Bed bugs are small, flat insects with an oval-shaped body. They do not have wings, but the adults do have wing pads, which are an evolutionary vestige, and which never develop into fully functional wings. They are usually brown in coloration when they are adults, and their bodies turn red after a feeding session. In terms of size, an adult will reach about 5 mm in length, which is more than enough to see them with the naked eye.
What does a bed bug bite look like?
Bed bugs will usually bite someone on their arms, legs, shoulders, face and neck, and the bites will often be grouped together in a small area, sometimes occurring in a line or zigzag pattern. The bites themselves are small, flat, red and a bit inflamed, often being itchy and sometimes developing into blisters.
The signs of a bed bug infestation
Bed bugs will hide in all manner of household textile materials and furniture including bedding, mattresses, bed frames and clutter. Usually, when you have an infestation, you will not actually see a bedbug crawling around, you will see other signs. These signs include the brown and black stains that they leave on linen and mattresses, or the blood stains after you crush a bed bug in your sleep.
How do bed bug infestations start?
Bed bug infestations start in pretty much any home, regardless of how clean it is. This is because bed bugs are usually brought from areas where people carry luggage. For example, you could get bed bugs from a hotel room, even a 5 star one, or you could get them from a gym. Sometimes, bed bugs enter someone’s purse, and if that purse gets too close to your baggage, the insects may spread. So you will usually bring bed bugs from the outside, and once the insects are in the home, they start reproducing and multiplying.
How bed bug infestations are controlled
Because bed bugs embed themselves deep inside of textile materials and furniture, the infestation has to be controlled by a pro, who will apply several treatments in order to destroy the entire population. There are also many DIY products on the market, but they are almost never effective. If you have any questions about bed bugs, or if you have a bed bug infestation, contact us today and we will help you out.
