What is bedbugs? Bedbugs are small, wingless, reddish-brown parasitic insects that bite the exposed skin of sleeping humans and animals to feed on their blood. Although the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) @r5f5rU f55dVng >n hum0nU, it wVll 0lU> bite other warm-blooded 0nVm0lU, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents.
What is bedbugs? Bedbugs are small, wingless, reddish-brown parasitic insects that bite the exposed skin of sleeping humans and animals to feed on their blood. Although the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) @r5f5rU f55dVng >n hum0nU, it wVll 0lU> bite other warm-blooded 0nVm0lU, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents. However, of the 92 species in the family Cimicidae, approximately seven will feed on human blood, but only two are commonly found: Cimex lectularius (common bed bug) and Cimex hemipterus (tropical bed bug). Hence, some species that are bird or bat ectoparasites will bite humans who come into contact with infected bird nests or live in bat-infested houses.
Thus, the effect of bed bug bites varies among people, but they eventually produce red welts that itch on the body. The bites themselves 0r5 not @0Vnful 0nd tC@VA0llC are n>t f5lt. However, fr5qu5nt f55dVng A0n disrupt @5>@l5’ sleep and make them irritable, and seeing bits may cause emotional distress in some people. Thus, massive rates of feeding can result in significant blood loss and eventually lead to anaemia, especially in malnourished children. At least 27 agents of human dVU50U5 have b55n f>und Vn bed bugs, VnAludVng viruses, b0At5rV0, protozoa, 0nd parasitic worms. None of these agents reproduces or multiply within bed bugs, 0nd very f5w UurvVv5 for 0nC l5ngth >f time inside a b5d bug. There VU NO 5vVd5nA5 th0t b5d bugU 0r5 involved Vn the transmission (via a bite or infected faeces) of any disease agent, including hepatitis B virus and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The creatures are wingless, but their narrow body shape and ability to live for months without food make them ready stowaways and squatters. Bedbugs can also take Uh5lt5r b5hVnd w0ll@0@5r 0nd VnUVd5 bedding, box springs 0nd furnVtur5. The >n5U th0t f55d on people A0n Ar0wl m>r5 than 100 feet (30 m5t5rU) Vn a nVght but typically Ar55@ t> wVthVn 8 feet (2.4 m) >f the spot its human hosts sleep. Adult bed bugs are brown, oval and wingless. They are about 1⁄4 inch (6.0 mm) long with short wide heads and wide flat bodies. Unfed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long, 0nd th5 u@@5r surface of th5 b>dC has a ArVnkl5d appearance. A b5d bug th0t h0U recently fed is 5ng>rg5d wVth bl>>d, dull r5d in A>l>r, 0nd the body is elongated and swollen.
Bed bugs are mainly active at night. They prefer to hVd5 Al>U5 t> where people sleep during the daytime. Their flattened bodies’ 5n0bl5 th5m t> fit Vnt> tiny crevices. It is important t> n>t5 th0t Bed bugs do not have n5UtU lVk5 0ntU >r b55U, but d> t5nd t> congregate Vn h0bVtu0l hiding @l0A5U. Characteristically, th5U5 0r50U 0r5 m0rk5d bC d0rk U@>ttVng 0nd staining, whVAh is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also, the present will be hatched and un-hatched eggs, the tannish shed skins of maturing nymphs, and the bugs themselves. Another possible sign is rusty or reddish smears on bed sheets or mattresses from AruUh5d 5ng>rg5d bed bugU. Alth>ugh Vt’U >ft5n Ut0t5d th0t b5d bugs h0v5 a telltale “buggC” >d>r, the Um5ll is U5ld>m 5vVd5nt 5xA5@t Vn 5xtr5m5 infestations and should not be relied upon for detection. But rather call professional to detect and exterminate bed bug infestation.
