Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite

The last thing you want to think about when you lay down at night are bed bugs. Yet every once and a while you will hear news stories from around the world of hotel guests covered in hundreds of bed bug bites. Problem is that the bites may not be noticed for days later after you are all ready home. Having all ready unpacked the suitcase and brought the little critters home.

Bed bugs (scientifically known as "Cimes lectularius"), grow to about ¼ inch, wingless, and feed on blood. They can be found anyplace in the world. Bed bugs are nocturnal vampires that are most active just before dawn. They nest on mattresses and bedding where they can easily find a source of food.

Bed bugs bite using their highly developed mouth parts and they usually attack when the person occupying the bed is fast asleep. These parts include an elongated peak that can easily pierce the skin and suck blood. The engorgement period only takes a short period to complete finishing as fast as less than a minute to lasting for as long as three minutes. However, a bed bug bite is painless and the human host will only be able to determine that he has been victimized long after the bed bug has finished the meal.

Bed bugs can live in sleeping bags, pet bedding, sofas, egg foam, cardboard stacks or even water beds. Water beds have nooks and dark corners that are usually warm, which is the preferred temperature of bed bugs.

Bed bug bites are commonly mistaken for mosquito bites. The best way to tell the difference is the pattern of the bites. Bed bugs will bite in a orderly row unlike the random pattern of mosquitoes. It is very rare that the bites will do more then cause a couple days of localized itching. Yet in some allergic reactions they can grow to large red welts, blisters, and lost of skin. And just like any other insect bite, scratching it will only make it worse and increase the risk of infection.

Bed bug bites are not known to carry any heath hazards. The medical significance of the bites is limited mainly to inflammation and itching. Washing the bite with soap and water is the proper way to immediately treat bites. Various anti-itch creams are available in drugstores.

In years gone by, spraying DDT was a popular means of getting rid of bed bugs but has been banned because of environmental impact and the possible complications it might cause to humans. If you know what you are looking for (not confuse it with a flea, mosquito bite or rash) you can get it under control and kill them off before it spreads and becomes a full blown infestation. At some point though, if it gets out of hand, - cloths, betting, and whole mattresses may need discarded. Calling a professional to perform an inspection for bed bug infestation usually takes a few hours.

All in all, a good offence is the best defense. Washing bed cloths once a week, washing everything in the suitcase after a trip, not letting sheets drape on the floor and frequent vacuuming should be enough to give you a sound, critter free, good night sleep.

Learn more about where bed bugs come from, how to control and kill them with my 5 day mini-course available HERE.