Once you have bed bugs, getting rid of them on your own may be nearly impossible. But from where did they originate, and how did they travel from one location to another? Let’s find out!
What Is A Bed Bug?
The reason bed bugs got their name was probably because they liked to hide out in beds and eat people while they slept. Bed bugs feed only on blood and must have regular blood meals to survive and develop. Humans are not bedded bugs’ only targets, they also will attack many warm-blooded animals, including poultry and other birds. Bed bugs have been associated with humans for more than 3,300 years and are found in virtually every place people tend to gather, including residences, hotels, schools, offices, retail stores, and even public transportation.
Bed bugs are great “hitchhikers,” allowing them to travel long distances. They latch onto suitcases, clothes, and linens and can end up wherever these items are taken. This explains how quickly bed bug infestations spread. Furthermore, it’s often hard to identify bed bug bites, and they can easily be confused with bites from a different pest, making infestations difficult to detect and allowing populations to grow unnoticed.
Where Did Bed Bugs First Appear?
Bed bugs have been a problem for humans for well over a thousand years. Most experts concur that bed bugs were first widely transmitted to humans by bats in the Middle East, where bats and humans once likely shared many caves.
Bed bugs were carried by humans into new areas as civilization expanded and spread. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians all recorded dealing with these pests.
Over time, bed bugs invaded households of all income levels in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Finally, the pests reached the Americas thanks to European settlers. Every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, is now home to bed bugs.
How To Identify Bed Bugs
Only about 3/16th of an inch long, bed bugs have an oval shape. These animals are brown and flat before feeding. Bed bugs swell, lengthen, and become reddish after feeding. The 6 legs and 2 antennae of bed bugs. Despite having reduced “wing pads,” bed bugs do not have wings and cannot fly.
Adult bed bugs are visible to the human eye and can be found by sight, especially in mattress seams and box springs. Due to their smaller size and paler color, bed bug nymphs can be more difficult to spot.
Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation
Small reddish-brown fecal spots on mattresses, furniture, or walls are the best indicators of bed bugs. If these spots are discovered, an infestation may be present. A further indication of bed bugs are bites on the arms and legs. These bites may be small, but if they swell and start to itch, they become noticeable. These bites may not appear for two to three days, which allows the infestation to spread. Without additional bed bug proof, bites do not, by themselves, indicate an infestation.
Observations of bed bug molt skins, their eggs, empty eggshells, or the bugs themselves can also be used to determine the presence of an infestation. Though quite small, everything on this list is still clearly visible to the naked eye. After molting or emerging from the eggshell, bed bug skins and their eggshells both have a pale white appearance.
Bed Bugs: How Do They Spread?
Bed bugs typically hitch rides from place to place by attaching themselves to:
- Skin
- Hair
- Animal fur
- Clothes
- And luggage
Bed bugs have been found in luxury homes and 5-star hotels, despite the fact that they are frequently associated with filthy homes or lower-class neighborhoods. The majority of dark crevices, crevices, and crevices will be used by these tiny bloodsuckers to conceal themselves while looking for an animal or human to feed on.
Travel Frequently
The likelihood of bringing bed bugs home increases if you travel frequently. In addition to lodging, bed bugs can also be found in a variety of modes of transportation, including taxis and airplanes. When bed bugs attach to your clothing or luggage that you bring home, you run the risk of spreading an infestation. As a result, one of the main ways that bed bugs get into your homes is through frequent travel.
Cinema
Hot seats are available all over the theater when it is full. If there were any bed bugs hiding and reproducing somewhere, the warmth would have drawn them to you and bitten you. It’s possible that one or two of them that are stuck to your clothing are what you bring home.
Sofa Areas
The sofas in living rooms are the last place you would anticipate finding bed bugs. Important: Bed bugs even have a preference for specific colors and prefer fabric materials over cold metallic surfaces. Dark red and black are favorites of bed bugs. This explains why fabric-covered sofas are unquestionably bedded bug hotspots, and since these cozy sofas are typically found in lounge areas, relaxing would be the last thing on your mind if you were on the lookout for bed bugs.
How Can I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In My House?
It can be done, but it usually requires what is called an “integrated pest management” (IPM) approach, which combines methods with the lowest potential for environmental and human health harm. Try these strategies:
- Particularly in your bedroom, purge the space of clutter and clean.
- Remove your bed from any nearby furniture or walls.
- Every day, vacuum the floors, molding, and windows. The mattress, box spring, and furniture seams and edges should be vacuumed. As soon as possible, empty the vacuum or bag, and dispose of it outside in a sealed container or bag. (Read More: How To Remove Mold From Inside Walls?)
- Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and bed skirts should all be washed before being dried in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes. Use dust mite control mattress and box spring covers and cover the zippers with duct tape.
- Fill in cracks and crevices as well as any openings where wires or pipes enter the house.
Read More: How To Clean A Front-Load Washing Machine?
Must I Also Experiment With Pesticides?
Incorrect use of pesticides can render them unsafe and ineffective. If you decide to use pesticides, follow these rules:
- Use only pesticides that have U.S. registration. In the U.S., look for the Environmental Protection Agency. Make sure they are labeled to control bed bugs and look for the EPA Registration Number on the label.
- Applying pesticides directly to your body is not advised (there are no repellents approved for use on humans to control bed bugs).
- Use indoors only, never outdoors.
- Make sure the pest control company has experience dealing with bed bugs if you decide to hire them. Along with any pesticide application, they should adhere to IPM principles. Use a business that is registered and hires licensed applicators. There is a list of registered businesses provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation.
To completely eradicate bed bugs, patience and perseverance are required, as well as, occasionally, the cooperation of landlords, neighbors, and other people. It might make you feel emotionally and physically exhausted. The cost of hiring pest control companies can also be high. Just keep in mind that bed bugs are more of a nuisance than a health risk, and that you can prevent or manage infestations by being vigilant.