Where bed bugs hide in the home? — Carli ‘s student essay
Where Bed Bugs Hide In The Home?
Bed Bugs, also known as, Cimex lectularius, are notorious for sneaking into the home and disrupting the peace. These “silent pests,” can make a home feel chaotic by making occupants feel uncomfortable and infested. “Why do we call them bed bugs?” one may ask themselves.
The most simple explanation is the fact that these bugs typically make their home in your bed because they live off of warm blood. Though these bugs love to snuggle up in bed with a nice warm body, they are found in many other places and travel via suitcases, clothing, and linens making them very difficult to get rid of. These bugs can be found anywhere that warm bodies gather such as hotels, classrooms, movie theaters, transportation services, and any other residential area.
Bed bugs are not privy to only humans, but can also feed off of any other warm-blooded animal such as dogs, cats, birds, and rodents. Though bed bugs can be found on pets, they are not a huge fan of thick fur as it slows down their rate of travel so humans are the prime target. One reason bed bugs are so good at hiding is the fact that they can travel 3 to 4 feet per minute. For their size, it is the equivalent of a human sprinting.
These bugs can travel through door frames, floor cracks, windows, and any other small spaces. They are commonly found in dark spaces which makes them difficult to locate. Bed bugs can live months without being fed which makes them extremely difficult to find and eradicate.
We know they are a tricky little bug, so what do we do about it? The first step is identifying that you may have bed bugs. Bed bugs are generally oval when unfed and elongated when well-fed. They have antennae and 6 legs and can be about 1/4 inch long. Bed bugs can appear to be a mahogany- brown color when unfed. A well-fed engorged bed bug will appear more red in color. Baby bed bugs, or “nymphs,” are almost colorless and smaller in size. Contrary to a common misconception, bed bugs do not fly. Once you know what you are looking for, you have to know where to look.
Bed bugs are visible to the human eye and can be spotted within mattress seams and box springs. Signs of a bed bug infestation can appear as reddish-brown spots of fecal matter on mattresses, clothing, upholstery, or walls. The next sign of bed bugs are the bites. Bites can take a few days to surface and show. Though the bite is painless at first, the bites themselves leave an aggravating itch. Bites alone, are not enough to prove a bed bug infestation. Another sign of an infestation is visible dead bugs, bug skins, or eggs/eggshells. The eggshells will appear a pale white color. If a bed bug infestation is suspected, a professional should be contacted in order to properly rid of the bugs.
Author: Carli East
California State University Bakersfield
Resources
- http://pinellastermite.com/how-fast-do-bed-bugs-spread/
- https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/bed-bugs/bed-bugs/
- https://www.terminix.com/bed-bug-control/life-cycle/nymphs/