4 Things You Need To Know About Bed Bugs

[Leonardo Palisetti]

By Rosanna Cappelluti

Bed bugs…the word alone emits an abundance of emotions, none of which are positive. But known as parasites for thousands of years, 2010 marked the comeback year for the bed bug with an increase of complaints of over 5000%. Some key facts to keep in mind:

Their Look:
Oval in shape and reddish brown, these flat and wingless parasites are only 4-5 mm in length and 1.5-3mm wide, making them extremely difficult to detect.

Their Bite:
A real life vampire, they only feed at night with up to 5 minute intervals at a time. Two hollow feeding tubes are inserted into your skin- one injects its saliva while the other drinks your blood- all while you are asleep and barely feeling a thing.

The Symptoms:
Detecting symptoms is often tricky because it may look like a mosquito bite as it too can itch. The difference however, is that bed bugs create a pattern of bites (also known as ‘breakfast’, ‘lunch’ and ‘dinner’) that can lead to swelling and rashes.

The Solution:
Attempting to get rid of bed bugs on your own is a bad idea. Exterminators themselves consider the eradication of bed bugs difficult primarily due to their small size and the fact that they only feed on human blood, hence making poisoning their food not an option. But do call an exterminator right away and make sure they are specifically trained for bed bug infestations.

Sources:
Corea, Renee, 26 July 2010. “New York vs Bed Bugsâ€
http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2010/07/26/fy-2010-nyc-stats-update/
Accessed 14 October 2010

“Bedbugâ€
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbug
Accessed 14 October 2010

“Bedbugsâ€
http://www.badbedbugs.com/
Accessed 15 October 2010

“Bed Bug Bite Symptomsâ€
http://www.bedbuginfo.com/bed-bug-bite-symptoms.php
Accessed 15 October 2010