Knowing Bed Bugs Physically
Bedbugs are a potential human foe. They appear as tiny, harmless living creatures but they are not. First of all, these insects are tiny and uneasy to find. Their sizes are about 4 mm long and 2 mm wide with an oval body. These insects’ bodies are brown and flat with no wings. As they suck blood, their body size expands and their body’s color will become a darkened blood-red tone. Bed bugs tend to live in a small space in your mattress and bed.
If you think you will only find these insects in dirty areas, then you are wrong because bed bugs can be found in your home and even in first-class hotel rooms. These insects are so tiny that you usually cannot see them with naked eyes. They may look like termites or ants, but if you look at these insects closely, you will know that they have different physical attributes. Some are deep brown, while others are burnt orange or even light tan to nearly white.
Finding Bed Bugs
First, you have to know that bed bugs are tiny and nocturnal, so it’s quite hard to see them immediately. In most cases, people discover their presence when they have already started attacking a household member. It’s not unusual that the first sign that you have bed bugs is someone being bitten. Yes, bed bugs bite and they typically do this at night, when you’re peacefully sleeping and oblivious of their blood-sucking activity.
When bed bugs bite, they release an anticoagulant substance that creates a reaction on the skin. Hence, it is highly possible that one morning, you can get up feeling itchy and filled with red rashes and welts on the exposed skin areas such as the face, arms, and legs. These signs of bed bugs typically appear even before you start seeing crawling creatures under your bed. Quite disappointing, don’t you think?
Once you suspect that there’s already an infestation of bed bugs in your home, there are things you have to do. First, inspect your bedding. If the bugs have just finished feeding and get squashed when you move or turn in your sleep, they will burst and leave marks. It’s a bit disgusting but true. Hence, seeing some blood stains on your bed sheet can also be one of the signs of bed bugs that you should watch out for.
As already mentioned, bed bugs are nocturnal insects. They hide during the daytime and the most accessible and ideal place for them would be the bed. It would be best to strip off your bedding and take a closer look at your mattress. Inspect the seams, creases, and buttons. If there are indeed bed bugs, you will either see them crawling or see some fecal marks on various areas. Apart from the bugs and their fecal markings, translucent eggs may also be present. These eggs are as small as a grain of rice which may be attached to the mattress. When you see them, then you are definitely looking at the clearest signs of bed bugs.
Now, you should also know that the bed isn’t the only refuge for the bed bugs. Move away a bit and you may be surprised at the signs of bed bugs everywhere else in your place. Start with your room. Look around and scrutinize every crack and crevice on the floors and the walls. They are likely to have some signs of bed bugs. Take some time to open the drawers, closets, picture frames, and other soft furnishings too. All of these locations may serve as ideal hubs for bed bugs.
Finally, don’t forget to check your clothing too. Your pockets, collars, and shoes can serve as favorable hideouts for these blood-sucking insects. The next time you look for signs of bed bugs, don’t forget to include these items on your list. Knowing where they are will help you know how to prevent bed bugs better.