subject: What Are Bed Bugs? [print this page] Bed bugs are oval-shaped, reddish-brown colored wingless insects. They find their way into almost everything from our luggage bags, beds to expensive furniture. An adult bed bug is roughly 4-5mm long. They feed on the blood of human beings, which cause beside pain a lot of unwanted reactions such as allergies. During the mid of the 20th century their population had been reduced considerably owning to the use of DDT but somehow they have increased in number worldwide in recent times. Killing bed bugs is the best thing one can do to get rid of them permanently.
Bug bugs are of many types. But the ones which are dangerous to human beings is the Cimex lectularius or common bug and Cimex hemipterus or tropical bug. All bed bug has a life of 5 nymph stages i.e. between the egg and the full grown adult there are 5 intermediate larva or nymph stages. The egg takes a time of 7-12 days to hatch whereas the complete nymph development takes approximately 6weeks. Their mouth parts are so designed which enables them to pierce the skin of humans and suck blood. They generally feed on them during the night time and remain hidden during the day. Bed bugs can go without their blood meals for a very long time. But obviously the ones which feed better and more often generally live longer.
A bed bug inserts its saliva while feeding on humans. They generally bite in the shoulders and arms of human beings or anywhere which is left exposed. Large wheals which turn into red spots are the most common bug bite reaction. Inflammation and itching are other reactions. Bullous eruptions, anaphylaxis and asthma due to bug bites are reported in lesser number people. Their bites may not show instant allergic reactions.
Killing bed bugs is not an easy task but is very essential. Vacuuming your homes, especially under carpet, mattresses, folds of curtains and all their probable hiding places can be done. But this has to be done regularly as these bugs are very persistent and find their way back inside our home. A more efficient practice is hiring a professional pest controller for killing bed bugs. They use chemical insecticides to kill bed bugs; though these chemicals are effective on bugs but have a negative effect on the health of human beings. Steam cleaners have become very popular as it enables killing beds bugs in a clean and healthy way.
Bed bugs infestation in homes or offices can be easily determined by their cast skin, eggs or dead or alive bugs. Ignoring these means giving them a chance to grow that in turn increases the problem manifold. These bugs not only bite but the growth in their population also leaves a repulsive smell in your homes. There are a variety of solutions to the bed bug problem; adopt the one which is the most suitable. There are various companies having experience in killing bed bugs, offering their products and services to keep these bugs at bay.
