The last thing that anyone wants is a colony of tiny, potentially harmful bugs living in and around their bed. Unfortunately, this is the situation with bed bugs.
Wondering how to get rid of bed bugs? Our experts have put together their best tips on making sure you stay safe and healthy and don’t let the bed bugs bite!
They’re hard to spot, they have a clever way of making colonies in areas where we won’t find them right away, and they feed on human blood. Name a creature that could cause more nightmares than that.
Keep in mind that bed bugs are manageable, though. It’s possible to free yourself from a nasty situation if you know how to get rid of bed bugs. We’re going to take a look at what bed bugs are in this article, taking a look into how to get rid of them and live a little more comfortably.
Let’s get started.
What are Bed Bugs, Really?
Bed bugs are little insects that fall into the Cimex genus. This means that they are ectoparasites that live on or off of the skin of their hosts. Bed bugs feed primarily on the blood of humans, which is why they tend to end up in and around our beds.
They’re small, too. They range anywhere from 1 to 7 millimeters and spend most of their time hanging around in dark areas. Cracks in the wall, spaces in wallpaper, drawers, mattresses, and other dark locations are where they tend to linger.
Bed bugs have made a pretty good living as parasites, too. Because they hang around the areas where people are likely to rest for long periods of time, they often end up in the personal items of those people. As people move around, traveling or visiting friends, bed bugs hop out and find new places to live.
In this way, they spread through human movement. Luggage is a big component of the spread.
Once They Find a Home
Once they do find a place to rest and feed, bed bugs are prolific reproducers. A mature female bed bug can successfully lay something to the tune of 500 eggs in her lifetime.
What’s worse is that the average bed bug can live for around 10 months if they aren’t stopped. This is even true if they aren’t exposed to a lot of food. Say you have some bed bugs at your house and you have to take a month-long work trip.
Your house is empty, and you’d think that the bed bugs would go hungry and die. Unfortunately, they can go for a month or two without food in some cases.
Understanding Bed Bug Bites
As if things could get any worse, it turns out that bed bug bites can actually cause some issues for people. The important thing to keep in mind is that bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious diseases.
So, as you panic when you notice a few red bumps on you, you can scratch any disease off of your list as potential outcomes. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some serious health effects that can come from these critters, though.
You’re not likely to feel a bed bug bite while it’s happening. Bed bugs are equipped with a natural anesthetic that prevents you from noticing anything while they suck your blood.
You’ll notice the marks when you wake up, though. Bed bug bites are little red bumps that typically exist in clusters around your body. They can be small, too, so you might think that they’re a little skin rash or some sort of other irritation.
There’s also the chance that your skin will react adversely to the bites and you’ll end up with a rash. It’s also important to note that you’re unlikely to experience bed bug bites during the day, even if you’re taking a nap.
Bed bugs tend to feed at night. So, if you go to bed bump-free and you wake up with a cluster of little red bumps, you might have some bed bugs to take care of.
Potential Adverse Health Effects
The most common effect is an allergic reaction to bed bugs. The nice thing about an allergic reaction is that you’ll know that it’s there right away. Those who won’t experience a reaction like this aren’t going to have late-reactions or slow-onset ones.
It’s either going to happen right away or it won’t. When there is a reaction, though, it’s important to see a doctor because everyone’s body responds differently. The outcomes could be mild all the way up to severe.
Next, people tend to scratch and open up their bed bug wounds. Those open wounds are liable to get infected and cause other issues for the individual.
If your bites are open or you happen to scratch them a lot, make sure to purchase some kind of antibacterial cream to apply and prevent any infection from developing.
Finally, one potential harm that bedbugs cause is psychological distress. The fact that something is feeding on you as you sleep, you can’t feel them on your body, and they’re living all around you, unseen, in your room is a terrifying thing.
Now, they’re not too dangerous in reality. It’s just a matter of personal comfort and peace of mind that can escalate into symptoms of anxiety, paranoia, and more. Additionally, the fact that you aren’t sleeping as well can impact many other areas of the person’s life.
Something to Keep in Mind
Wishful thinking is bound to take over when you notice an infestation. Anyone who has bed bugs in their home would like to imagine that they’re not feeding on them.
Unless you live with others, though, the bed bugs are there for you. Bed bugs require humans to survive, so if they’re there, you’re already their food source. This sounds a little morbid, but it’s true and it’s all the more reason to start figuring out how to deal with the issue.
Before we explore how to get rid of bed bugs, let’s take a little look at some of the health issues that bed bug infestations can cause.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Now that you know what you’re dealing with, it’s time to start figuring out how to get rid of them.
Bed bugs are pesky and smart, but they’re bugs. It’s possible for us to take them out where they sleep and get our homes back once and for all. We’ll take a look at some ideas for addressing the problem on your own, as well as options you can take for professional intervention.
Whether or not the DIY ideas work depends on how bad the infestation has gotten.
1. Limit Their Ability to Hide
The first thing you can do is clear up the clutter and hiding spots in your house. Sure, bed bugs are bound to make their home in dressers, beds, and walls, but they’ll have an easier time getting in and spreading if there isn’t a lot of clutter.
A space with a lot of cracks and dark places that don’t get touched is a spot that bedbugs can thrive. So, keep a clean place and limit the amount of unnecessary dark, stationary spots.
2. Create a Bed Island
It’s a good idea to separate your bed from your walls and dressers for a while. If you’ve got a suspicion that bed bugs are around, they’re bound to be living near your bed.
Do your best to wash all of the pillows, linens, and other items you might have on your bed. Additionally, see if you can identify whether the bugs might have entered your mattress. The best way to sus this out is to find their home somewhere else.
For example, if you find the source of the bed bugs in your dresser, you can be a little more confident that there aren’t any in your mattress.
Once you’ve cleaned up and inspected, you can move your bed to a new area that isn’t close to the home of the infestation. Keep it away from other items as a sort of island. This will make it a lot harder for the little pests to find their way to you while you sleep.
3. Call in The Pros
At the end of the day, bed bugs have literally evolved to be good at hiding from mammals and sucking their blood while they sleep. Our minds are tuned to different things, and the individual person is typically outmatched.
It’s hard to give up a fight against a 4-millimeter insect, but sometimes you just have to know when to cut your losses.
A bed bug professional can get in, find the colony, and take care of them effectively so you can sleep easy again. You might find that going with a pest control team immediately is the smartest move for your health and mental well-being.
Issues with Bed Bugs?
Figuring out how to get rid of bed bugs on your own can be too difficult to manage sometimes. Fortunately, Synergy² is here to help you get those pests out of your home and allow you to relax in your home again.
Explore our site for resources on pest control, ideas for DIY methods, and more.
If you want to know more about bed bug extermination, or need pest control services in your Jackson, MS home or business please visit our site at https://synergy2ms.com. Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you. We have over 270 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here!