Bed Bugs Nymphs
Die Bed Bugs Die
Author: Judd Snell
Getting rid of bed bugs has been a problem documented as early as medieval times in Europe or during the time of Aristotle in Greece. Often attacking when one is fast asleep, bed bugs are smart creatures that choose to move when the target least knows it. Every person will have his own version of a bed bug story and most likely it will be bad.
Bed bugs are scientifically known as "Cimex lectularius", they are wingless with a brownish ultra thin body. Various studies indicate these creatures originated from Asia but now can be seen in all parts of the world. Bed bugs thrive in areas with a warm and dry climate but they have been able to invade the northern regions because of the proliferation of heated buildings.
The adult bed bug is 1/4 to 3/8 in length when it is unfed but its size will expand considerably after a hearty meal. A starving bed bug looks far more different compared to one that is well fed. Young bed bugs or nymphs resemble the adults but have a yellowish color after molting. A nymph can develop into a fully grown bed bug for as fast as one month depending on how much it is able to eat.
When they become a pest
Bed bugs start to become a problem when they become hungry for blood. They typically stay in their homes in between meals and are only forced to go out if they are starving. The warmth of a nearby body is what attracts them but they cannot detect a food source that is around 5-10cm away.
Bed bugs use their highly developed mouthparts to bite and suck blood from the skin of an unsuspecting person. Engorgement time can last as long as seven minutes or as short as one minute. An adult bed bug can absorb around seven times of its own body weight in blood. The bed bug immediately retreats to its hiding place after feasting and then lays eggs again.
A person will only realize that he has been bitten by a bed bug once he discovers the large wheals in the affected part of the body. These wheals eventually develop into a tiny read mark that will stay for at least two to three days.
Bed bug bites can also be distinguished by the orderly way the wheals are formed, unlike mosquito bites that have a random pattern. It is always advised that the affected area should never be scratched to avoid infection and immediately washed with soap and water.
Bed bugs do prefer any part of the body that has good blood flow so the reproductive organs will always be included in their list of target spots.
Solving 'em bugs
Treating bed bug bites is only a small part of solving the problem, as the next step is actually getting rid of these unwanted visitors. Those often traveling to areas with a tropical climate are very susceptible to bed bug infestations, as the luggage they carry might become their new home. Seeing bed bugs crawl into boxes, suitcases and belongings is very difficult, as they are tiny, agile and cryptic. Homes not yet infested could inherit this problem from the use of second hand furniture, couches or beds.
Those that want to get rid of bed bugs in beds will have a difficult task at hand. Fabrics with holes and tears are perfect locations for them to lay eggs. During the 40s and 50s the use of DDT was popular, as it helped minimize the spread of bed bug infestations but was eventually outlawed due to concerns over their effects to humans.
Pest control firms have a wide array instruments to help get rid of beg bugs ranging from pesticides, aerosols and other chemical agents. Beds in poor condition or heavily infested should be automatically discarded. Regardless if the bed is thrown out or not, encasing the box spring and mattress is very helpful especially if the bugs are still there.
Vacuuming could also help in getting rid of bed bugs and some pest control experts even use portable steam machines to treat beds. Whether the infestation is minor or major, bed bugs are always a pest especially for those that want to get a good night's sleep. Perhaps, the most effective way to avoid a bed bug problem is to practice good hygiene and observe cleanliness.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/die-bed-bugs-die--799588.html
About the Author
For tips on oriental cockroach and cockroach infestation, visit the About Animals website.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
I am thinking you have two problems, bedbugs and head lice and you need different treatments for both.
You can get rid of the head lice with a godo comb and a good shampoo. Best comb I have seen is the NitFree Terminator and they have some champoo etc that you cna use with it to get rid of them all.
Interestingly, they also have some bedbug products that you may want to grab and spray around yoru place since they are chemical free and you can safely use them on yoru own.
Good luck.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
fleas?
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
The diatamaceous earth is noted for killing fleas. It should kill bed bugs. Target sells mattress covers for mattresses. It will need to stay on for year. Rubbing alcohol is good for the bites and will kill the bugs that are on things that can be washed with the alcohol. Washing your clothes and things with a half cup of baking soda will kill them. http://www.ehow.com type in get rid of bed bugs. There are different things in that web site.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
I can’t really answer your question but I can tell you they are not dust mites. They are way to small to be seen. I hope you figure it out.
