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Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are experts at hiding and can travel easily from one place to another. Find out how bed bugs travel and how to prevent them from infesting your home.
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How bed bugs travel
Bed bugs are experts at hitching rides. They’re tiny insects, about the size of an apple seed, and they’re really good at hiding in small places. They can squeeze into cracks in furniture, behind baseboards, and in the folds of luggage, purses, and other belongings. When people travel, they sometimes pick up bed bugs without realizing it and bring them home with them.
Bed bugs can also travel between apartments in multi-unit buildings. They can crawl through electrical sockets and pipes that connect units. Or they can hitch a ride on clothing or other items that people carry from one apartment to another.
What bed bugs are
Bedbugs are small, flat, wingless insects with six legs that, like mosquitoes, feed on blood from animals or people. They range in color from almost white to brown, but they turn red after feeding. The common bedbug doesn’t grow much longer than 0.2 inches (0.5 centimeters) and can be seen by the naked eye to the astute observer. Bedbugs get their name because they like to hide in bedding and mattresses.
Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. (Immature bedbugs are called nymphs.) After feeding for about five minutes, a bedbug will go back into hiding for 10 to 14 days so it can digest its meal and lay eggs. Females can lay as many as three eggs a day and may produce 200 to 500 eggs during their lifetime.
The life cycle of bed bugs
Bed bugs have five immature nymph life stages and three adult stages. They require a blood meal to progress from one stage to the next.
Eggs: Females lay one to five eggs per day, cementing them onto rough surfaces near where people sleep. Bed bug eggs are pearly white, about 1 mm long and hatch in six to 17 days
Nymphs: After hatching from their eggs, nymphs molt five times before becoming adults. A nymph must take at least one blood meal between each molt. Bed bug nymphs are light brown, nearly transparent and the size of a poppy seed (1.5 mm – 3 mm).
Adults: Once they’ve completed their final molt, bed bugs become reproductively mature adults. An adult bed bug can live for more than 300 days without a blood meal. Adult bed bugs are brown, flat (when unfed), oval-shaped (4-5 mm long x 2-3 mm wide) and wingless.
How to get rid of bed bugs
If you think you might have bedbugs, these signs can help you figure out if you do:
-Bites on your skin. Bedbugs usually bite people at night while they’re sleeping. The bites leave red itchy welts, called hives or “wheals” (pronounced hwlz). If you have welts that appear in a line or cluster, and if new welts appear as old ones fade, you may have bedbugs.
-Live bedbugs. You may be able to see live bedbugs. They’re small (about the size of an apple seed), brown or reddish-brown, and can move quickly. If you put a clear jar over them, they may not be able to climb out to bite you.
-Dark or rusty spots on your mattress, box spring, sheets, or pillowcases. These are bedbug excrement and contain enzymes that some people are allergic to.
-Eggs and eggshells on mattresses, box springs, sheets, pillowcases, fabric furniture such as chairs and couches, baseboards, walls behind beds or other furniture—anywhere they might hide during the day because they’re attracted to body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale when we sleep.
How to prevent bed bugs
Preventing bedbugs starts with cleanliness. Since they can hitchhike in on clothing, linens and used furniture, it’s important to regularly launder these items in hot water and keep your home clean. Other ways to prevent bed bugs include:
-Inspecting secondhand furniture before bringing it into your home
-Using a protective cover on your mattress, box spring and pillows
-Keeping clutter to a minimum so bedbugs have fewer places to hide
-Regularly vacuuming carpets and floors
The history of bed bugs
The history of bed bugs can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where they were mentioned in texts from as early as 1550 BCE. They were also mentioned by Aristotle and Pliny the Elder in their writings. In more recent history, bed bugs were thought to have been eliminated from the developed world in the 1940s, but they have made a comeback in recent years and are now a global problem.
Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are reddish-brown in color, oval-shaped, and about 4-5 mm in length. Females can lay up to 300 eggs in their lifetime, and nymphs (immature bed bugs) can begin feeding just five days after hatching.
Bed bugs are most often found in close proximity to their human hosts, such as in mattresses, bed frames, headboards, furniture, or carpeting. They can also be found in other places where people sleep or spend prolonged periods of time, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, offices, retail stores, movie theaters, libraries, and public transportation vehicles.
As obligate blood-feeders, bed bugs must feed on blood to survive. They typically bite humans when they are asleep or very close to falling asleep, as this is when their victims are immobilized and unable to defend themselves. Bed bug bites usually go unnoticed until after they have occurred, as they do not immediately cause pain or irritation. However, some people may experience an allergic reaction to the saliva injected into their skin during feeding which can lead to redness, itching, swelling, and even blistering.
Bed bug bites
Bed bug bites are the main way that these pests spread from one place to another. The insects are able to travel long distances by hitchhiking on people and their personal belongings. When bed bugs bite, they inject a small amount of saliva into the victim’s skin. This saliva contains a numbing agent that helps to keep the person from feeling the bite. In addition, the saliva also contains an anticoagulant, which prevents the blood from clotting. As a result, the bed bug is able to feed for a longer period of time without being detected.
Bed bugs are most often found in areas where people sleep, such as hotels, dormitories, and apartment complexes. They can also be found in other places where people congregate, such as movie theaters, offices, and libraries. Bed bugs are usually brought into homes on infested furniture or clothing. Once they are inside, they can spread quickly by hiding in cracks and crevices.
How to treat bed bug bites
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely on the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are reddish-brown in color, oval shaped, and can grow to be about 4-5 mm long. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any diseases, but their bites can be extremely itchy and uncomfortable.
If you think you may have been bitten by a bed bug, it is important to clean the bite site with soap and water as soon as possible. You can also apply an anti-itch cream or calamine lotion to the area to help relieve the itchiness. If you have a severe reaction to the bites (e.g., difficulty breathing), please seek medical attention immediately.
There is no need to panic if you find out that you have bed bugs in your home. While they can be a nuisance, there are some simple steps you can take to get rid of them. First, you will need to vacuum all infested areas of your home thoroughly. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag immediately afterwards so that the bed bugs cannot escape back into your home. Next, you will need to wash all of your bedding and clothing in hot water (at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit). Finally, you can use a pesticide spray specifically designed for killing bed bugs (available at most hardware stores).
Bed bugs in popular culture
Bed bugs have been a popular topic in recent years, thanks in part to an increase in infestations across the United States. These pesky insects are experts at hiding, making them difficult to eliminate once they’ve taken up residence in your home.
Though bed bugs are often associated with unsanitary conditions, they can actually hitch a ride into your home on anything from luggage to used furniture. Once they’re inside, they’ll quickly start to reproduce, leading to an infestation that can be difficult and costly to get rid of.
If you think you may have bed bugs, it’s important to act quickly. These insects are not known to carry disease, but their bites can be painful and cause irritation. An exterminator can help you identify and eliminate bed bugs from your home.
FAQs about bed bugs
Bed bugs are small, brown insects that feed on blood. They are about the size of an apple seed and can live for several months without a meal. Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases, but their bites can be itchy and uncomfortable.
Bed bugs are often found in hotels,motels, and shelters where there is a lot of people coming and going. They can also be found in single-family homes, apartments, and even on public transportation.
Bed bugs are good at hiding and can be hard to find. They often hide in cracks and crevices near beds, headboards, dressers, and behind wall outlets.
