Bed bugs are obligatory hematophagous (bloodsucking) insects. Cimex lectularius, is the best known as it prefers to feed on human blood. These parasites are called bed bugs because of their preferred habitat, warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. Bed bugs are mainly active at night. But are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed. Bed bugs use pheromones and kairomones to communicate regarding nesting locations, feeding, and reproduction.
Physical Appearance and Life Span:
Adult bed bugs are light brown to reddish-brown, flat, oval, and have no hind wings.
Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color, and become browner as they moult and reach maturity. A bed bug nymph of any age that has just consumed a blood meal has a bright red, translucent abdomen, fading to brown over the next several hours, and to opaque black within two days as the insect digests its meal.
Life Cycle:
Mosquitoes go through four stages in their lifecycles: egg, larva, pupa, and adult or imago.
In most species, adult females lay their eggs in ( on the surface of ) stagnant water. The female mosquito needs to have a blood meal to obtain nutrients to produce eggs. It sucks blood by puncturing its mouthparts to the skin, injects a small amount of saliva into the wound and feeds on blood. The saliva makes penetration easier and prevents the blood from clotting during feeding. Male mosquitoes feed only on nectar, plant juice and liquid carbohydrate and they die shortly after mating. However, females feed blood meal and will live for about a week to month. Some species live up to 6 months.
Bed Bugs Life Cycle
Harmful Effects of Bed Bugs to Humans
Bed bug bites leads to skin rashes. Unlike flea bites that are mainly around the ankles, bedbug bites are on any area of skin exposed while sleeping.
- Psychological effects
- Allergic symptoms
- Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors.
How do Bedbugs enter Your Home?
Bedbugs enter into building undetected through luggage, clothing, used beds and couches and other items as their thin bodies make it possible for them to fit into tiny spaces.
They normally feed at night hours. However, they are active during daytime at places like theatres, offices, rest rooms, vehicles, etc.
Identification of Bed Bug infestation:
- Bed bugs can be identified by blood stains
- Rusty spots of their excreta on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes
- The offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands.
How to control the exisiting bedbug population.
Residual Spray & Steam Treatment ( optional ) for Bed Bugs:
Residual Spray & Steam Treatment
To control bedbugs, follow up treatment is mandatory as during initial treatment carried out in cracks and crevices, Bed, Cot , door frames, Sofa and other funitures inside the room, besides, Curtain and folds can kill adults and nymphal stage, However, eggs do not get impacted by sprays as they are tolerant to chemicals. Follow up treatment after week or ten days of initial treatment would bring bedbugs under control.
Steam treatment is very effective , at 180 O C it can destroy all stages of bedbugs thus bringing them under control.
Due to high chances of reinfestation, periodic physical inspections is mandatory to effectively identify the harbourage area and control them before they infest all around the living or office area, guest blocks and similar.
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