Photo from express.co.uk
Bedbugs are little, reddish-brown, wingless bloodsucking insects. Bedbug bites normally heal on their own in a week or two. Bedbugs do not transmit disease, although they can trigger allergic reactions or severe skin reactions in certain people.
Bedbugs are around the size of a pea. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames, and other objects around a bed and emerge at night to feast on people, their favourite host. If you spend time in settings where nocturnal guests arrive and depart frequently, such as hotels, hospitals, or homeless shelters, you are more likely to encounter bedbugs.
Professional elimination is essential if you have bedbugs in your home.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BED BUGS?
Bedbug bites have symptoms that are similar to other insect bites and rashes. Bites from bedbugs are typically:
- Spots that are inflamed, with a darker patch in the center
- Itchy
- arranged in a loose line or cluster
- On the face, neck, arms, and hands
Some people have no reaction to bedbug bites, while others have an allergic reaction with intense itching, blisters, or hives.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF BED BUGS?
Infestations of bedbugs have been connected to:
- Increased travel frequency
- Changes in pest control methods
- Resistance to insecticides
Where do they go to hide?
Bedbug infestations are more common in areas where people sleep. They can be found in the following places:
- Clothing
- Luggage
- Bedding
- Boxes
- Box springs
- Mattresses
- Headboards
- Objects close to beds
- Underneath peeling paint and flaking wallpaper
- Near the baseboards, beneath the carpeting
- Seams in upholstered furniture
- In the vicinity of light switch plates or electrical outlets
How do they spread?
Bedbugs can spread from one location to another by traveling on clothing, luggage, furniture, cartons, and bedding.
In hotels or apartment buildings, bedbugs can readily move across floors and rooms.
Uncleanliness?
Bedbugs don't care if their surroundings are clean or filthy. All they require is a friendly host and plenty of hiding places.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR BED BUGS?
Bedbug bites are more likely in settings where people come and depart frequently, such as apartment complexes, dorm rooms, homeless shelters, hotels, cruise ships, trains, buses, and refugee camps.
HOW IS BED BUGS DIAGNOSED?
If you suspect that you are being bitten by bedbugs, investigate your home promptly. Examine crevices in walls, beds, and furniture thoroughly. If bedbugs are active at night, you may need to conduct your inspection at that time.
Look for the following indicators:
- Dark specks: These specks are bedbug faeces and are commonly discovered along mattress seams.
- Skin castings: Before becoming adults, bedbugs molt five times. These empty skins are a light yellow color.
- Stains that are rusty or reddish: Small stains of blood may be found on your bed sheets where bedbugs were crushed.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR BED BUGS?
Bedbug bites rarely require treatment because they normally go away on their own within a week or two. You could alleviate symptoms by using:
- A hydrocortisone-containing skin cream (Cortaid)
- An antihistamine taken orally, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Taking Care of Your Home
A bedbug infestation can be tough to eradicate because they conceal effectively and can go months without eating. A professional exterminator may be required, who will most likely utilize a combination of insecticides and nonchemical remedies.
You can also cure your home for bedbugs by doing the following:
- Vacuuming: A thorough cleaning of crevices can remove bedbugs from a room, but it is unlikely to catch all of them. After each use, empty the vacuum.
- Laundering: Bedbugs can be killed by washing goods in water that is at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius). Putting them in a dryer on high for 20 minutes can also work.
- Inserting goods inside a closed vehicle: If you reside in a very hot climate, bag the infested objects and store them in a car parked in the sun with the windows pulled up for a day. The desired temperature is at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 C).
In some circumstances, badly infested goods, such as beds or couches, may have to be discarded. Make it clear that the object is unusable so that no one else picks it up and picks up bed bugs.
HOW CAN BED BUGS BE PREVENTED?
- Cover up: Bedbugs do not typically penetrate beneath garments. Wearing pajamas that cover as much flesh as possible may help you prevent bites.
- Examine secondhand items: Before bringing old bedding, mattresses, and upholstered furniture into your home, inspect them.
- Take hotel precautions: Check the mattress seams for bedbug excrement and store your baggage on tables or dressers rather than the floor.