Some Facts About Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are small, nocturnal, wingless insects that belong to the
family of Cimicidae. Bed Bugs are Flat, Reddish-Brown, they are Oval
Insects in shape and grow up to 4 to 5 mm long or as the size of an
apple seed when fully grown. Swollen and reddish after a blood meal.
The Latin Name for BedBug is "Cimex lectularius L".  Their skin color
is rust brown to a deeper red brown. Bed bugs are also known as
“mahogany flats,” “red coats” and “chinches.” The adult bed bug does
not have wings and has a flattened body.

What Bed Bugs Feeds On, Behaviour and Life Span
Bed Bugs only feed on human blood and other warm-blooded hosts. Under
cool temperature and conditions. They are more active during the night
when their host is asleep. They can be able to survive for almost 1
year without a meal. Their bites can leave itchy welts on the skin and
can cause allergic reactions, such as severe itching, though not
everyone reacts to their bite.
Bed bugs have existed since the ancient times and are found throughout
the world. There are different species of bed bugs, but the common bed
bug (Cimex lectularius) is particularly adaptable to human
environments.
Other species are known to prefer birds and bats but also will feed on
humans if necessary. Since they can survive in birds’ nests, they can
be seen in houses and buildings that have several bird nests,
particularly on rooftops.
Bed bugs have a great worldwide distribution, due to human travelers
who transport them in luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. Though
they may reside in unusual places.

Dwellings
Bed bugs are both dorsoventrally flattened and thin, which creates a
great advantage for them. They can hide in unusual places such as
cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture,
behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates which can make them
difficult to detect.
Bed bugs also tend to stay close together and have a distinctively
sweet, yet unpleasant smell.

They are often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to
room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as
purses and briefcases.

Reproduction
Females can deposit one to five eggs per day, and may lay 200 to 500
eggs in a lifetime. Under normal room temperatures and with an
adequate food supply, they can live for more than 300 days.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation
There are many possible signs of bed bug activity.
* The first would be seeing the bugs. Adult bed bugs are about the
shape and size of an apple seed.
* The second sign would be case skins. As the juvenile bugs grow, they
shed their skins, discovery of which can indicate their presence.
After feeding, bed bugs return to their harborage to hide. They
eventually defecate in these areas, which appears as black to brown
stains on porous surfaces or black to brown mounds on nonporous
surfaces.


Bites also may indicate bed bugs' activity, but further signs will
need to be found, since other sources can cause red welts on the skin.

How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs
It’s possible to pick up bed bugs almost any place, they’ve infested
offices, stores, hotels, gyms and countless other places. They can
hide in your luggage, personal belongings, or even on you, and hitch
hike a ride back to your home, condo, town house or apartment. Once
indoors, they can be extremely difficult to control without the help
of an experienced pest specialist.

A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with cleanliness — you can
pick them up in the finest hotels, and they can hitchhike into the
cleanest homes at any time. But, you can help reduce your chances of a
costly bed bug infestation by catching them early.

When Traveling
When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the
following action steps to help avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.

* Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as tiny
rust-colored spots on bed sheets, mattress tags and seams, and bed
skirts.

* Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots. Typically, they come out
at night to feed, but during the day they are most likely found within
a 1.5 meter radius of the bed.

* Elevate your luggage on a luggage rack away from the bed and wall.

* Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and when you return home.

* Place all your clothing from your luggage immediately in the dryer
for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting upon returning home
from travel.

When at home
Follow these handy tips to help keep bed bugs at bay.

* Remove all clutter from your home, which makes finding bed bugs easier.
* Wash and dry your bed linens often using the hottest temperature
allowed for the fabric.
* Closely inspect any second-hand furniture for bed bugs before you
bring it into your residence.
* Inspect your residence regularly—after a move-in, a trip, when a
service worker comes in or guests stay overnight.

NB: Bed bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is critical to
help prevent an even larger infestation.

All the way to your SUCCESS