bed bug facts / information - bed bug bites

bed bug facts / information - bed bug bites

the bed bug (Cimex lectularius)

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bed bug (Cimex Lectularius)

bed bug (Cimex Lectularius)

bed bug (Cimex Lectularius)

Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is the species most adapted to living with humans. It has done so since ancient times.

Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 inch long and reddish brown, with oval, flattened bodies. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. The immature (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and somewhat lighter in colour. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded areas, depositing up to five a day and 500 during a lifetime. The eggs are tiny, whitish, and hard to see without magnification (individual eggs are about the size of a dust spec). When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to substrates. Newly hatched nymphs are no bigger than a pinhead. As they grow, they moult (shed their skin) five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive moult. Under favourable conditions (70 - 90° F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year. Cool temperatures or limited access to a blood meal extends the development time. Bed bugs are very resilient. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Infestations therefore are unlikely to diminish by leaving premises unoccupied. Although Cimex lectularius prefers feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including pets.

Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices - especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places.

bed bug help - have i got bed bugs?

a beg bug attack (and i do mean an attack!) usually starts off with an invisible threat. the bed bug itself will go unseen but his aftermath will well and truly be visible.

Bed bugs more than usually bite you at night while you are sleeping. They feed by piercing the skin with an elongated tube through which they withdraw blood. Feeding (engorgement) takes about three to 10 minutes, yet the person seldom knows they are being bitten. Symptoms thereafter vary with the individual. Many people develop an itchy red welt or localized swelling, which sometimes appears a day or so after the bite. Others have little or no reaction. Me and Sinead slept in the same infested bed (Bev and Mick's Backpackers, Melbourne) and she received no bites whatsoever. Unlike fleabites, which occur mainly around the ankles, bed bugs feed on any bare skin exposed while sleeping (face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands). The welts and itching are often attributed to other causes such as mosquitoes and look a bit like a Scabies infection. For these reasons, infestations may go a long time unnoticed, and can become quite large before being detected. The possibility of bed bugs increases if the affected individual has been travelling, or had acquired used beds or furnishings before symptoms started to appear. Bed bugs also are suspect if you wake up with itchy bites you did not have when you went to sleep. Conversely, it is important to recognize that not all bites or bite-like reactions are due to bed bugs.

bed bug bites

bed bug bites

bed bug treatment

So you've got to the bottom of those itchy bites... what next?? How do i get rid of the bugs?

To be honest, I think professional help if required!! If like me though you are unlucky enough to be in a hostel with a owner who does care much for your plight there are a couple of things you can do.

1. A new mattress IS required!!

2. Get hold of a good Lice and Bug spray. Australia is prone to these bedbug attacks due to travellers transporting bugs around in their backpacks, so the bug killer can be bought anywhere. Spray EVERYWHERE!! Taking special attention to the wooden areas of the room (flooring, skirting and any wooden bed parts).

3. Wash EVERYTHING!! If your clothes will allow it, wash them in the hottest water available.

4. Wash out and spray your backpacks. Don't transport the bugs around with you. Pay extra attention to this if you are fruit picking in Queensland. Many bed bugs are collected here and transported south.

5. Get an ointment from a pharmacy to relieve the itching and protect from a secondary infection.

bed bug eggs and waste

bed bug eggs and waste