The Terrible Bedbug

We are hearing so much about bedbugs these days.  There are many people that do not know what they are.  Bedbugs were eradicated many years ago in the U.S. by using DDT on them which is now banned from use.  Now the bedbugs are back and no one really knows why for sure.  Some believe it might be because of all of the international travel that goes on nowadays.

Bed bugs are small insects that do not fly.  They live by sucking blood from people and sometimes animals.

Bedbugs will crawl into small cracks where they can hide.  Their favorite place to stay is usually the bedroom where they will inhabit the mattress and other areas near where people sleep.  They will bite people at night when they are sleeping.

Bedbugs like high traffic areas such as hotels.  You will also find bedbugs in your home and hospitals.  They prefer a temperature of between 70 and 80 degrees.

Bedbug bites can resemble flea or mosquito bites.  They are red and itchy and the face, neck, arms and hands are the most common places to find them.  They can be on any place on your body.  It is rare but some people can have a severe allergic reaction to bedbug bites.

Bedbugs will hide during the day and feast at night.  They like mattresses, box springs and any other place where they can conceal themselves.

After bedbugs have gotten their tummy full they usually leave the person they are feeding on.  Sometimes bedbugs will hide in clothes and luggage.  When you are traveling they will hide in your luggage and you will bring them home with you.  Bedbugs also crawl around on the floor so they can easily move from room to room.

There are some types of bedbugs that like to bite bats and birds and they prefer to live in attics and eaves of buildings.  If there are no birds or bats available they will bite people.

Bedbugs are not a sign of a dirty environment.  They do not care if the area is clean or dirty as long as they have a warm body and a lot of hiding places.

If you think you are being bitten by bedbugs check your surroundings.  Check to see if you have any dark specks along your mattress seams.  Bedbugs shed their skin so you might find light brown empty skins and this will be a sign you have bedbugs.

If you determine you have bedbugs in your home you will have to treat it to get rid of them.  This can be very difficult because they are experts at hiding and they can live for month without feeding.

You can use non-chemical treatments that will include doing a complete vacuuming.  You must make sure you get into all the cracks but there may be places you will not be able to reach with your vacuum.  You will need to wash your clothes in very hot water to kill the bedbugs that may be on the.  You can put cloth items in your dryer for 20 minutes on high heat and this will kill the bedbugs and also kill their eggs.

Sometimes it is better to hire a professional exterminator to get rid of your bedbug infestation.

If you buy a used mattress or couch check it out carefully and make sure there are no bedbugs.  When you stay in a hotel check the mattress seams for evidence of bedbugs and never put your luggage on the floor.

If you are careful you should not develop a bedbug problem.

Article sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedbugs

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp