Naturally, humans are not fond of bed bugs. Unfortunately, they derive their name from the fact that they make their home in mattresses. People find out that thousands or hundreds of thousands of bugs live in an enormous colony, right under their noses.
Bed bugs are such pests that the companies designed to eradicate them from people's homes make up a very large sector of the market. Plus, there are bed bug board games, dog toys, and movie characters as well. They have become ingrained in American culture, even though they are not very well liked.
The internet is saturated with accounts from users via social media. In fact, the study of bed bugs is now a very commonly studied insect in elementary schools due to the fact that many schools and hostel are being infected by these bloodsucking critters.
Appearance:
Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects about 3/16-inch long or the size of an apple seed. They become swollen and reddish after a feeding on a blood meal.
Habit:
Often hide in cracks and crevices of mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage.
Diet:
Feed on blood.
Reproduction:
Females can lay 200 to 500 eggs in a lifetime. Under normal room temperatures and with an adequate food supply, they can live over 300 days.... more at bed bugs facts by bedbugsremovalguide.com
With a lifespan of nearly one year, it is not hard to see the reason behind throwing your mattress away should you discover bed bugs exist within it. If even one is left and the bed is thought to be clean, it could mean having to go through the process -- the horrible discovery -- all over again.
As the picture above demonstrate, people are quick to throw away a bed that is infested with the bugs.
Why would you want to attempt to fix a bed with bed bugs? Look at the photo above, and you can see the bite marks on this man's body. Most people would prefer to sleep on the floor than risk an encounter like this one.
In this video, the second area of concern mentioned above - traveling - is addressed:
Expert Jeff White walks you through how to prevent getting bed bugs while traveling to hotels.
Experts say cleanliness has nothing to do with whether a bed bug infestation develops, contrary to what most people probably automatically assume.
A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with cleanliness – you can pick them up in even the finest hotels, and they can hitchhike into the cleanest homes at any time. But, you can help reduce your chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early.
When traveling, one authority on bed bugs provides these tips, indicating the importance of heat (by use of a hair dryer to kill bugs):
When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the following action steps to help avoid taking bed bugs home with you.
- Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as tiny rust-colored spots on bed sheets, mattress tags and seams, and bed skirts.
- Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots, including underneath the mattress, bed frame, headboard, and furniture. Typically, they come out at night to feed, but during the day, they are most likely found within a 5-foot radius of the bed.
- Elevate your luggage on a luggage rack away from the bed and wall, since bed bugs can often hide behind head boards, artwork, picture frames and electrical outlet panels.
- Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and when you return home. Always keep luggage off the bed and store it in a closet or other area, far away from your bedroom.
- Place all your clothing from your luggage immediately in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting upon returning home from travel....more at bedbugsremovaguide.com
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