Facts About Bed Bugs
What do Bed Bugs Look like?
Facts about Bed Bug Control in Cape Town
The idea of being infested with bed bugs is scary. Learn more about how these parasitic bugs live and why bed bug infestations are on the rise so that you can take steps to protect your home.
Pest Managers can assist with all types of Bed Bug Treatments and control in Cape Town.
What are Bed Bugs?
A bed bug is a small, parasitic insect that feeds exclusively on the blood of its host. Cimex lectularius, the most common bed bug, is attracted to human blood. In order to obtain blood from the sleeping host, they use their proboscis. This proboscis is a needle-like tool the Bed Bug uses to inject a painkilling saliva into the veins of the host. Once injected, the enzymes increase blood flow to the injected area.
Bed Bugs are nocturnal and only feed at night. During the day, they hide in various hard-to-reach places.aces.
The resurgence of bed bugs is attributed to increased international travel, pesticide bans, increased immunity to pesticides among bed bug populations, and a complacent approach to prevention.
Why are Bed Bugs attracted to Humans?
Bed Bugs are drawn to blood. Their purpose in life is to find their next blood meal and reproduce.
If you have bedbugs in your home, they will be drawn to you by your body heat and carbon dioxide emissions. They gain easy access to you by moving into your bedding or furniture while you remain relatively still. You are more likely to be targeted if your blood is oxygen-rich and nutritional.
Are Bed Bugs Harmfull?
Even though they are stealing your blood, they do not transmit diseases to you or between you and other victims. Bed bug skin shedding can cause an asthmatic reaction in some individuals.
The inflammations caused by bed bugs are also itchy for many people. A wound can become infected if it is scratched excessively.
What do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?
Bed bugs bites appear on the skin as red blemishes. Typically, they occur on areas of your body that were exposed while you slept. As a result, bites are most common on the back, shoulders, and arms.
What do Bed Bug Look Like?
The adult bed bug measures only 5 millimeters in length. As a result of their diet of blood, their bodies are reddish brown in color. They have a flattened body and resemble ticks.
The abdomen of a bed bug expands as it feeds, creating an elongated appearance. An adult bed bug that has not been fed for a period of time has a rounder appearance. It is common for young bed bugs to have a cream color.
It is important to note that bed bugs are not able to fly and do not possess wings. Instead, they possess wing pads that are never fully functional. Each insect has six legs and two antennae.
Bed Bug Life Cycle
The eggs of the bed bug are approximately 1 mm long and white in color. After being laid, they hatch approximately two weeks later and begin feeding immediately. A nymph will develop into an adult over the course of five weeks if it is well fed and is kept at the optimal temperature. They grow from 1.5 mm to their full adult size during that period. By repeatedly shedding their exterior shells, they undergo rapid growth.
The female bed bug is slightly longer and wider than the male.
Under ideal conditions, bed bugs can live for six months if they have access to a regular food source, consistent temperature above 19 degrees, and a place to hide when they are not feeding.
In the course of their lifetime, female bed bugs can lay hundreds of eggs. An average of one to five eggs are laid by bed bugs every day.
Where do Bed Bugs Live?
Due to their name, some individuals believe that bed bugs can only be found in beds, bedding, and mattresses. Unfortunately, this is not the case. They can be found in all types of furniture as well as in appliances.
See if you can find traces of them on your sofa, in your favorite chair, or on your computer. Be sure to check between pictures and the walls they are hung on as well as inside books. In some cases, they may even be able to hide inside your clock radio, waiting to crawl out at night in order to feast on your blood.
Because they are so small, you may also find them in cracks in a wood floor, in and under carpets, and inside electrical outlets. A bed bug infestation can also be concealed by wiring, pipes, venting, and conduits.
Bug infestation in homes has nothing to do with hygiene and cleanliness. It infests the finest of homes, hotels, and restaurants. The best way to eliminate bed bugs is with our expert Bed Bug Treatment in Cape Town. You do not deserve to get stressed over bugs in your home. Contact our professional company today, and we will give you our expert opinion.