due to the fact that spiders do not feed on blood. Bed bugs tend to bite in groups, while spiders bite separately. However, bed bug bites tend to cluster together as opposed to being isolated. - Mosquitos
As mosquitoes have a long, tube-like mouth, they use this to penetrate into the skin. At dusk and night, there are a great many different types of mosquitoes that are more active than during the daytime. Mosquito bites are not harmful to a person, and it is important to remember that. Although there are several mosquito species that are not known to carry diseases that can be deadly, such as malaria, West Nile virus, and dengue fever, there are still others that can. In the event that you are bitten by a mosquito, you will be left with an itchy welt that looks like a pimple on your skin. Usually, mosquito bites will go away after a few days. Oftentimes, mosquito bites and bed bug bites can be seen as having a great deal in common. If, on the other hand, you live in an area where mosquitoes are more likely to bite in a random manner and are more likely than bed bugs to bite, you need to keep that in mind. Bites from bed bugs are usually in a straight line or zigzag pattern. - Mites
Do you know what mites are? Generally, it is a small, insect-like critter that is often found on small animals such as birds or rodents. Mite bites can have a variety of different symptoms. As a result of mite bites, one may experience a few symptoms such as swollen skin, a rash, itching, and hard or inflamed bumps either red or purple on light skin, or dark purple or brown on dark skin. In comparison to other types of bug bites, mite bites are so tiny and do not leave a visible puncture like other types of bites. - Fleas
There is a good chance that you will end up having flea bites more than once if you live with pets or if you sleep with your pets in your bed. As explained on the website of Healthline, flea bites can easily be mistaken for bed bug bites by people who are not aware of the difference. It is not surprising that a lot of people think that flea bites and bed bug bites are the same thing because both of these types of bites are itchy and can appear in clusters or lines. It is most likely that fleas will be attracted to your legs, feet, armpits, knees, and elbows, in the majority of cases. You should be aware that if you find that your bites are around your upper body or around your face, then that is most likely an indication that they were done by bed bugs.
Rashes That Look Like Bug Bites:
In addition to what is explained on the Healthline site, there are a number of conditions that are similar in appearance to bed bug bites. I am referring to hives, fungal infection, miliaria, and dermatitis herpetiformis.
Additional Tip:-
If you are considering moving into an apartment with bugs, there are a few things to know before making your decision. First of all, how many bugs do you have to deal with and what sort of bugs are they? Insects can be pretty easy to deal with if they are only crawling around in the corners of the room and don’t seem to be causing any harm. Check out fairmont pacifica ca.
