Bed bugs are tiny cousins of the flea and drink the blood of people while they are sleeping. They will also feed off of other warm blooded creatures. Named for their primary habitat the bed bug often lives in mattresses and bedding. The bed bug was a very large problem in 1940 but were almost eradicated. Recently they have come back in epidemic proportions. They mainly are found in places like hotels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels.
There are several different varieties of bed bugs with one common one being the most wide spread. They can actually be seen with the naked eye but since they generally only feed at night for about five minutes they like the flea largely go unnoticed. What people do notice is the bites they leave behind.
These bites are often mistaken for flea bites. They are small oval insects and are not arachnids like mites are. They come in brown, tan, white, and sometimes black.
Bedbugs feed off of blood and blood only. Although they generally feed about an hour before sunrise they have been known to feed at other times when warmth is present and they are starved. They only feed for about five minutes and the bite cannot be felt until about five minutes after that. Bedbugs go unnoticed in most people even though everyone reacts a little bit differently to their bites.
Normally houses are not infested. Infestation only happens when bedbugs are picked up while traveling or coming into contact with them elsewhere. The other way of transmission is if infested furniture comes into the home. It does not have to be used furniture. It is possible that new furniture is exposed to bedbug in shipping or even in the store. Like their cousins the flea they can be picked up just about anywhere.
Bed, bedding, mattresses or any other stuffed upholstered furniture are favorite nests. They can also nest in the areas around beds, cracks, and headboards if need be. They have been found on clothing that is not normally washed like jackets, purses, and such. Although they are not always found only in these areas this is where they are found most of the time. Knowing where you can find them is helpful to treating an infestation.
If you are treating for a bedbug infestation, make sure that you have bedbugs first. Light infestations can be almost impossible to find and diagnose. The most obvious signs are dirt or feces on the bedding. Sometimes you might be able to see the shells from bedbugs who have shed. When you are not used to dealing with them then you should consult a professional for removal especially if you have an advanced infestation.
Getting rid of an infestation of bed bugs can take a very long time. There are a lot of popular do it yourself methods but you have to make sure you know where they are first. There are mattress covers that can starve them, there are pesticides and powders that poison them, and there are sprays to help. Most people who have success use a combination of methods. If you do not know what you are doing you should seek professional help before using any poisons or pesticides.
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