They could be fruit flys…come to think of it. It your hubby works out in the field, some could have come home with him, or the eggs anyways, and gotten into the foam. I would throw out the foam mattress. They don’t bite either.
EDIT: Ok, Matt…that is a surprise, but it makes sense. Do you know how she could go about getting these bugs tested or taken in to be looked at? Where? A hospital??? A reptile store(snakes get certain bugs on them if not properly cared for). That is a blow, so I hope you are wrong, but can you elaborate?
July 23, 2008
10:41 am
Bed Bugs in Hair?
I’ve recently moved into my apartment. After a few nights, to my horror, I found bites on me. Looking around, I found out that I had bed bugs. I called my landlord about it, she came in, and everything got taken care of. New bed and everything. However… I noticed a bed bug stuck under my fingernail. Oh horror of horrors! So, I went to my bathroom, and brushed my hair in my shower.
27 of them came out. That’s not including possible eggs or nymphs or other bugs that were too big to brush out.
So I come to you to ask if there’s any way to get rid of these pests. If shaving my head is the only 100% foolproof option, then so be it, I’ll go and get clippers and become the new Billy Corgan, Moby, or Vin Diesel.
Thanks in advance.
May 17, 2009
12:02 am
What kind of bugs can get on your bed other than bedbugs and fleas?
I noticed really little tiny bugs on my sheets the other night. They look like bugs you would find on a plant.
My husband is a landscaper so I blamed him and said he shouldn’t put his dirty work clothes on the bed. He said that he didn’t.
So I washed all the bedding in hot water and bleach and they showed up again….like quite a few of them again. We have a foam mattress topper.
I looked in the crevices and corners of the mattress itself for more bugs but cannot find them anywhere other than on top of the sheets.
They do not look like the pictures of bedbugs that I see, not even the nymphs, but what do I know.
They definitely are NOT fleas. Dust mites?…I dunno, doesn’t look like the pics of those either. They are super small and don’t appear flat and oval like bedbugs, but what the heck else could they be???
A couple of extra points: We have a fan above our bed?…relative, who knows?
Our bed is under our window…..dogs are on that side of the house.
Mattress foam topper, fairly new, less than a year.
I do not feel like I am getting bites, but these little boogers are so small, so who knows.
Any help/suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
yes, my hubby is faithful…we don’t have crabs, we don’t itch, I saw my hair dresser today and she didn’t say I had (head) lice. I don’t find them on my body. They are SUPER SMALL. I put 2 of them in a little plastic baggie, but I don’t know any entomologists to take them to to evaluate :p
I’d say there are maybe 3-10 I see at a time, approx 1-2mm in length. little antenna’s that wiggle around, almost colorless, actually a little bit of color, but more or less like a beige. I don’t see any “rust” color looking spots on the white sheets.
They look harmless, but it’s still creepy and I don’t like to share my bed!
March 5, 2010
9:30 am
Trying to get rid of bed bugs….?
ok so i got a few bed bugs i know they’re not alot because I’ve had previous experience with bed bugs and i get bit like crazy over 20 times but right now now Im only getting bitten 3 or 4 times a night I found a nymph cause it was transparent but it had just bit me and it was bright red so Im sure they’re bed bugs. My question is has anybody used a product called SAFER SUREFIRE CRAWLING INSECT KILLER WITH DIATAMACEOUS EARTH they sell it at ace hardware they say its safe around kids and pets. well since i hear diamataceous earth kills bed bugs i was thinking it could work but does anybody know for sure? and if you have any other tips that can get rid of them that would help. thanx
July 15, 2010
7:16 am
Are these bed bug bites?
I don’t know if they are because i read that they are usually red and last long but the bites i suffer only last about 1/2 hour after it appears and is not red its just a small lump on my skin that is really itchy I experience this while on my couch and only on the bottom bunker of my bed, sometimes i see ants wandering around but i’m not sure if they are ants anymore i mean they’re red and look like ants and it doesn’t look like a nymph bed bug, if its not a bed bug what is it and how do i get rid of it
i do have a cat
July 22, 2010
7:34 pm
Do I have Bedbugs in my house?
We just moved into a rental home and at night we have been feeling itchy everywhere while laying in the beds or sitting on the couch. I saw a tiny little bug on the mattress today when I pulled off the sheets. It was very small, med. brown and squished very easily. Bedbug, bedbug nymph or something else.
Also, our mattress sat in a storage unit for several months, could it be that or the carpet in this house?