Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite! The Horrifying Rise of the Blood-Sucking Menace

“Good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!” This refrain has been so commonly repeated we tend to associate it with bedtime stories and fairy tales, but the scary truth is that bed bugs are real blood-sucking insects that are reemerging so quickly some scientists are calling it an “epidemic.” Below are some facts about bed bugs, how to prevent them and what to do if you might have an infestation.

What are bed bugs?

Cimex Lectularius, or the common bed bug, are insects that feed off of warm-blooded mammals while they sleep. They are reddish/brown and slightly translucent and visible to the naked eye as they can grow up to 5 mm (.2 inches) in length. Though they prefer the dark crevices of dirty sheets or laundry piles, bed bugs can live just about anywhere near where their victims sleep. They are attracted to the heat given off by the carbon dioxide we exhale and come out to feed about once every 5-10 days… on our blood.

History:

Early colonialists likely brought bed bugs to America in the 17th century. Bed bugs were a horrible scourge during the 1800’s when the population boomed and people still did not know enough about science and medicine to prevent them. Reports of bed bugs dropped drastically from the early 1900’s-1960’s, most likely because of the use of hardcore insecticides such as DDT. Since DDT became illegal, the bed bug population has been steadily on the rise and since the 1990’s incidents of bed bugs in some urban areas have reportedly jumped almost 500 percent.

How to know if you have bed bugs:

If you are waking up with red marks from bites -you might have a problem. Like mosquitoes, bed bugs inject you with a blood thinning ooze while simultaneously sucking your blood. Though a thorough inspection might require a full dismantling of your bed, there are several noticeable clues to check for to see if you might have a bed bug infestation. The first thing you want to do is lift your mattress and inspect closely. Look for dark spots on your sheets, mattress and box-springs. These are caused by their nasty excrement as well as blood from crushed bed bugs you may have killed rolling over. While you only need to check your house rarely, you should definitely check your bed if you are traveling and staying in a hotel. Bed bugs thrive in places where lots of people congregate to sleep, and unsanitary hotels and “fleabag” motels are the perfect home-base for these monsters.

What to do if you think you have bed bugs:

Bed bugs are extremely challenging to eliminate and you probably will not be able to handle the problem on your own. Though there are measures you can take on your own, these pests are extremely hard to exterminate and the best thing to do is enlist the help of a professional pest control expert to help you. They will know exactly where to look for the bed bugs and will also be able to discern if the problem is indeed bed bugs and not bat bugs, a similar bloodsucker of the night. After a thorough inspection, often free from many firms, a pest control expert will take a number of steps to ridding your home of this horrible menace. You will have to take serious cleaning measures and work with the exterminator’s procedures if you hope to rid yourself of this problem for good.

Kill the vermin! Treatment steps:

Treatment is often so very difficult because bed bugs can hide and live in so many different places. An extremely thorough house cleaning and special insecticide spraying is the only way to ensure death to the bloodsuckers and their eggs. Any bedding or garments and even couch cushion covers that are prone to infestation will have to be bagged and then laundered at a high temperature of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit as these items usually cannot be sprayed with insecticides. Shoes, backpacks and dry-clean only items can often be put into a high temperature dryer and run for 20 minutes to kill the bugs that might reside within in those items. DO NOT bring infested clothes to the dry cleaner! Although some dry cleaning methods will kill the devils, you risk the chance of infecting every other garment in the vicinity. Not a good idea. A good exterminator will probably spray crevices in your home with insecticide that will kill the vermin and their demon-spores and will also use steaming equipment to heat up certain areas of your house to temperatures that will eliminate the menacing population. In certain terrible situations, you might even have to dispose of your mattress if the infestation is too inextricable and far-gone.

Prevention:

Certainly, the best thing to do is make sure an outbreak does not occur in the first place. Bed bugs commonly hitch a ride in your luggage when you are on the road. When traveling, check your mattress for signs and if you see spots, insist that management switch your room immediately, or even check into another hotel. Spraying your bed with insect repellent does nothing to prevent bed bugs. They seem quite immune to it. Bed bugs can easily sneak into your suitcase where they can be brought back home. Keep your home clean and tidy and regularly wash your linens. Many cleaning services will be happy to help you with the chores for a reasonable fee. Also, be very wary when acquiring second hand furniture. You might be bringing home more than just a cheap couch!

Remember, if you think you have bed bugs, the best thing to do is call on the help of an experienced pest control professional. These beasts require a serious battle with chemical insecticides if they are to be eliminated. Be vigilant regarding prevention and with these tips you can win the war against the horrible bloodsuckers that are bed bugs. Good luck!