Bed Bug Killers
About Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon on the blood of warm-blooded animals. Bed bugs and their relatives have evolved as nest parasites. Certain kinds inhabit bird nests and bat roosts and await the return of their hosts; others have adapted well to living in the ‘nests’ (homes) of people.
Hatchling bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed, and adults are about 1/4 of an inch in length. Their color ranges from nearly white (just after molting) or a light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange. The host’s blood may appear as a dark red or black mass within the bug’s body. Because they never develop wings, bed bugs cannot fly. When disturbed, bed bugs actively seek shelter in dark cracks and crevices.
Repeated exposures to bed bug bites during a period of several weeks or more causes people to become sensitized to the saliva of these bugs; additional bites may then result in mild to intense allergic responses. The skin lesion produced by the bite of a Bed Bug resembles those caused by many other kinds of blood feeding insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas.
How Do Bed Bugs Get In Your Home?
Because Bed Bugs hide in small crevices, they may accompany luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes, and other such objects as stowaways when moved between apartments, homes and hotels. Used furniture, particularly bed frames and mattresses - are common locales for bed bugs and their eggs. Thus, you should carefully scrutinize and consider the history of any used furniture, particularly ‘street’ items so plentiful at the beginning and end of each academic year.
Because they readily survive for many months without feeding, Bed Bugs may already be present in apparently 'vacant' and 'clean' apartments. Bed Bugs can migrate between adjoining apartments through voids in walls and conduits that contain wires and pipes.
What do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Looking from above they are oval in shape but are flattened from top to bottom when viewing them from the side. Their color ranges from nearly white (just after molting) or a light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange.
How Do I Search for Bed Bugs?
Carefully inspect the bed frame, mattress, and other furniture for signs of bed bugs and their eggs. Although dead bed bugs, cast bug skins and blood spots may indicate an infestation occurred previously, they do not confirm that an infestation is still active. Search for live (crawling) bugs and ensure they are bed bugs before considering treatment. Keep in mind the eggs can be as small as a poppy seed and the larvae as small as a grain of rice.
What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?
Generally bed bug bites look like typical mosquito or flea bites, which are red, raised bumps. While feeding, they inject a tiny amount of their saliva into the skin.