Insect bites and stings often cause mild reactions or rashes on the skin. They can however result in serious infections, pain and suffering, if not treated correctly. If you get bitten, the first thing you need to do is identify if you have bed bug bites or if it’s something else. Bed bugs are often mistaken for other bugs like the spider beetle, cockroach nymphs, booklice, carpet beetles and bat bugs. There are ways to diagnose if you have bed bug bites and if you are suffering from a full blown bed bug infestation, but looking at the bites alone is usually not the best and most accurate way to identify the problem.
If you want to know if you have bed bug bites, a good idea is to start looking for bed bug bite symptoms.
Bed bug bites on humans
Bed bugs prefer humans, but dogs, cats and even rodents will suffice, if no humans are around. They are considered a public health pest, but unlike most other health pests, bed bugs don’t transmit or spread any diseases. They come out from their hiding at night and are drawn to the warmth of the human body. They can hide anywhere, in even the smallest spaces, so you won’t see them during the daytime. They wait until you are asleep and then strike when you are most vulnerable.
Bed bug bites on humans can do great damage to the skin and healing takes time, so it’s important that you begin bed bug bite treatment as soon as you discover and identify the bites. If you don’t treat the bed bug bites, they will itch and you will naturally scratch. This can cause nasty infections and you might end up with big unattractive scars in and around the area where the bed bug bites once were.
How bed bugs bite and why they do it
They feed on your blood by penetrating your skin with two mouthparts. One that transfers the bugs’ saliva to the human and one that feeds off the blood. Some people react severely to the bed bug bites, while others only have mild or no reactions at all. Bed bugs can carry over six times their own weight in blood, so they grow quite a lot when they feed. Usually you can see the blood right through their semi-transparent body. The feeding usually lasts for up to ten minutes if not interrupted, and you won’t even notice them there.
How bed bug bites look – Symptoms and signs
Bed bug bites can help determine an infestation, but they can be difficult to identify. People react differently to the bites, some worse than others, but there are symptoms and signs to look for. Small groups of red spots on the body and areas on your mattress that look like mold are usually good signs (or bad signs) that bed bugs are around. Have a look at these bed bug bite pictures and see if they match your bites. If you want to see some pictures of the attacker itself, take a look at these pictures of bed bugs. Beware though; this is not for the fainthearted. The insects look way more terrifying when they are magnified.
How to check for bed bugs
Bed bugs move around all the time, from one infested area to another, feeding and breeding on anything that moves. With these simple precautions, you can discover and prevent major bed bug infestations in your home:
- If you buy secondhand furniture, always look for signs of bed bugs before bringing them home. Cover your bed or mattress with something that makes the bugs easier to see and react quickly if you spot a bed bug. You can get encasements specifically made for this purpose, that are resistant to tearing and the colors make the bed bugs very easy to spot.
- Keep your home clean and clutter free, this reduced hiding places a great deal. Many people get bed bug bites while traveling, so you should at least check the mattress and pillows in the hotel room. Don’t place your luggage on the bed or floor, use luggage racks instead. This decreases the chance of traveling home with blind passengers.
- When you get home, empty your luggage directly in the washing machine.
These easy-to-follow precautions should lower the chance of you ending up with bed bug bites greatly.
Know your enemy and all of its weaknesses
By learning about bed bugs, you will have less trouble getting rid of them. Like all other living beings they have a certain life cycle. By learning about the different life stages they go through, you will be able to make their lives as difficult as they are making yours. Your newfound knowledge will keep them away in the future and prevent new bed bug infestations in your home. Watch the video below which focuses on this increasingly common problem.
Get rid of bed bugs and treat your bed bug bites
When the bed bugs have fed, they can survive without food for up to a year, so there is no way to starve them out. Forget about suffocating them, because bed bugs don’t need oxygen to live. They do however react to extreme temperature increases or decreases, so you can use that to your advantage. You can learn more about how to get rid of bed bugs and bed bug bite treatment on this website.
Bed bug exterminators – The quick fix if everything else fails
This can be a very effective way to get rid of bed bugs and prevent further bed bug infestations. These are professionals that know exactly how to handle your problem. They inspect your home and use any means necessary to locate and kill the bed bugs. This includes heavy vacuuming, heat treatment and pesticide application.
If you have been dealing with bed bug bites for a long time and all of your efforts to get rid of these horrible creatures have failed, then professional bed bug extermination might be the right solution for you. I would however encourage you to browse my site before you contact a bed bug exterminator. I may be able to help you solve the problem on your own and save you some money.