What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are diminutive, oval-shaped insects that subsist exclusively on blood. They are predominantly located in close proximity to sleeping areas, most commonly within or around beds, including mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and bedding. Beyond these typical habitats, they may also inhabit crevices in furniture or reside within various textiles and upholstery.
Primarily nocturnal, bed bugs emerge at night to feed on the exposed skin of sleeping individuals. They are adept hitchhikers, capable of inconspicuously attaching themselves to suitcases, shoes, clothing, or bags, thereby facilitating their transport from one location to another. Individuals often remain unaware that they have inadvertently relocated these pests.
Feeding habits of bed bugs
Bed Bugs are blood-sucking beasts. They depend on their victim’s blood for their survival. In addition to blood, they also require water which they obtain from the water vapors in the surrounding air. These parasites are attracted to their hosts primarily by carbon dioxide, body warmth and the specific chemicals released by their hosts’ bodies. They attack humans while they are sleeping and prefer mostly feeding on exposed skin. Exposed areas of a human such as the face, arms, hands and the area around the neck are most vulnerable to bed bug bites. Bed bugs are known to survive extreme starvation conditions. The adult bed bug can live for about a year without being fed!
How serious a bed bug bite can be?
Bed bugs do not invariably feed on humans; however, exposed skin presents an opportune target for these hematophagous insects. They nourish themselves by penetrating the skin with an elongated proboscis, extracting blood in a manner that often escapes the host’s awareness. A single feeding session may persist for up to ten minutes, typically proceeding undetected.
The severity of allergic reactions to bed bug bites differs markedly among individuals. While the initial bite is generally imperceptible, it frequently evolves into pruritic (itch-inducing) welts. These bites commonly result in localized swelling without discoloration. Nevertheless, when numerous bed bugs simultaneously feed on a confined area, erythematous (reddened) spots may manifest.
Habitat of Bed Bugs
So where do they live? Bed Bugs are not limited to a particular area and can be found just anywhere. They have been found at apartments, hotels, schools, colleges, offices, stores, clothing stores, homes and even on public transport vehicles by pest control companies.
Bed bugs can conceal themselves in minute cracks that are often close to their host’s environment. That’s the reason they are mostly found in an around bed areas such as on mattresses, closets, picture frames and wallpapers. They have also been known to survive in temporary habitats like suitcases, backpacks, and seats of cars, buses, trains and metros.
If you are unable to get rid of these pesky creatures, contact us now and we shall clean your premises of these blood sucking beasts.
