SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Pest & Bug Removal
How
Do I Get Rid of Bugs & Pests?
Are
Bedbugs Real?
Every
night before putting their children to bed, many parents
utter the words, “Don’t let the bedbugs
bite.” Although many say these words each night, there are
few that know bedbugs are actually real. Bedbugs aren’t
common, but they can occur in apartments, hotels, dormitories
and shelters. These insects are defined as small wingless insects
that feed solely on the blood of warm-blooded animals, and
have evolved as nest parasites. Certain types of bedbugs may
inhabit bird nests and bat roosts, but it is most commonly
known that they live in the homes of people. Adult bedbugs
are about 1/4 of an inch in length, and appear as oval shaped
when viewed from above, but they are flattened from top to
bottom.
Bedbugs may have colors ranging from transparent or white
to light tan, deep brown, and burnt orange. When the parasite
drinks the host’s blood, it will appear as a dark red or black
mass within the insect’s body. The phrase “don’t let the bedbugs
bite” that is said before bed time, is relevant to the time
they attack. Generally, they will seek out animals and people
at night while the host is sleeping. It is often thought that
the bedbug bite is painful, but there “biting process” is actually
a painless procedure, in which the bedbug sips a few drops
of blood from its host. While feeding on the host’s blood,
a small amount of saliva is injected into the skin.
Exposure
to bites during a period of several weeks can cause
a person to become sensitized to the saliva of the bugs, and
additional bites may result in allergic responses. The bites
cause skin lesions that are similar to bites of other blood-feeding
insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas. So, it is nearly impossible
for a physician to identify what has caused the bite, but a
physician should be consulted to rule out other causes of lesions,
and to offer treatment for them. Any person that is bitten
by a bedbug should resist the urge to scratch the bites, because
this may intensify irritation, and itching, and can lead to
secondary infection. Bedbug bites are usually treated with
antihistamines and corticosteroids used to reduce allergic
reactions and inflammation. Bedbugs may cause some allergic
reactions, but they do not transmit infectious agents, so most
people who have been bitten will not suffer any unnecessary
illness.
Bedbugs
most commonly hide in small crevices, and may accompany
luggage, furniture, clothing, pillow, boxes, and other like
objects that are moved between apartments, homes, and hotels.
Any sort of used furniture, such as bed frames and mattresses
may incur a greater risk of harboring bedbugs. So, it is important
to consider the history of a used piece of furniture, especially
items found on the street. The small insects have the
ability to survive for several months without feeding, so bedbugs
may
be present in vacant and clean apartments. They may also travel
between adjoining apartments through voids in walls, and holes
that wire and pipes pass through. Cast skins of bedbugs may
also be discovered in homes, on pillows and in beds. However,
finding these skins simply confirms that the insects were present
previously, and do not confirm that they are still present
in a residence. If these cast skins are found, the residents
should thoroughly search for live bedbugs, as many other small
brown bugs may in inhabit the home also.
Bedbugs may only infest a small portion of a residence, and
they may be evident if residents experience small bites during
sleep. All sleeping areas in a home should be carefully examined
for signs of bedbugs, if they are suspected. They may live
in the folds and creases of bed linens, and in the seams and
tufts of mattresses. Residents may also find bedbugs living
in the pleats of curtains, beneath loose areas of wallpaper
near a bed, and in corners of desks and dressers. Bedbugs may
also leave small dark brown or reddish fecal spots on linens,
mattresses or walls near beds. If a home is severely infested,
there may be a coriander-like odor present.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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