A Quick Introduction to Bed Bugs

Imagine being woken up from a sound sleep covered in itching red welts and tiny brown insects. This nightmarish scenario is more common than you might think, and it is due to one of the fastest growing pest problems in the country. Bed bugs are a small, flat parasitic insect that survives by biting and sucking the blood from people, generally at night. Its name comes from the fact that it almost always makes its nest inside a home’s bed, usually infesting the entire assembly from the mattress to the box spring and even the headboard and surrounding areas. It is notoriously hard to get rid of bed bugs, but with the proper knowledge and preparation you can eradicate this annoying menace from your home.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

For those who are wondering whether they may or may not be dealing with a bed bug infestation, the key to knowing is to be aware of the signs of an ongoing nest of bed bugs.

Bed Bugs bite and cause itching

The first and most obvious sign that occurs with any infestation and is usually the first sign of bed bugs is the sudden appearance of small red welts on the skin that are accompanied by a strong to severe itching sensation. These are caused by the bed bugs feeding at night, and injecting and anti-clotting agent into the skin to allow themselves enough time to feed before the blood clots. The itching is generally caused by an allergic reaction to this agent, and can be quite uncomfortable particularly for those individuals who are overly sensitive to the proteins contained in the saliva.

Soiled and spotted mattresses

In addition to seeing the physical signs of an infestation on your skin, there are also very clear signs left on the areas where bed bugs live and congregate. The most common manifestation of this will be dark spots created by the insect’s droppings. In any medium sized to large nest of bed bugs, these spots can quickly become quite apparent and have even been seen to completely cover areas of the bed. There are also quite often egg cases and other detritus left behind by the bugs. The bugs also shed their exoskeletons in a process called molting, and these shed casings may also be found inside the mattress or box spring, although likely in smaller amounts than the other substances.

An unusual aroma, often sweet or putrid in nature

This is perhaps one of the more bizarre manifestations of an infestation of bed bugs, and is not seen in every case but may well be a sign that there is a problem. There is no consensus on what the smell associated with these bugs is akin to, however some who have noticed it will liken it to almonds, raspberries or even spices such as coriander. It is unknown exactly what process or substance might cause this smell, but it is likely a byproduct of the aforementioned substances in the insect’s nest.

Finding the bugs themselves on your bed or body

This might seem like an obvious sign that you have a bed bug problem, but if you have never experienced the issue before you might not be aware of what the insects look like or just how many of them can be found in a single infestation. In fact, the sheer numbers of bugs that are found in the typical scenario is staggering. Often it reaches into the thousands, and a single female insect can lay up to 10,000 eggs in the space of three or so months. The fact that bed bugs are small flat and brown makes it a virtual certainty that if you see similar insects in combination with any of the signs listed above that you are indeed dealing with them and not some other variety of insect.

The extent of the problem and current eradication efforts

There is no doubt that these insects present a fast growing problem for many Americans. Many cities such as New York are being nearly overrun by new infestations. In fact the city of New York has jumped from 82 reported infestations in 2004 to over 4,000 just a year ago. The problem is found most commonly in hotels and other establishments with a large turnover of nightly guests such as youth hostels. This is a serious problem for travelers as it only takes one or two insects attaching themselves to ones clothes or luggage to start a brand new nest at the person’s home. Although cities such as New York grab most of the headlines due to their rapidly increasing bug problems, these annoying pests can be found in virtually every state in the country, and are spreading out over a wider area day by day.

Current efforts in eradication are ongoing in many locations and are aimed at reducing the number of active infestations. There are several novel tactics being employed in the fight against these insects, such as the use of beagles and other dogs that are trained to sniff out even small bug populations before they have a chance to expand and become a large infestation.

Steps to eradicating the insects from your home

1)      Cleaning and sanitizing

It is commonplace to find that these bugs are drawn to and create for themselves what can best be described as an unsanitary living area. Their droppings and other waste products can cause respiratory irritation in addition to the skin problems already mentioned. Therefore it is imperative that the first step in any eradication program is aimed at cleaning the area in which the bugs reside. The first thing that should be done is to remove any bedding that is affected and taking care to ensure that the bugs do not escape, wash and dry the sheets using hot water and high heat settings on the dryer for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This will effectively kill any of the bugs that have attached themselves to the bedding. After completing that step, it is a good idea to vacuum the bed frame and surrounding areas in order to remove even more insects.

2)      Pesticides and other methods for killing the bugs

Once the cleaning process is complete and the bare mattress and box spring are accessible, the real work begins. While it is necessary to use some type of pesticide to truly eradicate this menace, the good news is there are many different bed bug control products on the market today to choose from. Products such as bed bug spray, for example, are very popular among those who travel a lot.

The most common forms of pesticides used against these bugs belong to the pyrethroid family of products and will quickly and safely eliminate the bugs. The general method of application is to spray the product on the affected bed during the day and leave it to dry so that the occupants of the bed are not subjected to any possible side effects of the treatment.

For those who are unwilling to go straight to chemical pesticides or who merely want a second option, there are several natural solutions that can also be quite effective in dealing with bed bugs. The most common type of natural pesticide that is effective against bed bugs is Diatomaceous Earth, which is a naturally occurring mineral that has a crystalline structure at the microscopic level. This structure is incredibly abrasive to the protective outer shell of the insect, and will cause serious damage that will dehydrate bed bugs and lead to their death. The primary advantage of using a product such as Diatomaceous Earth, when it comes to treating an infestation, is that it is completely nontoxic to humans and pets in virtually any quantity, so for those with small children or similar concerns it can be a valuable tool in the fight against bed bugs.

3)      Utilizing mattress covers to ensure long lasting protection

Once the process of eradication is complete, it is a good idea to look into products that will protect the bed and its occupants in the future. The first line of defense against a re-occurrence of the problem is a mattress cover, which is a specially designed product that is air tight and will fit over any mattress and box spring. It is intended to keep new bed bugs from being able to access the mattress and make a nest, and will also keep any bed bugs that might have avoided the pesticide treatment from being able to get out of the mattress and feed on the people in the bed. Other than that, there are also several common sense measures you can employ to ensure that you needn’t ever worry about this problem again. For instance, when traveling, take a moment to inspect the bed and surrounding area to make sure there are no insects waiting to hitch a ride back home on your luggage or clothing. In addition when returning home it is a good idea to take a cursory glance at your belongings just in case there’s an infestation waiting to happen.

Sleep tight….

Despite the fact that having an infestation of these biting and annoying creatures can be incredibly stressful, by following the steps listed you can be sure that bed bugs will leave your house for good, allowing you peace of mind and a restful night’s sleep without being awoken by the itching and welts that come along with this irritating and uninvited guest.