Bedbugs: Characteristics, Behavior, and Impact
Bedbugs, scientifically known as Cimex lectularius, are small, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. Here are some key facts about bedbugs:
Nocturnal Feeders: Bedbugs are nocturnal insects, feeding primarily at night when their hosts are asleep. They are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide.
Flat Bodies: They have flat bodies, which allow them to hide in tight spaces such as mattress seams, bed frames, and cracks in furniture.
Prolific Breeders: A female bedbug can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, typically in clusters of 10-50 eggs. They reproduce rapidly, leading to infestations if not controlled.
Resilient Survivors: Bedbugs can survive for several months without feeding, making them difficult to eliminate. They can withstand a wide range of temperatures and environments.
Allergic Reactions: Bedbug bites can cause allergic reactions in some people, leading to itching, swelling, and redness. Scratching the bites can cause secondary infections.
Signs of Infestation: Common signs of a bedbug infestation include the presence of live bugs, shed skins, and small bloodstains on bedding or furniture.
Travelers: Bedbugs can be easily transported in luggage, clothing, and furniture, making them a common problem in hotels, dormitories, and other transient living spaces.
Control and Prevention: Eliminating bedbugs often requires professional pest control services. Prevention measures include regularly inspecting and cleaning bedding and furniture.
Not Known Disease Carriers: While bedbugs can be a nuisance and cause discomfort, they are not known to transmit diseases to humans.
Historical Pests: Bedbugs have been human parasites for thousands of years and were more prevalent before the widespread use of insecticides in the mid-20th century.
Understanding these facts about bedbugs can help individuals recognize and address infestations promptly to prevent their spread and minimize discomfort. Bed bugs are a significant problem in India and around the world. They are easily spread and difficult to treat, resulting in a rapid growth in the number of bed bug outbreaks. Raising awareness of what to look for and ensuring bed bugs are dealt with quickly once discovered is key to beating this problem.
Impact of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs feed on the blood of humans and other mammals. While it is possible for bedbugs to transmit disease, it is very rare in India. Instead, the primary concern is the irritation and distress caused by bed bug bites.
Bed bug bites do not hurt. It is the itchiness that results from the body’s reaction to them that causes discomfort. Treating the bites soothes the irritation, but it can still be very distressing when there are multiple bites, as is often the case with bedbugs. Multiple bites and contact with bedbugs can also lead to an itchy rash or eczema. Consult a pharmacist for advice and treatment if this occurs.
Identifying Bed Bugs
Adult Bed bugs are 5mm long. Before feeding, they are a flattened oval shape and light brown, but become rounder and darker after feeding. They come out at night and are attracted to the warmth of our bodies and carbon dioxide in our breath. They are usually found in bedrooms and hide in cracks and crevices during the daytime.
The most common shelter of Bed bugs is in the seams of mattresses, in crevices in the bed frame, behind furniture surrounding the bed (especially the headboard), or where the wall meets the floor. An established infestation will also be associated with an unpleasant scent secreted by bed bugs.
Sources of Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bugs usually enter a property by being carried on clothing or inside furniture. The most common places for Bed bug infestations are hotels, cinemas, lodges, auditoriums, and overnight buses.
Bed bugs often get introduced into homes with second-hand furniture. Bed bugs or their eggs get into clothing or suitcases and are then transported home. If there are any signs of Bed bugs when staying at a hotel, particularly being bitten when sleeping or seeing blood spots on sheets, take great care in bringing your personal belongings home. Consult with hotel management to assess the risk – it may be necessary to launder, fumigate, or treat clothes to ensure they are safe. The same applies to transferring furniture. Tricity Pest Control can treat furniture for Bed bugs before bringing it into your home if there may be a risk.
Bed Bug Bites
Bed bug bites are unlikely to wake the victim. They can occur anywhere on the body but are often close to blood vessels near the skin. A single Bed bug may bite more than once around the same area. However, bites in different parts of the body indicate being bitten by several Bed bugs. Early in a bed bug infestation, the victim may not yet be sensitized to the bites, and they may not feel itchy. However, small droplets of blood on the sheets will indicate the presence of bed bugs.
Identifying Bed Bug Bites
It is difficult to identify Bed bugs from their bite because our bodies react very differently to them. It is more important to look at the overall pattern and timing of bites and other factors to identify whether bites are caused by Bed bugs. Consult our guide to biting insects for advice about how to treat Bed bug bites.
