“Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite” may seem like just a pleasantry equated to wishing someone a good night’s sleep. However, there has been a resurgence of bed bug infestations in the US. On April 14, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held its first national summit in Arlington, Virginia addressing the growing problem of bed bugs.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects that are flat, oval and brown in color (nymphs may be clear or red in color). They feed on the blood of humans or animals to survive. Generally they are not easily detected as they usually feed at night and their flat 1/4 of an inch bodies allow them to hide in even the smallest cracks and crevices in the bed, between the mattresses, and in the bed frame. Whether or not these little insects are disease carriers is still not conclusive.
How Do You Know If You Have Bed Bugs?
Due to the 500% rise in bed bug infestations in the past few years, in 2009, Congress passed the Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite Act. An easy way to know if you’re among the many who have bed bugs is if you have small red itchy bites lined up in a row usually found on the face and neck or hands and arms. Although painless, there’s a large population who may experience inflammation of the bite due to an allergic reaction.
You may also see traces of a bed bug infestation in the bedroom. Their fecal stains may leave dark spots on the mattress. You may also find egg cases or shedded skins (exuviae) in their hiding spots. They tend to hide in areas close to their food source, in the seams of mattresses, under wallpaper or in curtains or carpet edges near the bed.
Heavy infestations of bed bugs may leave a detectable odor caused by secretions. Some people are allergic to bed bug secretions while others may only detect the musty or raspberry smell.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are hard to get rid of. They are very agile and can transport themselves from one bed to another by hitchhiking on luggage and even on your clothes. Ignoring the problem is not a solution. Adult bedbugs can live up to 1 year without feeding, while nymphs can survive for months without any food.
If addressing the problem yourself, start by examining your mattress. Evaluate if it may be disinfected or steam cleaned. Bed bugs cannot survive in the high temperatures of the steam. Another option is utilizing a mattress cover to completely enclose the mattress and eventually exterminate the pests unable to escape. If highly infested, the mattress may need to be discarded.
Many cases of an infestation will require special assistance from a pest-control professional. If possible, request that the sprays or dusts be eco-friendly so you don’t rid your bedroom of one problem by introducing a new one.
