ALL ABOUT BED BUGS

Actually, Bed bugs have rarely been seen in previous years due to the widespread use of DDT during the 1940's and 50's to exterminate all sorts of pests in the United States. However, bed bugs are making a strong comeback. Hotels and motels are among the places that suffer from bed bugs infestation.

According to studies, bed bugs' comeback may be attributed to the international travelling of Americans to countries with bed bugs infestation in hotels and motels along with the immigration to the States by people from countries with bed bugs infestation.

You may not even know if your own household is bed bugs free. If you haven't seen one but suspect that a bed bug hitched on your clothes and has started a colony in your home, you will want to know the basics about bed bugs so that you can decide if you need to treat your home from infestation.

-- Genera and species of bed bugs

There are numerous differnet types of bed bugs. Bed bugs are small, brownish in color, flat, nocturnal insects. Bed bugs belong to the family Cimicidae that live by feeding on human and animal blood.

Bed bugs with scientific name Cimex lectularius are the common household bed bugs. They are the species of bed bugs that feed on humans and have adapted to human environments. These type of bed bugs are found in temperate climates. Believe it our not, they are the same bed bugs that tormented people from the ancient times.

There are other types of bed bugs species such as Cimex hemipterus which are found in tropical regions like Florida. These type of bed bugs also infest poultry and bats. Another bed bugs species, the Leptocimex boueti which are found in the tropics of South America and West Africa infest not just humans, but bats as well. Bed bugs species with scientific namen Cimex pilosellus and C. pipistrella primarily infest bats. A bed bug species of North America, the Haematosiphon inodora, primarily infests poultry.

-- Physical characteristics of bed bugs

Adult bed bugs are small, oval, flattened, reddish brown, and wingless. Many people think that bed bugs are so small and move so quick that they are not visible to the naked eye. However, if you look hard enough and in the right places, they can be seen.

Adult bed bugs grow to 4 to 5 mm in length and although they move fast, they are not as fast as some perceive them to be. People do not see bed bugs because the bed bugs lie still in the crevices of the bed, sofa or matress and usually come out to bite people only while they are sleeping.

Newly hatched bed bugs (nymphs) are translucent (see-through). Their color becomes browner as they reach maturity. Their size is often compared to appleseeds.

-- Feeding habits of bed bugs

Bed bugs can live more than a year without feeding. But when a host is present, they will feed regularly every five to ten days.

Although bed bugs may attempt to feed on human blood anytime of the day, they are generally active and feed mostly at night. Usually an hour before dawn is the bed bugs' peak attack time.

Bed bugs, like any other insect that feed on human blood such as leeches, inject anesthetics on the skin of their hosts so that the piercing and blood sucking won't be felt by the human host. This is possible with the bed bugs two hollow tubes. One of their hollow tubes will release saliva that contains both an anticoagulant and an anesthetic while the other tube withdraws the blood.

Bed bugs will feed for about five minutes and immediately return to their hiding places in the bed matresses and pillows.

-- Health effects of bed bugs bite on humans

Unlike other blood sucking insects, such as mosquitoes that carry Malaria and Dengue Fever (Yellow Fever), bed bugs are not known to spread any diseases that are transmitted through blood, such as Hepatitis B, HIV, etc..

Bed Bugs are not regarded by scientists as a medical threat, although they may cause severe itching and skin marks on the bitten part of the skin. Skin infections and scars may precipitate due to scratching the itch and this may require medical attention by a dermatologist.

A calamine lotion may reduce the redness and some of the itch of the bitten part. You should wash with warm water and germicidal soap first before you apply a calamine lotion.

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